MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Fort Gibson

Discussion

March 12, 2010

Fort’s expansion a boon to economy

By Liz McMahan





Expansion of the Fort Gibson National Cemetery has been good for the area economy, said Timothy Spain, cemetery director.

MRT Construction of Alburqueque, N.M., is contractor on the $6.2 million expansion and has used a number of area subcontractors, Spain said.

The 16-acre expansion is the first of the cemetery since 1980 and, when complete, should provide enough spaces through 2030 to 2035, Spain said.

The expansion includes:

• 3,000 in pre-placed burial crypts.

• 1,000 traditional burial spaces.

• 1,000 in-ground spaces for cremains.

• 1,600 niches for cremains in a columbrian wall.

The wall runs along the north edge of the expansion area and looks much like a long concrete fence. It is made up of rows of cubicles for cremains that will be covered by 12-inch by 12-inch marble slabs engraved much like the tombstones in the rest of the cemetery, Spain said. The name of the veteran will be on one side; the name of his spouse or eligible dependent on the other.

Phase 2 of the expansion project should begin this year. It includes roofing the administrative building, painting the perimeter fencing, removing the old maintenance building, and putting in a new parking lot.

The first phase of the cemetery expansion was to have been completed by May. The projected date for completion now is in September.

That should be just in time, with space in the existing 32 acres running out at about the same time, Spain said.

There were 19,780 veterans and their spouses buried there as of last week, with an average of 2.6 more burials on a daily basis, said Bill Isbell, assistant director.

The cemetery has 24 inground burial spaces left and is opening 127 more grave spaces in areas that have not been developed to accommodate families until the new area is opened, Spain said.

“Right when they (the contractors) turn it over, we’ll be in it,” Spain said. “We’ll do business in the original part until then. We’re under no threat of not being able to do what we need to do.”

Spain said several people have already expressed interest in seeing their veteran’s cremains placed there when the area is opened.



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