YAN Yean’s historic cemetery will get a major facelift with the addition of a new chapel, to be built with money given by a local Doreen family.


Local farmers turned philanthropists, the Clements family will build the chapel as a gift to the Yan Yean Cemetery Trust.


Last week Gordon Clements, whose family has lived in the Whittlesea district since the 1840s, turned the first sod at a ceremony to mark the commencement of the project.


“We’ve been in the area a long, long while and this is something my wife Evelyn and I thought it was well worthwhile putting back into the community,” Mr Clements said.


Local builders Comdain Constructions will build the chapel, which has been three years in the planning.


Seating 70 people, the design draws on natural materials such as stone and makes the most of the views to the north and east.


Mr and Mrs Clements said they hoped the non-denominational chapel would provide a peaceful place for prayer, meditation, quiet reflection and funeral and memorial services.


“We hope this will be a lasting gift,” Mr Clements said.


The dairy farmer said he, wife Evelyn, and daughters Jo and Judy had spent all their lives in the area, and had a strong sense of community spirit.


Mr and Mrs Clements, who have been trustees of the cemetery for 29 years, have decided to keep the cost of the project confidential.


Cemetery trust chairman Les Russell said the chapel was a great donation by the family.


“This is our first chapel and it’ll be great for the cemetery and great for the community,” Mr Russell said.


The Yan Yean Cemetery dates back to the early 1850s and contains an intact headstone from 1854.


Many of the first people buried there died building the nearby reservoir.


Last year the trust got council approval to expand the cemetery grounds by 14 acres.


“We are definitely getting busier,” Mr Russell said.


“At the moment we’re doing about 150 burials per year.”


The chapel is expected to be completed by September this year.