Environmental fund donates in honour of late Goderich mayor

The legacy of Goderich’s former mayor John Grace, will live on in the Maitland River watershed, thanks to his friends at the Goderich Lion’s Club.

“When our late, great mayor, and also Lions Club President passed away, we committed to a $100,000 environmental fund in his name to go to things that were near and dear to his heart, and inspired the rest of us,” said Goderich Lions Club President, Don Edward.

Grace was killed in a boating accident in northern Ontario in August of 2022.

In his name, the Goderich Lions Club is giving $45,000 from their John Grace Environmental Fund to the Maitland Conservation Foundation, to fund the restoration of over 16,000 acres of river valleys and floodplains in Huron County.

“We’ll put the money to good use for projects in the Goderich area. John was such a community leader and advocate for the environment. It’s wonderful the Goderich Lions have donated money to the Conservation Foundation,” says Maitland Conservation Foundation Chair, Kriss Snell.

Peter Shepard and Don Edward, from the Goderich Lions Club, give a donation of $45,000 from the John Grace Environmental Fund to Kriss Snell, Chair of the Maitland Conservation Foundation. Nov. 21, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)The Conservation Foundation estimates 40 per cent of the Maitland River’s shores require natural buffering, like the work done on a Bodmin Farms near Belgrave with 10,400 trees over 25 acres of former cattle pasture, along the Maitland River.

“John was very conscious of the environment with his fishing camp and also around town. We just know this is something he would have supported a fair bit,” says Goderich Lions Club member, Peter Shepard.

Grace will also have the Goderich boardwalk named after him this coming spring, along with several scholarships in his honour.

“He was an organizer, and we miss him still,” says Shepard. 

John Grace, former Goderich mayor, tragically died in a boating accident in Northern Ontario in August 2022. (Source: Town of Goderich)