waco — The City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department held a meeting Thursday to notify the public of its plan to move forward with a multi-year effort to better care for a once neglected African-American cemetery.
When it comes to the upkeep of Greenwood, things can get complicated, because parts of the graveyard are owned by the city and other parts are owned by families and other people who are now hard to find. In order to continue to maintain the parts of the cemetery the city does not own,it must get the legal right to do so.
"Other than that, the plan is to be able to show people the architectural styling that’s anticipated for the fence,” Senior Park Planner Tom Balk said. “We've also been asked to pursue some masonry detailing at the main vehicle entrance."
The city said the property ownership is difficult enough to filter through, and it is even more complicated trying to figure out what the layout of burials are for families like Patrick Voss who came to Greenwood Cemetery looking for his grandmother's gravesite.
"I’m trying to find out where she's at and how far I can go back with the little things I already know about her," Voss said.
The city will spend $300,000 for the project, and it's expected to be completed by the end of the year.