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Date: 4/6/2023
AGAWAM — Recently, it’s been brought to the attention of state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) that for the past several months the gates at the Agawam Veterans Memorial Cemetery have been closing at 4 p.m. That contrasts with the Winchendon Veterans Memorial Cemetery, where gates are open all day and night, Velis said. Velis, who represents Agawam in the state Senate, said he has reached out to the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services to raise this issue and hopes to the see the hours extended.
“There are only two state veterans cemeteries in all of Massachusetts,” Velis said. “People from all over the state come to Agawam to visit their loved ones, and it is absolutely heartbreaking to hear that folks are unable to do that because of these limited hours.”
He continued, “Closing the gates at 4 p.m. means that people with 9-5 work schedules don’t even have time to visit on the weekdays. The men and women who reside in the Agawam cemetery selflessly served and sacrificed for our nation. Their families and friends should be provided every opportunity to visit them and pay their respects.”
Until recently, the cemetery gates were kept open until dusk. Velis said he is trying to figure out why the closing time was changed. He told Reminder Publishing there is a profound and significant difference between closing at 4 p.m. and closing at 7 or 8 p.m. He said it is unfair that families with veterans buried in Agawam have different, and much more restrictive, opportunities to visit their graves than those with veterans interred in Winchendon.
The Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam opened in May 2001 as the first state-owned veterans cemetery. Linnea Walsh, director of communications for the state Executive Office of Veterans’ Services, said the decision was made in October 2022 to close the gates at 4 p.m. daily due to its close proximity to a major tourist attraction, staffing challenges, and concerns over ensuring the safety and security of the site.
“Various different approaches exist among veteran cemeteries at the state and federal level regarding visitation hours,” Walsh said. “Both state-operated veteran cemeteries offer a place for peace and comfort for mourning families, and we are currently exploring ways to expand visitation hours.”
The Agawam cemetery is on Main Street, not far from Six Flags New England.
Velis said as a veteran himself, and as Senate chair of the Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee, he will do whatever he can to reinstate longer hours at the cemetery. He said he knows many families who have their loved ones buried there, and he has visited the cemetery himself several times.
“Anybody who has been over to Agawam knows that it’s sacred grounds,” said Velis. “It’s a very beautiful, hallowed, sacred grounds. The amount of sacrifice that you are surrounded by, it’s truly breathtaking. It’s one of the most beautiful places I believe that we have in Massachusetts.”
Right now, Velis wants the hours extended.
He wants to create a scenario where every person that wants to visit the cemetery is able to visit the cemetery to pay their respects and see their loved ones. Velis said he has already reached out to Veterans’ Services Secretary Jon Santiago.