Pioneer Cemetery
The Pioneer Cemetery is a non-denominational burial ground owned and operated by the City of Spruce Grove. The City is committed to ensuring the cemetery remains a well-kept and respectful place for families to honour and remember their loved ones.
Cemetery history
Dating back to the 1800s, the Pioneer Cemetery served as a burial ground for the early pioneers of the communities of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain and Parkland County. The cemetery remains a meaningful place for families in the region to lay loved ones to rest.
Cemetery scattering garden
Pioneer Cemetery offers a community scattering garden, providing a peaceful, natural setting where families can scatter the ashes of loved ones in a meaningful way.
Centrally located within the cemetery, the garden features natural landscaping, a wooden viewing platform and a memorial plaque wall where families can honour and remember their loved ones.
The scattering garden is free to use, with optional memorial plaques available for a fee, as outlined in the City's Fees and Charges Bylaw.
Cemetery care and upcoming maintenance
As part of our commitment to preserve the cemetery as a place of peace, reflection and remembrance, and in alignment with the City’s Cemetery Bylaw, scheduled site maintenance and clean up happens weekly.
We know placing personal tributes on cemetery grounds can bring tremendous comfort. At the same time, ongoing care is essential to protect the natural beauty and safety of the cemetery for everyone who visits.
Some items, while placed with love, are not permitted because they can create maintenance barriers, safety concerns, or pest issues, or may be blown into surrounding areas, causing hazards or litter.
As part of weekly clean up, non-permitted items will be carefully removed. This ensures the cemetery remains a respectful and accessible space for years to come.
Permitted items include:
- Flowers or other adornments placed in holders affixed to grave markers
Non-permitted items include:
- Fences or railings, furniture, statues, monuments, rocks or markers
- Landscaping such as shrubs, trees or flowers intended for growth
- Landscaping materials such as rocks, aggregates, edging, concrete or brick borders
- Mementos, solar lights, toys, flowerpots or anything not placed in the vase affixed to a marker.
Any non-permitted items collected during weekly clean-ups will be stored for 30 days, after which time they will be disposed of.
Families can arrange to retrieve items by contacting Public Works at 780-962-7584.
Please note, any non-permitted items that were collected as part of a larger cemetery clean up effort on Oct. 30, 2026, have been catalogued and are being stored at a City facility until Oct. 30, 2027. Items not collected by this date will be disposed of.
Thank you for your understanding and partnership as we care for this special place.
Visiting the cemetery
Family, friends and visitors are welcome to spend time at the cemetery seven days a week between dawn and dusk. The cemetery is located southeast of the Highway 16A and Pioneer Road intersection, just before leaving Spruce Grove towards Acheson.
Frequently asked questions
Items such as flowers or other adornments may be placed in approved holders on grave markers.
Non-permitted items include:
- Fences or railings, furniture, statues, monuments, rocks or markers
- Landscaping such as shrubs, trees or flowers intended for growth
- Landscaping materials such as rocks, aggregates, edging, concrete or brick borders
- Mementos, solar lights, toys, flowerpots or anything not placed in the vase affixed to a marker.
Items placed without City permission will be carefully removed to help maintain the safety, appearance and accessibility of the grounds. Please note, leaving non-permitted items on cemetery grounds can lead to fines as per the City’s Cemetery Bylaw.
Regular site maintenance includes general upkeep such as emptying waste receptacles, mowing grass, compacting new graves, and removing items like broken glass, fallen silk flowers, or anything that could attract pests. In some cases, items may be displaced by weather and, if staff cannot determine their original placement, those items may be removed.
Site clean up is necessary as some materials and decorations can deteriorate over time, potentially impacting the surrounding area. Regular clean up helps protect the environment and ensures the cemetery remains safe, respectful and well-maintained for all visitors.
Yes, the City follows the Cemetery Bylaw (Bylaw C-1056-18), which outlines standards for ongoing maintenance and clean up of cemetery grounds. The City also follows the Cemetery Operation and Maintenance Policy to ensure maintenance standards are carried out appropriately.
Questions?
Contact us by calling 780-962-7584 or email.