Parks & Trails

Located at 1200 Lake Chipican Drive, Sarnia, Ontario. 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, a bandshell, seasonal food trucks, a BMX and bike track, and many paved and unpaved trails.

The highlight of the park is Canatara Beach, one 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. Refer to the Aquatic Facilities page for more information regarding Canatara Beach, including details on lifeguards and accessible beach matting.

The Children’s Animal Farm, operated by the Sarnia District Humane Society in partnership with the Seaway Kiwanis Club and the City, is located within Canatara Park. The Children’s Mini Choo Choo Train operates out of the nearby Train Station. For more information on the Animal Farm and Choo Choo Train, visit the Recreation Programming page.

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.

Located at 430 Front Street North, Sarnia, Ontario. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Centennial Park features award-winning floral gardens, a flag court, a playground, a canoe/kayak launch, waterfront walking trails,  the Suncor Agora stage, and seasonal food trucks. Every winter the park is illuminated with thousands of colourful lights for the Celebration of Lights.

The Andrew S. Brandt Marina in Sarnia Bay is located within Centennial Park, accessible off Seaway Road. Details regarding the Marina can be found on their website. Boarder Pass and Gordons WaterSports are private rental businesses that operate out of the Marina.

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 tobogganing, skiing, and sledding is recommended.

Several smaller parks make up Sarnia’s waterfront, including the Point Lands Park, Bayshore Park, and Paul Blundy Park.

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.

The Point Lands is home to the Point Lands Cremated Ashes Scattering Site.

Located at 900 Germain Street, Sarnia, Ontario. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Germain Park encompasses over 60 acres of recreation space. Amenities include tennis/pickleball courts, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, a playground, concrete outdoor stage, dog park, Germain Garden Plots, 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 Dog Park is an enclosed off-leash space 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.

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 on 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. Maximum 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.

Call By-Law Enforcement at 519-332-0330 Ext. 3301 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for by-law violations.

Call 519-332-0330 Ext. 1 for after-hours safety or maintenance concerns.

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, Ontario. Park hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

Kenwick on the Lake Park is situated across the street from the Kenwick Park Beach. Amenities include a covered pavilion, a gazebo, multi-use courts for tennis/pickleball, a playground, and washrooms facilities. A seasonal food truck is on-site.

Located at 2354 Lakeshore Road, Sarnia, Ontario. 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 open field, a play area and jungle gym, and a sheltered picnic area. It is also home to the Sarnia Cricket Club who play on the cricket pitch.

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.

Cox Youth 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
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 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.

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 area (Germain Park).

Dogs are not allowed on any public 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 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 posters, notices, advertisements, etc. are allowed to be posted in any city park, unless written permission is obtained within an event or rental contract.

Decor can be used in picnic pavilions and spaces, provided there is a approved rental contract.

Even with written permission in a contract, no 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.

Fishing is not permitted in ponds or lakes within public parks, such as Lake Chipican or stormwater management ponds (Twin Lakes, Heritage).

Anglers are asked to ensure they are not endangering others who may be in the vicinity while fishing in public spaces.

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 to 5 a.m.).