Sarnia - Attractions

Attractions

There are over 100 parks of different sizes in Sarnia. The largest of these is Canatara Park, which covers over 200 acres along the shore of Lake Huron . Canatara is an Ojibwe word that actually means Blue Water. An important donor in 1932, Mrs. W. J. Hanna, named the park after helping purchase the land upon which the park now rests. The park was opened 24 May 1933.

Within the park is Lake Chipican, which is a haven for 280 different species of birds on their migration routes. The park also maintains a Children's Animal Farm on the property as part of Sarnia's commitment to wildlife in Canatara Park. Germain Park is the largest recreational park and incorporates five baseball diamonds, four soccer fields, an outdoor pool, and the Community Gardens. Also, one of the last thirteen remaining Canadair Sabres in Canada is on display as a memorial to Canadian aviators who gave their lives in World War Two.

Canatara Park is also one of the first Parks in southern Ontario to become home to an Outdoor Fitness Equipment installation. A company called ActiveFit installed the equipment in the fall of 2010.

Sarnia has two museums within the city limits. Discovery House Museum, an historic house built sometime between 1869 and 1875 by a Sarnia lawyer, is a testament to Victorian Era construction. Since it underwent renovation on 1 May 2001 Stones ' N Bones has grown to house over 6000 exhibits spread over 10000 square feet. The collection includes rocks, artifacts, fossils, and bones from all over the world.

The city's sandy fresh water beaches are a popular tourist attraction, while the sheltered harbour houses marinas for recreational sailing. Since 1925, the 400 km (250 mi) Mackinac race from Sarnia/Port Huron to Mackinac Island, at the north end of the lake, has been the highlight of the sailing season, drawing more than 3,000 sailors each year .

There were two casino operations in the Sarnia area prior to 2012. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, or OLG, ran a slot machine establishment at the Hiawatha Horse Park in Sarnia but has since ceased operations of the slot machines. The Horse Park remains as a harness racing venue. In neighboring Point Edward, there is a full casino.