Grand View’s hours of operation expanded as cemetery begins renovations

For several years, the only chance families could visit their late relatives at Grand View Memorial Park was during a small window of time on Sundays.

An uncertain future has loomed over the cemetery in northwest Glendale for the past decade. However, since Jan. 1, new owners have expanded the hours — from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., seven days a week.

“The families that come in here, they are so delighted; they are doing nothing but complimenting us,” said Reginald Duran, Grand View’s president. “It’s been a very positive move for us.”

Last July, Duran and his associates at Vancouver-based Heritage Cemetery Management, Inc. bought the cemetery for $890,000, according to the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office.

The sale capped controversy that began 10 years ago after a state investigation found 4,000 people were improperly buried there, findings that were followed by a lawsuit.

A $3.8 million class-action settlement was reached in 2010. In between 2005 and the present, closures of the cemetery and sporadic hours were commonplace.

But Duran said he is committed to keeping Grand View open every day and ushering in a series of major renovations.

One of the biggest undertakings will be uncovering the many graves that had grass grow over them throughout the years, he said.

The cemetery’s chapel will be renovated along with the north and west mausoleums, Duran said.

Another major effort will involve the installation of $500,000 worth of new crematory equipment, he said.

“[The crematorium] had antiquated equipment that was not state of the art,” Duran said. “It had many problems.”

He added he’s hired additional staff to help with the ongoing projects.

“I have a personal agenda to serve the families of Glendale and will do everything possible within reason to assist them in caring for their loved ones who passed away,” Duran said.

The announcement of future plans at Grand View was well-received by the head of the Northwest Glendale Homeowner’s Assn.

“Opening the cemetery every day so relatives can more easily visit their loved ones is welcome news after so much prior tumult regarding the cemetery and its operation,” said Peter Fuad, the association’s president in an email.