By Gazette Staff
September 22nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Jan McCormick is the minister at East Plains United Church in Burlington. She sent us an unusual story she wanted us to share.
Clergy live interesting lives; they have an ear close to the ground and know just about everything about their congregation
East Plains United Church has been an integral part of the Aldershot community for 182 years. It has a cemetery on the property, which has been there as long as there has been a church building, perhaps longer.
Reverend Jan McCormick is the minister at East Plains United Church.
McCormick explains: “This spring, the Building and Property Committee of the church decided that it was time to replace a walkway leading from the parking lot on the east side of the church property to an entry door which is used most frequently by the Aldershot Child Care Centre, which is located within the building. Over time, the walkway had heaved and cracked. Last winter, there were times when ice formation rendered the walkway quite dangerous for parents and children to navigate. It was a safety issue that needed to be rectified.
“The church contracted with Burlington Paving to do the repair. It was to be a one-day job. As the staff dug down to lay new crushed stone in preparation for paving, they hit something. Upon investigation, it was discovered that there is a decommissioned oil tank buried between the church building and the cemetery. Paving work stopped.
Getting a sling around the 3000 gallon tank and lifting it out onto a flatbed truck led to a skull buried in the soil.
“The current environmental laws require that, if an oil tank is discovered buried on a property, it must be removed. The Building and Property Committee set about finding a contractor to remove the oil tank. After receiving estimates and doing their due diligence, a contractor was hired.
“On Friday, June 20th, the crew arrived to remove the oil tank, The tank was opened. It was found to have some residual oil in it and some sand. Both substances were removed separately and taken to the appropriate disposal site. Once the tank was empty, the crew began to remove soil from the front and sides of the tank in order to put a sling around the 3000 gallon tank and lift it out onto a flatbed truck. As the second bucket load was being deposited on the ground, a crew member shouted that he saw something unusual in the soil pile. Work stopped and the pile was examined. There was what appeared to be a partial skull and some other pieces of bone amongst the soil and stones. Work was halted. The police were called. The Forensics Unit arrived. Suddenly, we had a scene from a crime drama unfolding on the church property.
“It was determined that the bones were not from a recent burial. no crime had been committed. The case was transferred to the coroner. When the coroner examined the artifacts, we were told that these were, indeed human remains and that they were very old. The case was then transferred to the Bereavement Authority of Ontario. Within a few days, a representative of the church’s Board of Trustees was informed that a Burial Site Assessment must be completed by a registered Archaeological Research Company.
“That process began this past week and more bones have been uncovered.
“That process began this past week and more bones have been uncovered.
“There will come a point in the process when the oil tank will be removed, so that the researchers can investigate below and around the tank “nest”. At this point, the soil around the tank “nest” will also be tested for contamination.through any oil leakage. If any contamination is found, excavation will need to continue until no further contamination is found.”
“Eventually, the hole will be refilled, the remains will be re-buried and the “one day” walkway repair will be completed. We are hopeful that that might happen before winter is upon us.”
There just might be more to this story. All Clergy know that the first conversation about an issue or a problem – is only the beginning.
The findings do give meaning to the Land Acknowledgements that are read in many churches.
If the church has been there for 182 years, what is a buried oil tank doing there?