Parks & Trails

View the Parks Master List to see detailed information on every City of Sarnia park, including location and amenities.

Located at 1200 Lake Chipican Drive, Sarnia ON N7V 3C1. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Canatara Park is the largest and most well-known park in the City of Sarnia. It has many attractions including a long stretch of sandy beach, rentable picnic pavilions and spaces, concert stage, food trucks, BMX and bike track, and many paved and unpaved trails.

Canatara Beach is 1 of only 27 beaches in Canada to have earned official Blue Flag status for its commitment to adhere to strict water quality and a number of other criteria. The beach has rubber mat walkways to make the beach more accessible to people using wheelchairs or strollers, and accessible chairs for beach access. Refer to the Aquatic Facilities page for more information regarding Canatara Beach.

Canatara Park is home to the Animal Farm, operated by the Seaway Kiwanis Club. Details regarding the Seaway Kiwanis Children’s Animal Farm can be found through the Sarnia District Humane Society website or by phone. Additional information is available on the Seaway Kiwanis website.

Seasonal Parking Lot Closures

The two parking lots west of the main beach parking lot close for the winter season in December, and re-open to the community in early spring.

The lots are closed off to vehicle traffic with barriers and signage is posted on-site to share this information with visitors. Parking remains available for winter visitors at the main lot, and all other parking areas in the park remain open.

These two parking lots are challenging given their age and condition as water consistently pools at the entrances creating safety concerns when it freezes over. Given the challenges, these parking lots are not maintained throughout the winter, and as such they often present a challenging obstacle for residents who inadvertently enter the area on occasion and sometimes find themselves unable to exit unassisted.

To prevent these types of scenarios and encourage visitors to utilize other cleared parking areas in Canatara Park.

Located at 430 Front Street North, Sarnia ON N7T 7V4. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Centennial Park features award winning floral gardens, children’s play area, flag court, walking trails, and the Suncor Agora stage. You can walk along the waterfront to view the beautiful St. Clair River and the Andrew S. Brandt Marina in Sarnia Bay. Every winter the park is illuminated with thousands of colourful lights for the Celebration of Lights.

Memorial and commemorative benches line the waterfront and are placed in memory of beloved Sarnia citizens. The Point Lands Cremated Ashes Scattering Site is also located towards the Marina, as well as an in-ground functioning model of the Ontario Great Lakes.

The Indigenous Community Flag Plaza is located in the south section of Bayshore Park. Flags are on display from Aamjiwnaang, Kettle & Stony Point, and Walpole Island (Bkejwanong) First Nations. The outer ring of the flag plaza features the Medicine Wheel that embodies the Four Directions, as well as Father Sky, Mother Earth, and Spirit Tree.

Details regarding the Andrew S. Brandt Marina can be found on their website.

Please note that the City of Sarnia does not maintain nor inspect the park for tobogganing, so please use at your own risk. Safety gear for activities such as tobogganging, skiing, and sledding is recommended.

Located at 900 Germain Street, Sarnia ON N7S 1L8. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Germain Park encompasses over 60 acres of recreation space. Amenities include a tennis/pickleball court, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, playground equipment, concrete outdoor stage, dog park, Germain Garden Plots, Strangway Community Centre, and walking trails through the award-winning Germain Gardens. It has three entrances: East Street, Bright Street, and Germain Street.

The park is also home to the Sarnia Lawn Bowling Club and the Golden Hawk Memorial for WWII airmen.

Germain Dog Park

The Germain Off-Leash Dog Park is an enclosed space near the Bright Street entrance and is a great place to bring your dog for some exercise. It is recommended that dog owners should not bring their dogs to off-leash parks to socialize them as dogs should have good temperaments and socialization skills before entering a dog park.

The dog park is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Rules & Regulations
1. Use of off-leash is at the owner’s risk.
2. No excessive barking.
3. No balls, toys, food, dog treats, or glass permitted.
4. All dogs must have their current rabies vaccination tag and a municipal dog license tag on them at all times.
5. Dog owners/handlers shall be responsible for immediate clean up.
6. Absolutely no puppies under 4 months, no female dogs in heat, no sick or aggressive dogs allowed.
7. Any dogs required by law to be muzzled must remain so within the park.
8. Off-leash is only permitted within the designated fenced areas. Dogs must remain in leash at all other times.
9. Dog owners/handlers must remain with their dogs in the off-leash area at all times.
10. Minors under 16 years of age must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. Children shall not run, shout, or otherwise antagonize dogs.
11. Max of 3 dogs per adult.

All park users are subject to the dog owner’s liability act and the City of Sarnia By Law #133 of 2009.

By Law Enforcement: 519-332-0330 Ext. 3301

Call 226-472-1150 for after-hours Public Works, Animal Control, or Parks emergencies.

Germain Park Master Plan

After multiple rounds of public consultation, Sarnia City Council approved a new Germain Park Master Plan in April 2023.

Built on extensive public input from 10 stakeholder groups and over 1,100 individual respondents, the plan outlines a vision for the park that reflects changing recreational preferences; serves a diverse array of recreation types; celebrates heritage; is accessible, welcoming and safe; and strengthens long-term sustainability through infrastructure resiliency and asset management planning.

To learn more visit our Germain Park Master Plan page.

The Howard Watson Trail runs from Sarnia to the Town of Camlachie and is open year-round. It is a multi-use, non-motorized trail. It is 16 km in length, 6 km through urban areas and 10 km in rural areas. Horses are only allowed on the rural section of the trail.

The trail is maintained in partnership between the City of Sarnia and Lambton County, and has a number of generous members of the Adopt-A-Trail program who work to ensure the trail is clean and beautiful for everyone to enjoy.

Details regarding Bluewater Trails can be found on their website.

Located at 2759 Lakeshore Road, Bright’s Grove ON N0N 1C0. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Kenwick Park is situated across the street from the Bright’s Grove Beach. Amenities include a covered pavilion and a wedding gazebo for rent, multi-use courts for tennis/pickleball, a playground, and washrooms facilities. A seasonal food truck is on-site and Beach Bumz provides paddle boards and kayaks for rent seasonally and weather permitting.

Beach Bumz can be contacted in person at each location, by phone at 519-381-7176 / 1-855-383-7433, or on their Facebook page.

Located at 2354 Lakeshore Road, Sarnia ON N7X 1G7. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Mike Weir Park is named after the world-famous golfer, born and raised in the Sarnia and Bright’s Grove area. It features beach access, a large sports field, a play area and jungle gym for kids, and a sheltered picnic area. It is also home to the Sarnia Cricket Club.

All skate parks and BMX tracks are open seasonally from April to October, weather permitting. All users are required to use safety gear, helmets, elbow and wrist guards, and kneepads.

Youth Cox Centre BMX/Skate Park
Located in Tecumseh Park at 334 Russell Street South.
Open Sunday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Seaway Kiwanis BMX Track
Located in Canatara Park, south of the Animal Farm, at 1200 Lake Chipican Drive.
Open Sunday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Harry Turnbull Skate Park
This skate park is a 30-year-old facility designed for in-line and skateboard use. It features two hills and a bowl area for beginners to advanced skaters.

Located in Harry Turnbull Park at 235 Maxwell Street.
Open Sunday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

This section of the Bluewater Trails system is 1.5 km long and is moderate in difficulty for hiking. You can view native trees, wetlands, grass prairies, and a variety of wildlife along the trail. A pedestrian bridge connects to the Wawanosh Wetlands Conservation Area, providing hikers an excellent extended trail experience.

The trail can be accessed at Modeland Road near Berger Road.

Exclusive use is granted only to those with a paid and approved rental contract within the constraints of the details of said contract as issued by the City of Sarnia.

Any person may be required to show proof of said contract to any City of Sarnia employee.

Visit our Picnic Spaces page for more information on rentable spaces and the rental process.

No person shall have any alcoholic beverages in any park space, unless an event or rental contract with an AGCO Special Occasion Permit has been obtained.

Any Police or By-Law Enforcement Officer or City employee may exclude and/or remove any person who is disorderly and/or drunken.

No animals aside from dogs can be brought to a park. Dogs must be always kept on-leash, except within a designated off-leash dog park (Germain Park).

Dogs are not allowed on any city beach.

Dog faeces or “poop” must be immediately picked up and disposed of in a designated garbage can or taken home to be disposed of properly.

Wildlife must not be disturbed or disrupted, unless showing immediate signs of distress or disease. Who to contact in such situations is outlined on the Wildlife page.

Residential BBQs that can be carried to a green space are allowed. Commercial or industrial BBQs are NOT allowed.

Staff will NOT unlock gates to unload and vehicles are NOT permitted to drive off a roadway/parking lot to unload.

Barbecuing and/or cooking is not allowed on any public beach.

Cooking grease from barbecues and/or any food waste must be disposed of properly by taking it home or disposing of it in a designated waste or recycle bin. Absolutely no grease of food waste can be dumped in any park space or in any beach space including in surrounding beach grass, etc.

No fires of any kind are allowed in any park or beach space, unless written within a contract and within a designated fire pit

No posters, notices, advertisements, etc. are allowed to be posted in any city park, unless written permission is obtained within an event or rental contract. Even with written permission, no such items can be nailed or fastened to any park space that may cause damage.

Any Police or By-Law Enforcement Officer or employee may exclude and/or remove any person who is disorderly and/or drunken.

Any Police or By-Law Officer or employee may exclude and/or remove any person who is in violation of the Parks By-Law.

No garbage or waste of any kind can be left anywhere in any city park, beach, or body of water.

It is requested that individuals bring their garbage home to dispose of to follow a “Leave No Trace” model. If this is not possible, then garbage must be disposed of in a designated waste or recycle bin.

Cooking grease from barbecues and/or any food waste must be disposed of properly by taking it home or disposing of it in a designated waste or recycle bin.

Amplified noise is not allowed in any park space, unless written permission is provided within an event or rental contract, as within the Noise By-Law.

Visitors are requested to respect those around them and recognize the park is a public space for the enjoyment of the whole community. As such, please keep any noise and/or music at a low volume and limited to your immediate surroundings only.

No water vehicles of any kind are allowed on Lake Chipican.

No motorized water vehicles are permitted close to the beach shore or where people may be swimming, including but not limited to the designated lifeguard section of Canatara Beach.

No camping is allowed in any park space, whether it be in a tent or a vehicle of any kind, including in any parking lot within a city park.

No recreational vehicles including RVs, trailers, campers, etc. are allowed in parks for any reason.

Please note that the City of Sarnia does not maintain nor inspect any park spaces for tobogganing, so please use at your own risk. Safety gear for activities such as tobogganing, skiing, and sledding is recommended.

No vehicles larger than a standard “pick-up” vehicle are allowed on a park roadway.

No driving any vehicle on any area except the designated roadways that are open to the public.

Vehicles driven on any green space without written permission will be fined and individuals will be responsible for any damage or repair fees to the parkland.

No parking on the roadways, or in a way that blocks traffic, on any green space, or where it is not a designated parking area. No parking overnight after park hours (midnight-5 a.m.).