Our lounges give a family a place to "escape" and relax with a cup of coffee or tea. They are a place where they can just have a break, and collect their thoughts. The family members can either be alone there, or can invite their friends to join them over refreshments.

          While we have couches in our lounges, most people tend to sit around the tables in a more relaxed, "kitchen-table" type atmosphere. We want our client families to be comfortable, and feel at home. After all, at the time of a death, our funeral home is their home. They can meet and greet their friends in a home-like atmosphere, without the pressures or headaches of using their own home. Years ago, before the advent of the funeral home, the funeral director would offer the bereaved family use of his own house, just to make it easier on the family.

          In keeping with the "our home is your home" theme, smoking is also allowed in these areas. While smoking does add to our cleaning costs, at a time like this, who are we to dictate that families cannot smoke.

          Both of our lounges have full coffee and tea service, kitchen counters with sink, cupboards, and water cooler. Small refrigerators are also available. The colours, window coverings, carpeting, silk plants and furnishings are also in keeping with the decor throughout the funeral home. The lounges also double quite nicely as additional arrangement areas, overflow seating, and even visitation areas when the need dictates.

          Our lounges are also used for post-funeral reception purposes. While neither one is large enough for more than a small group of people, they serve as a "staging area" for larger receptions which use other areas within the funeral home.

The "Waverley Chapel" - At our Waverley Chapel, our coffee/smoking lounge is located on the second floor, overlooking our front doors and driveway. Originally the Everest family's residence, more than one family has been raised in that 1150 square foot suite. In 1993, doing a great deal of the work ourselves, we converted the suite into the coffee lounge that it is today. We also included another private office and subsequently our monument display area. The original bathroom was converted into a men's room, and the laundry area into the ladies' room. While both restrooms are handicap accessible, the lounge itself is not yet accessible to those in wheelchairs.

          The finished product is a 900 square foot lounge which is accessed via a wide staircase. A separate roof-mounted air conditioning unit and an electronic air cleaner service the area. We are most proud of this lounge, and are sure that the Everest family would approve.

The "Westfort Chapel" - The lounge at our Westfort Chapel was built directly off the foyer, across from the entrance to the main chapel. It is 500 square feet, and has it's own air-conditioning/heating unit, plus an exhaust fan. Restrooms are accessible, 20 feet away across the main foyer.

          Thank you for joining with us, on this on-line tour of our funeral homes.

- John-Bryan Gardiner, Vice-President, Managing Partner.