Goderich, Ont. boardwalk complete, shoreline work continues

Goderich, Ont. -

Goderich’s famed shoreline boardwalk is finally complete.

“Just over two years ago we had a really bad storm that just tore apart our entire waterfront, including the old boardwalk,” says Goderich’s Mayor John Grace.

Goderich council was planning to replace the 1.8-kilometre wooden boardwalk before the October 2019 storm, but the aftermath expedited the new boardwalk.

It also forced council to spend well over a million dollars stabilizing the town’s waterfront, hauling in huge rocks to harden the shoreline.

“We’ve had a complete revamp of the shoreline. Stabilization was first and foremost, and then we went ahead and started designing and building this magnificent boardwalk,” says Grace.

The entire project took longer and cost more than expected, but Grace is hopeful they’ve done it right this time, and may only need cosmetic improvements from here on in.

“We still have a lot of landscaping to do, some trees to plant, a few things to move around, but next summer we’ll complete the job. The biggest thing is, the boardwalk is back,” he says.

Locals who religiously walk Goderich’s shoreline each and every day appear to be more than satisfied with the final result of two years of construction.

“It’s beautiful. I hope Mother Nature behaves herself and keeps it on the down low for us,” says one Goderich board-walker.

“I think it’s fabulous. We come down here as often as we can. We try to get down here every day to take a walk from one end to the other, enjoying the scenery. I’m proud of the town for getting this work done,” say Goderich residents Sharon and Tom.

Shoreline protection work continues south of Rotary Cove, as Goderich attempts to limit as much erosion as possible.