Goderich boardwalk to be renamed in honour of former mayor

Goderich’s famed boardwalk, that stretches 1.8 kilometres along the shores of Lake Huron and attracts thousands of tourists each year, will be renamed the John C. Grace Boardwalk this spring in honour of the former mayor who died tragically in a boating accident in August of 2022.

“I thought it was a very fitting recommendation, considering the passion that John had for the waterfront. He just loved the space. He loved working on the space and loved creating ideas on how to make the space better,” said current Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet.

Grace, who was on Goderich council for 17 years before being elected mayor in 2018, led the charge to repair the town’s shoreline boardwalk after it was ripped to shreds during a storm in October of 2019.

He famously put in the last deck screw to finish the project in November of 2021.

“I think it’s the perfect fitting tribute. He was the mayor here, and it’s unfortunate what happened. He was the driving force behind [the new boardwalk],” said boardwalk user Jim Yungblut.

Bazinet said there will be three plaques commemorating the John C. Grace Boardwalk installed next spring. One at either end of the wooden boardwalk, and another behind the water treatment plant, where’s Grace’s father has a commemorative bench.

John Grace, former Goderich mayor, tragically died in a boating accident in Northern Ontario in August 2022. (Source: Town of Goderich) “It’ll be nice for locals, but it’ll be great for tourists to stop at the plaques and realize the dedication and commitment that went into the boardwalk by John. The family is going to develop the wording for the plaques for us,” said Bazinet.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea. We just moved here at the end of April and everything we’ve heard about John Grace has been so positive, and we were so sorry when we heard of his passing,” said new Goderich resident and avid boardwalk user Donelda Schwartzentruber.

While there have been scholarships and bursaries and trees being planted in Grace’s memory since his sudden passing, the renaming of Goderich’s boardwalk will be a lasting tribute to Grace’s contribution to his hometown.

“I’ve always felt it’s important to remember the people that worked so hard and had passion for our community. This is the perfect way of recognizing the hard work and commitment that John C. Grace had for our community,” said Bazinet. 

A naming ceremony and plaque unveiling will be planned for the spring, said Bazinet.