The Clyde Coast and Garnock Valley Crematorium has opened its doors to the public, after four years of planning and a year of construction.
The crematorium sits in the heart of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, covering 108 square miles of beautiful Scottish countryside. It will principally serve the communities of Largs, Millport, Kilbirnie and Dalry, but also those from further afield – the three towns of Ardrossan, Saltcoats, and Stevenson, plus Kilwinning, Irvine, Skelmorlie, Wemyss Bay, Inverkip and the Isles of Bute and Arran.
The facility is run by Manager Philip Ewing, who has spent most of his adult life in Largs and has enormous experience of running crematoria. Philip said, “I have a great team here and we have spent lots of time thinking about how we can improve the experience of visiting a crematorium. We want every service to be flawless to ensure that families can focus on saying their last goodbyes in a setting that is unique and very special”.
The chapel seats 154 people and places the coffin at the centre of proceedings against the backdrop of a view that stretches over to the Clyde Coast and the stunning mountain peaks of Arran.
The crematorium has a large waiting room so mourners can wait out of the weather. Additionally, the waiting room can be used as an overflow space, where large services can be viewed on TV monitors and heard through high quality speakers.
An online music system, Wesley, can source almost any piece of music families are likely to want and there is an organ for those who would like a traditional service. Through the Wesley system we can also show pictures and videos during the service, perhaps accompanied by a favourite piece of music. Services can be watched on-line through a secure internet link and also recorded.
Behind the scenes is the most advanced and environmentally-friendly cremator available, minimising our impact on the natural environment.
Wherever possible, the crematorium has been built using local suppliers. Construction was undertaken by Glasgow-based Luddon Construction and much of the furniture built by Fairlie Furniture in Fairlie.