Photo: City of Kelowna

Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.

The City of Kelowna is preparing to clean up Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery next month.

The new initiative will take place between March 1 and 14 every year going forward and will see the cemetery remove all memorial adornments from plots and niches.

"Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery is committed to providing a beautiful space for families and friends to remember, celebrate and honour loved ones. To keep the cemetery clean, well-manicured and safe for all visitors, including wildlife, the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery will be implementing a new annual adornment refresh," says a news release from the City of Kelowna.

That means all flowers, natural and artificial, decorations and items not part of the monument will be carefully collected and stored within the cemetery office for one month. Residents are encouraged to remove any items they may wish to keep before March 1 or visit the cemetery office in the following month to retrieve them.

"This annual refresh helps to keep the cemetery grounds clean, cut down on waste and assists with wildlife management. The city appreciates the cooperation of visitors and families," says the city release.