Jim Good, who is the founder and operator of one of the cities finest hidden gems Goodsir Nature Park, is facing some health challenges.
Good suffered a heart attack in 2018 and has had numerous health issues since, but is now struggling with an infection that requires him to have a number of weeks of treatments to follow which require daily drives back and forth to town.
Friends and supporters of Good have set up a GoFundMe page to help alleviate some financial stress as he gets on the path to recovery.
Goodsir Nature Park is Good’s lifelong passion which he operates as a non-profit funded through donations and volunteer work.
The GoFundMe notes that park visitors and contributions have been down compares to previous years.
“Recently, Jim has had many things break down, including his own vehicle and lawn tractor and has no funds to continue replacing or repairing these items. Thankfully some local businesses stepped up to repair his vehicle for him after someone else scammed him but there is so much more he needs,” says the GoFundMe organized by Robert Romeyn.
“This past year his primary maintenance tool, his lawn tractor, broke and is no longer repairable. Without this, next spring he will not be able to continue with grass cutting at the park or maintaining it. For this item alone; a ride on mower and cart is around $4000 to $5000. Many of the items he has are getting older and will soon need replacing. Additionally, the cost of fuel to run all these items is very expensive, even at the best of times.”
Romeyn said he is hopeful the community can help with his current and ongoing needs.
“Jim has spent decades developing this 160-acre nature park for the community and has dedicated his life to collecting and cataloging plant species from all over Canada and his life teaching others about them,” said Romeyn.
As of Monday, the GoFundMe had raised $3,295 of a $4,500 goal.
Good opened Goodsir Nature Park in June of 1989 after purchasing the land in 1987 with the sole intention of single handily turning it into a nature park. He was driven by his love of plant life and wildflowers.
Each living plant in Goodsir Nature Park feature’s an interpretive sign that shows a map of Canada, illustrating where the plant exists in the wild along with basic information about the plant.
Goodsir Nature Park is located at 22825 Old Summit Lake Road North.
Admission to the park is by donation and it is open to visitors seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
