SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — New regulations for Syracuse cemeteries will change the way you pay respect to your loved ones.
For Camillus resident Carol Norris these new regulations are hitting close to home. As for Norris and her family visiting the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery has been a three-decade tradition to honor their family. To her surprise, preparing for her Memorial Day visit, she saw the new regulations on a picket sign. According to Onondaga County Parks, these regulations now require fresh cut flowers only.
“Well, I was a little confused because we had always been able to place pots at the gravesite, and then I was kind of disappointed because I thought to myself well if this is happening. I’m certainly feeling really sad because this is a tradition that our family has had for many years,” said Norris.
For Norris, these new regulations mean so much more as she has four family members buried at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery to where she feels they are restricting how they pay homage to their loved ones.
“I had a lot of different emotions about it. My dad, my father-in-law, my mother-in-law, my husband’s uncle were all being dishonored. They had given so much of their lives, and the family tradition is to honor them with a simple gesture to keep their memories alive, and honor what they gave to our country with their service and this privilege is being taken away,” said Norris.
NCC News reached out to Onondaga County Parks for more information regarding these new regulations but have yet to hear a response.
