Eleni Adragna was devastated when she learned that items left at her family's gravesite in Pine Hills Cemetery had been removed. After being informed months ago about changes to the cemetery's bylaws, she took steps to comply. She adjusted the flower beds and modified the Greek Orthodox holy house at her father and grandparents' graves. However, on Monday, her daughter called in distress to report that the items were gone, relocated to a fenced area with belongings from other graves.

The Mount Pleasant Group, which manages Pine Hills Cemetery in Scarborough and several others in the Toronto area, stated that the bylaw changes were made over a year ago and began enforcement in July. The changes were intended to enhance safety for visitors and staff. Abigail Brown, the director of marketing, communications, and outreach for Mount Pleasant, acknowledged the cemetery's failure to effectively communicate these changes. "We’re regretful of the pain and frustration and the confusion that it’s caused," Brown said. "We acknowledge it and we’re very sorry and we’re going to take some steps to address it."

The removal of items has angered many in Toronto's Greek community. Families reported that they were not adequately informed about the bylaw changes, which they feel disrespected religious items, including holy houses that hold candles and icons. Adragna expressed her frustration, stating, "You pay big money (for the plot) ... and to have this done in a way that a lot of people were not aware (of), and just the lack of respect for religious items, is just not OK with me."

The new bylaws, which took effect on May 1, 2024, prohibit glass and landscape rocks at gravesites. John Perrotta, the director of property services, explained that glass can shatter and rocks can become dangerous projectiles when struck by trimmers. The cemetery began notifying families of the changes in February through various channels, including emails and signage in multiple languages. In July, staff began removing items, tagging them with family names and plot locations before placing them in an outdoor holding area.

In response to the backlash, Mount Pleasant Group announced it would pause the removal of items while it reviews community concerns. The cemetery plans to work with families to restore significant items, including holy houses, starting Thursday. "Our goal is to balance the need for safety and compliance with a deep respect for the traditions, beliefs, and grief journeys of the families we serve," the company stated.

Many members of the Greek community have relatives buried at Pine Hills. Adragna's grandparents were interred there in 2009, and her father in 2014 after a battle with cancer. She recalled her heartbreak upon discovering her father's items in a fenced area, stating, "My father’s things were thrown, tipped over. The holy oil had destroyed the icons that were in the house. People’s houses were broken. It was just a disgusting way to treat religious items."

Denise Georgiou-Newell, whose grandfather is also buried at Pine Hills, visited the cemetery to document the situation. She remarked, "This is like you’re throwing away our church, our belief. Clearly no one’s done their research on this or has talked to anybody."

Yannis Kakagiannis, a former board member of the Greek Community of Toronto, noted that while items on his father-in-law's plot were not removed, his family was never informed of the bylaw changes. "We never got a phone call, we never got an email, we never got a letter," he said. He described the cemetery's actions as creating a "garbage dump" for the items, leaving the community feeling devastated.

Brown and Perrotta acknowledged that the cemetery did not provide sufficient notice to families and encouraged them to share their feedback. "We are here to listen to people," Perrotta said. "We want to work with them."