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Toronto Funeral Homes Get a Second Life

Admin • Jun 09, 2017

Toronto is known for a lot of things: great restaurants, a thriving arts scene, tons of amazing festivals and cultural events. As it turns out, the 6ix has also found a niche in repurposing funeral homes. From galleries to lofts, we explore what happens when urban planning meets end of life care.

Toronto Funeral Homes Get a Second Life

LCBO, Queen and Dunn
Once a funeral home located in the heart of Parkdale, this shiny new LCBO location is the perfect spot to grab a few locally crafted beers en route to a lakeside picnic. Boasting a parking lot (a rarity in the Toronto) and an impressive selection of wines and spirits, it’s been a welcome addition to this Queen West neighbourhood.

Pop Up Art Gallery, Queen and Broadview
What better way to contemplate the great unknown than by exploring art installations in a former funeral home? In an exhibition put on by Labspace Studio in 2011, a group of 15 artists set up the facility as a stage to showcase sculptures, film projects, and photographs under “…that recalled, reinterpreted and recreated a past memory.”

Veterinary Clinic, Queen and Strachan
Occupying prime real estate across from Trinity Bellwoods Park, this new animal hospital is housed in what used to be one a funeral home dating back to the 1800s. Today, it’s a state of the art facility dedicated to the health and well-being of Toronto’s fuzziest citizens.

Condominums, Roncesvalles and Howard Park
While the project is still in its infancy, plans to turn what was once a Roncey landmark into sprawling condos has left locals feeling hot under the collar. The tastefully appointed two-storey funeral home was leveled to make room for a 93 unit building, something that nearby residents aren’t especially keen on.

Arts and Music Studio, Niagara and Tecumseth
Once home to the National Casket Company in the early 1900s, this heritage building has been transformed into a live-in studio space for a diverse group of artists and musicians. Unfortunately, redevelopment plans are in the works, leaving the residents in a precarious position.

Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers?

07 Oct, 2022
Funeral Directors routinely ask families during the arrangement process about pacemakers. Standard safety precautions are in place because of the explosive potential of pacemakers when heated. Pacemakers explode during the cremation process because of the rapid formation of gas which bursts the pacemaker’s casing. An explosion during the cremation process could cause serious damage to the crematorium chamber, as […] The post Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers? appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries

By Tania Tack • 29 Apr, 2022
When a death occurs in the winter months, it is quite common that the burial can’t take place until the spring. Our region has long, cold winters and this hinders a cemetery’s ability to conduct burials due to the frozen ground. It is not unusal for many families in our smaller communities thoughout Ontario to […] The post The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Death and Taxes

By Tania Tack • 24 Mar, 2022
Tax rules are often complicated and never fun. In the case of pre-arrangements that is no different. When you pre-arrange your funeral there are some things to consider from a tax perspective that we hope to cover here. We will do our best, but unfortunately, we are not accountants and can’t give you personal advice […] The post Death and Taxes appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Grave Woman

By Tania Tack • 10 Dec, 2020
The funeral industry is changing. Catapulting that change are women like The Grave Woman, Joél Simone Anthony. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia, but is making waves all over the United States with her alternative approach to funeral service. We had the pleasure of speaking with her and learning more about her work. Joél Simone Anthony […] The post The Grave Woman appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements

By Tania Tack • 24 Nov, 2020
Living without a will may relieve a person from having to think about their own mortality. Living without a will may also save a person some time and money. However, dying without a will can cause grave challenges and obstacles for those left behind. Dying in intestate means that the deceased person did not leave a Will. […] The post Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You

By Tania Tack • 10 Nov, 2020
Being appointed an Executor is often seen as an honour, but it can also be an extremely daunting task. The person selected to look after estate matters is often also likely to be the person grieving the most. In an effort to alleviate the stress associated with being an Executor or Administrator, we have compiled […] The post Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home

By Tania Tack • 31 Aug, 2020
Basic Funerals has been listed as one of the Top 3 Best-Rated Funeral Homes. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve such welcoming communities. We would not be considered ‘best-rated’ without you! Recognition for Excellence Our team was recognized for providing consistent high quality services in our area of business. We were reviewed by […] The post Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home appeared first on Basic Funerals.

6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve

By Tania Tack • 09 Jul, 2020
By guest blogger, Carrie Fawcett: Celebrant Ceremonies like funerals and memorials are intended to both honour the life of a loved one and meet the needs of those left behind. If current public health limits have you question if it is still possible to have a “good” funeral, I encourage you to see those limits […] The post 6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home

By Tania Tack • 12 Jun, 2020
Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home The long-lasting Covid-19 pandemic still has an impact on how the death industry is able to conduct services. Funeral and memorial services are still limited to small groups of 10 attendees and burials are to happen as soon as possible. Many funeral providers have also implemented new […] The post Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com

By Tania Tack • 25 May, 2020
Basic Funerals and Headspace Promotion Basic Funerals has always worked hard to go beyond the funeral. We care about the families we serve. We understand that these difficult times make it even harder to grieve the death of a loved one. For this reason, we have coordinated an offer with Headspace.com to provide our families […] The post The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com appeared first on Basic Funerals.
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