By court order, the troubled Glendale cemetery Grand View Memorial Park opened its gates for four hours during the long Memorial Day holiday weekend - the first such public visitation since March 30.

The temperature was cool and the cloudy skies threatened rain - but stillvisitors came - some walked in alone, others came in twos, groups, by car, truck, van, and SUV to pay respect to the dead.

Grand View has been closed due to a long list of legal and management issues. The trouble began in 2005 after a state inspector discovered the remains of four thousand bodies improperly stored.

In mid-2006, the owner, Moshe Goldsman, closed the cemetery citing financial problems.

The city of Glendale stepped in and opened the cemetery, but shut it down again in June 2007.

Also, Glendale filed a nuisance abatement action against the cemetery owner, claiming the property was a public hazard, demanding such improvements as trimming the trees, installing a watering system and removal of brush and debris.

On Sunday, May 25, during the brief visitation, I spoke with a number of people - many were regulars who had been coming to the cemetery for years. They described the Grand View of the past as lush or park like with green lawns, rose bushes, and tall beautiful trees. A peaceful place to sit, remember and mourn.

This was probably the intent when Grand View became a resting place for the deceased in 1884.

Now, the cemetery is shrouded in neglect. A number of the trees have been cut down, leaving large ugly stumps. The grounds are dry and covered with weeds and trash - hiding most of the flat headstones.

For that reason, many of the visitors came packing garbage bags and gardening tools like clippers, shovels and rakes. It was both touching and sad to see visitors digging through the rubble to find grave markers and then gently washing them clean.

Oh, they had to bring their own bottled water - the reason - the outdoor faucets on the cemetery grounds were not working during this visitation.

Steve and Pauline Beebe of Glendale did not come prepared. They wandered around for a while hunting for the gravesite of a nephew. However, without proper tools to aid their search - they had to give up in frustration.

Pauline did not hide her disappointment at the poor condition of the cemetery. She told me Grand View used to look like a "mini-Forest Lawn."

Around 20 volunteers were on hand to help in the search for gravesites along with other matters such as giving directions where to park. Pitching in - plaintiff lawyers Mary Der-Parseghian, Ara Aroustamian and Paul Ayers.

There are reportedly three law firms representing at least 900 family members in individual cases and a class-action lawsuit as well against the cemetery.

Attorneys for the families have agreed to meet with a mediator in July - many hope this will be the first step to a settlement.

Ayers says he's "cautiously optimistic" about the upcoming mediation session and the eventual return to normal operations at Grand View.

Check back here for more on Grand View and the May public visitation.