The province of Saskatchewan has given permission to the city of Saskatoon to inter the cremated remains of famous hockey son Gordie Howe and wife Colleen, at the base of a statue honouring him.

The family made the request recently but the city needed to apply to have the statue at SaskTel Centre and the adjacent area declared a cemetery.

Howe was born in Floral but the family moved days later to Saskatoon where he grew up.

The former Detroit Red Wings great died June 10 at the age of 88.

The family says some of their father’s ashes will be spread in Michigan’s Bear Lake, where a similar service was held for their mother after her death seven years ago.