Menkeweer Cemetery restored to its former glory

The water board is the administrator of this cemetery and has had
repair work carried out over the past year, including the restoration of gravestones. The gravestones have been restored and replaced by Veenstra Natuursteen B.V. 

Restoration

Given the importance that our water board attaches to preserving cultural and historical heritage, it was decided to restore this cemetery to its former glory. In addition to restoring the gravestones, we carried out pruning work last year and planted stinzen plants and hawthorns. This would create a greater sense of seclusion. In addition, the village of Onderdendam has expressed a need to be able to scatter ashes at the Menkeweer cemetery. That is why this year we are looking into the possibility of installing a scattering monument.

Cultural heritage

Menkeweer is a cemetery in the village of Onderdendam. Since 1960, the cemetery has been owned and managed by the legal predecessor of the Noorderzijlvest Water Authority, the Hunsingo Water Authority. The reason for purchasing the cemetery for ƒ1 guilder at the time was that the water board "felt morally obliged to keep this grave (namely that of Mr. A.J. van Roijen, the first chairman of the water board) in proper condition." Originally, there were 58 graves in the cemetery; today there are 56. In 1970, the cemetery was designated a National Archaeological Monument. Since 2000, the Noorderzijlvest Water Board has been the owner of the cemetery.

Landscape program

The restoration of the cemetery is part of the implementation of the landscape program. Network operator TenneT is installing a new 380-kilovolt overhead high-voltage line between Eemshaven and Vierverlaten near Hoogkerk. The existing 220-kilovolt connection is no longer sufficient due to the growth of Eemshaven as an energy hub. To compensate for the impact of this connection, TenneT and the province are investing in landscape and nature measures. These projects must be completed or in progress within five years of the construction of the new 380-kilovolt high-voltage line, which will take three years. TenneT began the actual construction of the connection in April 2020. The connection will be completed in 2023 and will replace the existing 220 kV connection.