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Canatara Park Master Plan

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We’re looking to the future of Canatara Park, preparing a master plan for the beloved lakeside park.

Originally established in the 1930s and located on the shore of Lake Huron in the north end of the City, the 174 acre park is the largest, and one of the most well known, in Sarnia. It is the home to long-running events such as Canada Day celebrations and Christmas on the Farm. The site boasts numerous amenities including pavilions, the Children’s Animal Farm, BMX track, playground, natural heritage areas, an outdoor stage, and Canatara Park Beach, one of only 27 beaches in Canada to have earned official Blue Flag status.

To ensure this beloved, and crucial, recreation and leisure space, continues to serve residents, both now and into the future, Council has approved that the City is developing a master plan that will guide future investments to address aging infrastructure, evolving accessibility needs, and address conflicting uses.

We’re building the plan on consultation with stakeholders and the public, ensuring their experiences and insight is reflected in the document. The plan will explore options to improve cycling and walking trails, the park road, parking, recreation facilities and amenities while balancing often competing user needs, ultimately creating a plan and phased investment recommendations to guide Council budget decisions over the next several years.

A balanced approach

With evolving uses and the need for renewal, a master plan is an opportunity to bring everyone together to co-create a vision for the future of this crucial community space.

Canatara Park is home to a many users, groups and amenities. A master plan will guide future investments to better address diverse user requirements, while balancing needs for:

  • Major event spaces
  • Spaces for small private events
  • Natural heritage and habitat preservation
  • Recreation
  • Access and Parking
  • Green space
  • Passive recreation
  • Tourism
  • Economic development

Want to Learn More?

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions in the document widget on this page.

Get involved

As part of the process we want to hear from you. We kicked the project off with the opportunity for one-on-one conversations with a member of the design team, with more engagement opportunities, such as public workshops and surveys, to come.

Check the newsfeed below for project updates, and be sure to subscribe via the Follow Project widget for updates on future input opportunities.

We’re looking to the future of Canatara Park, preparing a master plan for the beloved lakeside park.

Originally established in the 1930s and located on the shore of Lake Huron in the north end of the City, the 174 acre park is the largest, and one of the most well known, in Sarnia. It is the home to long-running events such as Canada Day celebrations and Christmas on the Farm. The site boasts numerous amenities including pavilions, the Children’s Animal Farm, BMX track, playground, natural heritage areas, an outdoor stage, and Canatara Park Beach, one of only 27 beaches in Canada to have earned official Blue Flag status.

To ensure this beloved, and crucial, recreation and leisure space, continues to serve residents, both now and into the future, Council has approved that the City is developing a master plan that will guide future investments to address aging infrastructure, evolving accessibility needs, and address conflicting uses.

We’re building the plan on consultation with stakeholders and the public, ensuring their experiences and insight is reflected in the document. The plan will explore options to improve cycling and walking trails, the park road, parking, recreation facilities and amenities while balancing often competing user needs, ultimately creating a plan and phased investment recommendations to guide Council budget decisions over the next several years.

A balanced approach

With evolving uses and the need for renewal, a master plan is an opportunity to bring everyone together to co-create a vision for the future of this crucial community space.

Canatara Park is home to a many users, groups and amenities. A master plan will guide future investments to better address diverse user requirements, while balancing needs for:

  • Major event spaces
  • Spaces for small private events
  • Natural heritage and habitat preservation
  • Recreation
  • Access and Parking
  • Green space
  • Passive recreation
  • Tourism
  • Economic development

Want to Learn More?

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions in the document widget on this page.

Get involved

As part of the process we want to hear from you. We kicked the project off with the opportunity for one-on-one conversations with a member of the design team, with more engagement opportunities, such as public workshops and surveys, to come.

Check the newsfeed below for project updates, and be sure to subscribe via the Follow Project widget for updates on future input opportunities.

  • Project Update - Council Consideration

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    Thankyou to everyone who contributed their insight and vision to the Canatara Park Master Plan process. On Monday, November 18, 2024, City Council will consider a draft of the plan.

    To learn more you can find a draft copy of the plan and related staff report at https://sarnia.civicweb.net/FileStorage/E4D5A783C46A489FA5F3CAC3FF72575B-CommServ%20-%2006%20-%20Report%20-%20Canatara%20Park%20Master%20Plan.pdf

  • Update – Canatara Park Emerging Preferred Concept

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    The public can now view the Emerging Preferred Concept for the Canatara Park Master Plan. While the plan continues to remain under development, Council was presented with an updated emerging preferred concept at its July 8, 2024 meeting.

    The concept reflects the input of thousands of residents across multiple touchpoints including an online survey, two public information sessions held July 2, emails and telephone calls.

    The initial three options for the park have now been combined to into a single emerging preferred concept that balances protection of the park’s unique beach dune and other ecosystems, alongside event and recreation uses while maintaining the space as a public park with beachfront parking and drive through access.

    The emerging preferred concept includes five distinct zones:

    1. A Beach Zone with beachfront parking, an expanded dune area with boardwalk, new lifeguard station / washrooms, beach volleyball, etc
    2. A Lake Zone with Lake Chipican lookouts and boardwalk; existing animal farm; new farm-themed play area, etc.
    3. An Event Zone with existing lawn area, paths and picnicking along the forest edge, new covered stage / pavilion, new plaza area, new parking lot, etc.
    4. A Meadow Zone with new multi-purpose lawn area; new shade structure / welcome pavilion; new nature education centre / day camp; educational gardens; existing BMX track; etc.
    5. A Forest Zone featuring new trail hierarchy, tree canopy walk, forest management plan, cycling loop, etc.

    VIEW THE EMERGING PREFERED CONCEPT

    The Canatara Park Master Plan remains under development. Share your comments on this plan via email to parksandrecreation@sarnia.ca

    Don’t forget to subscribe via the Subscription Widget on this page for updates as we work to finalize a draft master plan for submission to Council.

    Council Direction

    While the plan continues to remain under development, Council has approved three requests for specific items to be included in the Canatara Park Master Plan.

    Specifically, Council approved the inclusion of beach volleyball courts and a storage building for the Seaway Kiwanis Club to be included in the final iteration of the plan. Council also approved removal of the existing, aging Thrasher building (the barn-like building with interior picnic seating just south of the Animal Farm), with plans to replace the amenity with seating and shade options.

    Read the Council presentation

    Read the Council report

  • Public Information Session - July 2, 2024

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    CLOSED: This discussion has concluded. Thank you to all who participated.

    The Canatara Park Master Plan project team will host two public information sessions on July 2, inviting you to review the emerging preferred design for Canatara Park. The information session will begin with a presentation to summarize what we’ve heard so far and the components of the emerging preferred plan. We are looking forward to your continued input on the Canatara Park Master Plan. Two sessions are planned. Please join the one that best suits your schedule.

    Session details:
    Date: July 2, 2024
    Location: Pat Stapleton Arena, Kiwanis Room
    Session Times: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. OR 6 to 8 p.m.


    The emerging prefered design reflects the input from previous public engagements. The Planning Partnership led a public design workshop where three options were generated. The three options were subsequently refined and used for the online survey, providing the opportunity for participants to weigh on ideas they think are good additions to the park and ideas you’d prefer not to include. The survey closes on June 28.

  • Master Plan Design Survey

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    CLOSED: This discussion has concluded, thank you to all who took the time to provide their input on the emerging concept plan.

    You can now provide your input on design concepts for the Canatara Park Master Plan.

    We've launched a survey that will remain open to June 28, providing all residents the chance to review potential designs for the park generated during prior design workshops. Design options focus on three concepts:

    • Environmental Protection
    • Recreation
    • Tourism

    Participants will be able to rank preferred concepts and specific details. Want to provide a comment? Click on the dialogue icons throughout the survey (the icons shaped like a comic text bubble) to provide further feedback.

    Before taking the survey, take some time to review the design options.

    The City of Sarnia strives to ensure all it's documents and surveys are provided in accessible format. If you require any accommodation with documents please contact the City of Sarnia’s Communications Department at communications@sarnia.ca.


  • Public design workshop

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    CLOSED: Public Design Workshops have concluded. Thank you to all who participated. Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming survey.

    The team has organized a design workshop where you are invited to work alongside a landscape architect from The Planning Partnership to explore options for the park. You will work in a small group to discuss possibilities and create a drawing that represents options to consider. The results of the design workshop will be posted on the project webpage and included in an online survey for all to weigh in on.

  • Invitation to register for a one-on-one conversation

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    CLOSED: This discussion has concluded. Thank you to all who participated, be sure to keep an eye on the project page and related newsfeed for further engagement opportunities.

    Interested individuals are invited to register for one-on-one conversations with the Canatara Park Master Plan project team on April 3, 2024.

    The City has initiated a master plan for Canatara Park to refresh the park’s facilities, trails, parking, roads, landscape, recreation, and activity areas. The Planning Partnership will be leading the design process, working in collaboration with City staff. Over the course of the next several months, the team will work with the community to explore opportunities for enhancement and discuss the challenges to consider. This will be an important contribution towards co-creating a new vision for the park that will guide capital improvements over the next several years.

    As an initial step in the process, you are invited to register for a 20 minute one-on-one conversation with a member of the team to discuss your ideas for Canatara Park. The conversations will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 by telephone or virtual meeting.


Page last updated: 08 Nov 2024, 11:01 AM