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The City of St. Catharines honoured late community champion and Regional Chair Jim Bradley on Wednesday with a ribbon cutting at the renamed Grantham’s Jim Bradley Park.
New park signage marks Grantham’s Jim Bradley Park at 447 Grantham Ave., a large neighbourhood park with open space, a soccer field, playground equipment and swings.
Bradley, who passed away Sept. 26 after a brief illness, left a legacy of public service that shaped St. Catharines, Niagara, and Ontario. His remarkable 55-year career in elected office began as a St. Catharines City Councillor in 1970 at the age of 25. He was St. Catharines MPP from 1977 to 1981, the second-longest tenure in Ontario’s history. In 2018, he was elected to Regional Council and soon after, elected Regional Chair by Council, then reappointed Chair in 2022 by the Ontario government.
An early autumn sun shone on the ceremony on Oct. 8, attended by City of St. Catharines Councillors, senior City staff, Niagara Regional Councillors, Yasmine Hejazi on behalf of St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle, St. Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens, and Bradley’s family.
Mayor Mat Siscoe said Bradley had been “deeply touched” by the park renaming honour and “knew how important he was to the community.”
“It’s incredibly fitting that we rename this park in honour of Jim Bradley — a man who dedicated his entire life to public service and to the people of St. Catharines,” Mayor Siscoe said. “While it’s heartbreaking Jim isn’t here with us to witness this tribute, I know he was incredibly honoured by this gesture. Jim’s legacy lives on not just in the decisions he made, but in the very fabric of our community, and now, in this park that will carry his name for generations to come.”
Grantham Coun. Bill Phillips tabled the motion at St. Catharines Council to rename Grantham Park to Grantham’s Jim Bradley Park, with support from wardmate, Coun. Dawn Dodge.
“Jim saw parks as a place for children to play and a place for residents to exercise and relax,” said Coun. Phillips. “He recognized parks as a vital place in the sense of wellness in a community. He was very honoured to have his city name a park in recognition of the contribution he made to St. Catharines.”
Bradley’s vision and integrity set a standard for environmental stewardship. As Ontario Minister of the Environment from 1985 to 1990, Bradley introduced the landmark Spills Bill to hold polluters accountable and protect waterways and he oversaw the launch of the world’s first Blue Box recycling program, which became a model around the world.
As MPP, Bradley played a pivotal role in securing investments that have transformed the community: the development of the St. Catharines Hospital and the Walker Family Cancer Centre, and the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. He also helped establish Malcolmson Eco-Park.
Throughout his life, Bradley had also been a hockey and baseball coach, manager, and referee, and was a longtime member of the Grantham Optimist Club.
Bradley shared his gratitude to the community in a statement before he passed away.
“To the people of St. Catharines and Niagara: thank you for the trust and confidence you have placed in me to represent you over the years at City Council, at Regional Council, and at the Provincial Legislature,” Bradley said. “Our system of democracy is a true treasure, and I have always regarded it as a great honour to be able to advocate for the needs and desires of our city, our region, and our province.”
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