Maple Park Crematorium opens its doors

In a wet and cold field in the middle of the North Yorkshire countryside in November 2020, the first machine engines spluttered to an early morning start, and the creation of Maple Park began.

Fast forward two and a half years, we are now in our fourth month of opening and Maple Park is positively impacting those recently bereaved, fuelled by a team of incredibly passionate staff.

Maple Park came to fruition through the vision of a council that understood their residents. They recognised the need to break the cycle of travelling long distances to say goodbye to their loved ones. Reducing lengthy waiting times, which caused added strain at an already difficult time, was equally a key requirement that needed to be resolved.

In May 2019 Hambleton District Council appointed the CDS Group, to develop the business case to create Maple Park. Following a feasibility study, a site between Thirsk and the A1 was selected based on various criteria, including its great accessibility from various directions. Once the 22 acre site was acquired the vision of agricultural-looking buildings, within extensive landscaping was developed. The visualisation centred around providing a peaceful experience for mourners and developing an estate that provided bereavement services, as well as becoming an asset for the community. The former Skipton-on-Swale RAF base nearby was a base for the Royal Canadian Air Force, in recognition of this the landscaping includes the planting of 98 Maple trees to commemorate the lives lost in the Royal Canadian Air Force. As well as acknowledging the site’s past the Council sought to consider its future. This led to the purchase of an electric cremator, only the third in the country, in a move towards a greener future in the industry. Community consultation took place via a drop-in event and an online survey, there was significant support for the development and in April 2020 the full planning application was submitted.

The support and experience of Henry Riley, who acted as Employer’s Agent, cost consultant and project manager, combined with the vision of CDS Group and Benchmark architects, has ensured that Maple Park has been designed and created with care and attention to detail.

The experienced contractor Willmott Dixon was appointed, and the project completed in February 2022, with the total build taking approximately 15 months. The team had to battle difficult weather and several storms but are rightly proud of the end product. The collaborative nature of Willmott Dixon and the attention to detail by all those involved, including the beautifully hand crafted furniture by Treske, has meant Maple Park has been completed to the highest standard and continues to flourish. The passion exuberated by all parties is visible in the beauty of the memorial garden and the large airy service hall to the staff that comfort and help families and friends through some of their most difficult times.

At the heart of Maple Park is the desire to ensure that families have a space in which they can say goodbye to loved ones and the time they need to do so. Maple Park’s aesthetics and