Dear tribal members and tribal staff,
The purpose of this letter is to provide notification of upcoming construction work at the Ouray Cemetery, starting Monday, July 21.
Over the course of the next three months, several upgrades will be made to the cemetery to improve access and maintenance facilities for the benefit of tribal members and their loved ones. At the south end of the cemetery, several old, dilapidated sheds will be removed and replaced with an engineered metal building which will protect vehicles, machinery and tools, and provide shelter for maintenance crews. A shallow berm will be constructed just inside the new fence to help alleviate the occasional flooding from heavy rains and irrigation. The gravel drive-through will be reworked and paved with asphalt, with several new handicap parking stalls, an ADA safe pathway, and area for porta-potties. Additionally, a well and cistern will be installed at the north end of the cemetery to improve irrigation water supply for the grounds.
During construction activities, construction crews will work with due respect for the history of this cemetery. Crews will not be working among the gravesites; they will be restricted to the immediate construction areas, which are adjacent to some gravesites. Any visitors to the cemetery during normal construction hours of 7a.m.-5p.m. will likely see the crews working. Our sincere apologies if this disrupts any visits.
We are also prepared for the possibility of funerary services during the next few months. During any funerary service, construction services will shut down entirely. We will ensure proper access for funeral vehicles and others to the cemetery grounds and move construction materials and equipment to unobtrusive locations north and south of the cemetery, to the extent possible.
If you or a loved one need to schedule a funeral service at the cemetery during construction, please contact Southern Ute Vital Statistics, Grounds Maintenance, and/or Tribal Housing.
The goal is to complete these upgrades quickly and efficiently so that tribal members can resume normal visitation of the cemetery without the disruption of construction crews.
We ask for your patience and understanding during this time. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Derrell Lindsey at Tribal Housing, Construction & Project Management, via email: dlindsey@southernute-nsn.gov or via cell phone: 970-759-4939.