‘It’s a disgrace’: Petersburg resident fed up with overgrown grass at Blandford Cemetery
VENN
PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- Conditions at Blandford Cemetery have some Petersburg residents speaking out.
Some areas of the cemetery are well-manicured. But in others, overgrown grass reaches over three feet high, obscuring headstones and making it difficult to access some plots at all.
A Petersburg official told 8News that crews cut grass weekly, but because the cemetery is so large, they don't always reach every section. 8News witnessed crews working on Tuesday, Aug. 12, but they never reached overgrown sections that appear to not have been touched for weeks.
"It’s a real disgrace to the people buried here," said one resident, who didn't want to share her name or face, but has many relatives buried at Blandford. "It’s a disgrace to their families, even more so it should be a disgrace to the City of Petersburg."
The resident said this problem has been going on for years, but it is worse now. In fact, 8News spoke to residents about overgrown grass at the cemetery more than eight years ago. Then, the city, which owns the cemetery, said it takes nearly three weeks to cut the entire cemetery once.
“To have something that looks this bad, in our city, that nobody is taking care of. And it’s not that it’s not being complained about," the resident said.
Petersburg officials told 8News that usually eight people work on cutting the grass at the cemetery. They also credit heavy rainfall this summer for the height of the grass.
But the resident said it's not a new issue. In the past, she herself did maintenance on her loved ones' plots, bringing a push mower and other tools from home. But now, she said her health issues and age make it too difficult.
She said she has a plot of her own at the cemetery that she expects to be buried in one day.
“When I look at this, I get sick. I mean, it’s just horrible to think that I’ll be up there," she said. "I’m the later generation, and there will be hardly anyone left to make sure my lot gets cut."
