Journal Staff
Most of the fencing has come down and Sarnians can once again visit parts of Centennial Park that have been off limits for the past four years.
“The City of Sarnia would like to thank residents for their cooperation in the final days of construction in the park and for their continued patience throughout this remediation project,” CAO Margaret Misek-Evans said in a release.
Visitors will find a new shoreline of stepped armour stone ringing Sarnia Bay, a new children’s playground and a series of walkways, gardens and other amenities.
One thing they won’t find, however, is much grass. The city is asking park users to stay clear of construction zones and off of newly seeded areas to let the grass begin to grow.
The concrete pathways have been engineered to exceed requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, making the park easy for wheelchairs and other support devices to navigate.
A new healing garden has been added and various monuments and memorials reinstalled.
Work that remains to be done includes siding on the Suncor Agora building and concrete poured around it, the restoration of parking lots on both sides of the park, and a new pedestrian crosswalk on Front Street.
A reopening called the Centennial Park Celebration and Everything Ontario Event is set for Saturday, June 17, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with concerts beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Suncor Agora Stage.
Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 12:00 noon.
