Historic Orillia Ont. cemetery still locked month after devastating ice storm

The gates to the Saint Andrew’s - Saint James’ Cemetery in Orillia remain locked nearly a month after a devastating ice storm swept through the region.

The cemetery, closed to visitors since the storm, is still undergoing a significant cleanup effort to deal with widespread damage.

Crews are working to restore the property, which spans over 35 acres. Roughly 30 headstones were toppled during the storm, with at least four facing severe damage.

“Our property extends over 35 acres, and I would say at least 75 per cent of that was affected significantly,” said Stephanie Pegelo, General Manager of St. Andrew’s - St. James’ Cemetery.

On Wednesday, workers continued to remove downed trees and broken branches, while specialized crews focused on restoring damaged headstones.

“We’ve got to watch that we don’t damage them anymore.” Said Brett Liddard of Sanderson Monument. “Our most important thing is that we need to get them back up for the families and stuff so they are not laying down on the ground.”

The total damage is estimated at around $35,000. First established in 1873, the cemetery is home to more than 35,000 interments, roughly equivalent to the population of Orillia. Many of the trees on the property are more than 150 years old, contributing to both the beauty and the challenge of the cleanup.

“We are working our hardest, and we are seeing a lot of progress now that we have our professional arborist on site,” Pegelo added. “We’re almost there—we’re just not quite ready to reopen just yet.”

While most of the debris has been cleared, the focus is now shifting to identifying and removing hazardous branches still hanging in the trees.

Cemetery staff are hopeful the site will be ready to welcome visitors and loved ones again in early May.