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Families frustrated by fenced-off mausoleum
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More from Local NewsEvery Sunday, Catherine Villa treks to Oxnard from San Fernando Valley to spend a few solemn moments by her late mother's crypt at the Santa Clara Cemetery.
A few months ago, however, construction workers blocked access to the mausoleum, which is being expanded as part of a cemetery renovation project.
Villa asked to place flowers in a vase over the crypt. A construction worker complied but said the site would be off-limits in the future. Villa asked for how long.
"He said, three, four weeks,' and that was about two, three months ago," Villa, a former Oxnard resident, said recently.
"I'm disappointed," Villa continued, adding that she has sneaked past the fence since then when no was watching. "I want to see my mother. I want to go there without feeling like I'm going to be caught or have to stand outside from about 20 feet. For them to keep a block between us, it's not fair."
Others with loved ones at the nearly 30-acre cemetery — on J Street in the city's Southbank Neighborhood — share her frustration. They've sought answers from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which owns and operates the cemetery.
The response is always the same: The fence will come down in two more weeks, said Oxnard resident Julia Campos,
"We're sick and tired of having to hear two more weeks," said Campos, whose son Daniel, slain about three years ago, is buried there.
"Nothing happens. It's always two more weeks," Campos said. "We don't get anything in writing."
Archdiocese spokesman Tod Tamberg said the city ordered the fence up around the mausoleum to address safety issues after visitors complained.
"We hope to have the fence down just as soon as possible — in the month we hope," Tamberg said.
Rob Roshanian, Oxnard's chief building official, tells a slightly different story.
"We told them to make it safe, but we didn't tell them to fence it off," Roshanian said. But he added that a fence does provide a sound remedy for construction sites where safety is an issue.
The city Planning Commission approved the renovation in 2003, which also calls for a new office building, mortuary, chapel and additional parking.
City officials awarded building permits for the work in December 2005, and construction began about a year ago.
Tamberg said that he could not explain why anyone would tell visitors there was only two weeks left to finish the work.
On Monday, much of the expanded mausoleum appeared to be open to the public. New crypts still under construction were sealed off by plastic fencing. Construction workers quietly went about their tasks around the late 19th-century cemetery, where flowers adorned many gravestones.
The chapel, mortuary and office building recently passed a final inspection, and occupancy is expected soon, Roshanian said. The mausoleum also passed its most recent inspection in July.
"The way I see it, the project is progressing," Roshanian said, "and they could be ready for occupancy by November."
Posted by lsoshea on August 29, 2007 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Another Star story with the WRONG information.
Santa Clara Cemetery is not and has NEVER BEEN on "J" street. It is located on "H" Street just off of Vineyard Ave. Who is editing these stories anyway? Tell them that they need a new pair of glasses.
Posted by mrya_99 on August 29, 2007 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe it's because "H" Street becomes "J" Street..but only South of Channel Islands Blvd, I think..... who knows... but you are correct; the Star is not editing their writers' articles!!
Posted by bexterrella on August 29, 2007 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My heart goes out to the lady who has to visit her mother's tomb from 20ft away, but hopefully her mother is in heaven! I am sure she will be happier once the renovations are through! Well worth the wait from my understanding!
Posted by ReconByFire on August 29, 2007 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In light of the sexual abuse scandel that's shaken the Los Angeles archdiocese, Santa Clara Cemetery isn't helping to mend the Church's standing in the community. This blot is just the latest of several at the cemetery. Some will remember the flap a few years ago when officials prohibited a woman from placing a small American flag on her veteran father's grave, on Memorial Day! There was the case of the employee who embezzled thousands of dollars of customers' payments for grave markers, etc. Recently, members of my family from out-of-town visited Santa Clara to pay their respects at our folks' gravesite. As my sister-in-law pulled out a camera to snap a photo of my brother and their daugthers, a security guard waddled over and yelled to them that photos aren't allowed at the cemetery. She further threatened to confiscate the camera and call the police. She handed them a mimeographed copy of a long list of the cemetery's rules and regulations, which must come close to matching those at our nation's most sensitive military facilities. I guess it's my personal gripe, but why can't a family snap a photo at a loved one's gravesite? My family visited some ancestors' gravesites in the midwest 10 years ago, and the photos of my father -- now residing at Santa Clara cemetery -- and my kids that we snapped are treasured "souvenirs" from that memorable day. Our local cemetery whould rethink its inhospitable policies -- it's not helping to improve the archdiocese's tarnished image.
Posted by desbibodemian on August 30, 2007 at 3:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My brother's plot was vandalized more than once and both times the lady security guard that looks like she lives out of her car was on duty but no where to be seen, I came to find out she had a relationship with the people who were doing this. Santa Clara paid for the restoration of my brothers head stone but made my brother look fake. They claimed they can't do anything about it! YES, they can. How about hiring a good security service?
Posted by ironwoman on September 2, 2007 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Everytime I visit my Grandfather's grave, the employees are always nice...the security guards have always been friendly.
If I was unable to visit because of construction, I would understand. My Grandfather won't be mad if I don't visit him for a few weeks.
Question: What does a person "look like" if they live out of their car? You should be ashamed of yourself for making that comment.
The word "respect" comes to mind.
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