Jim came to Bonnechere Provincial Park in 1987, and for 20 years he nurtured and redeveloped this picturesque campground into one of Ontario’s premier provincial parks complete with enhanced facilities, accommodation options, hiking trails, and a full slate of summer programming reflecting the Ottawa Valley’s natural and cultural heritage.
In addition to his duties at Bonnechere Park, Jim was also superintendent of a dozen smaller provincial Parks in Renfrew County, including Foy Provincial Park at the east end of Round Lake, and Bonnechere River Provincial Park, a 23-km stretch of shoreline linking Algonquin and Bonnechere Parks. He also oversaw twelve other MNR-owned parcels of land that have the potential for Ontario Parks designation.
Jim was also one of the founding members of the Friends of Bonnechere Parks, established in 1994, and shortly thereafter, the Bonnechere Cultural Heritage Project. Spearheaded by a dedicated group of professional and avocational archaeologists, this project has been the catalyst for a wealth of archaeological based programming along the River for more than a decade.