Parks and Trails

The City of Brockville offers a variety of park facilities and amenities so you can relax and spend time with friends and family. Check out each park and plan a visit.

Popular City Parks

In addition to many neighbourhood parks that dot the city, Brockville is well known for having a large portion of our waterfront accessible to the public through our abundant parkland. A few of our most popular parks are detailed below.

St. Lawrence Park

St. Lawrence Park is located on the western outskirts of the City of Brockville on King Street West overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Its waterfront location makes it a scenic and relaxing place to camp, picnic, spend time at the beach or just enjoy the colourful watercraft on the river.

Lifeguards are on duty daily at the sandy beach, weather permitting, in the summer period.

Washrooms, change room and a canteen are in operation from June through to Labour Day.

A small campground is operated at St. Lawrence Park, including:

• Ten sites without power
• Ten site with 15 amp power and water hookup
• “Always room” policy for self supported cyclists on greenspace areas, and bike repair station
• Dumping station on site
• Shower and laundry facilities for campers

Reservations are recommended.

Centeen Park

Located at the east end of the city, Centeen Park is a popular location in the summer months, especially for scuba divers. Dive benches, and dedicated stairway offer divers easy access to the St. Lawrence River and nearby shipwrecks. An underwater sculpture park, and initiative of Save Ontario Shipwrecks, is an added attraction for scuba divers. Centeen Park is also the end point of the Brock Trail, which connects all the way through the city.

Blockhouse Island Parkway

This parkway, most commonly referred to simply as “Blockhouse Island” is a a beautiful peninsula that juts into the river and centrally located in the downtown core. The interior of the parkway houses the municipal harbour, and the outer side facing the river is a popular location for ship watching and enjoying panoramic views of the St. Lawrence River. At the entrance to the park you will find the restored Brockville Railway Tunnel, Brockville’s most popular attraction which is open from mid April to Thanksgiving weekend. During the year, the parkway hosts many festivals and events including the 1000 Islands Regatta, 1000 Islands Poker Run, Brockville River of Lights, and every three years is the main site for the Brockville Tall Ships Festival.

Here you will find the departure point for the popular 1000 Islands and Seaway Cruises, an outdoor restaurant patio, public washrooms, and children’s play structure.

Hardy Park and Centennial Park

This popular park is most commonly referred to as Hardy Park, although the north side of the park is Centennial Park, and and the south side is actually the section that is Hardy Park.

This park features beautiful trees, a fully accessible playground, accessible public washrooms, bocce ball and volleyball courts, a gazebo, and beautiful walkway along the waterfront. This park also plays host to a number of events in the summer season, including the popular Ribfest in August, and free Sunday concerts in park.

Rotary Park

This park is one of our most popular parks for families. Located at the west end of the downtown core at King Street West and Gilmour Street, this newly revitalized park offers year round recreational amenities for all ages.

This park includes: seating areas, a splash pad and an accessible play area. When the splash pad is open, so are the public washrooms. The park areas also includes Ontario’s first paved bicycle pump track, basketball court, ample parking, and connections to the Brock Trail. In the winter, there is a covered hockey rink with refrigeration system that provides ice from December through March. Washrooms and heated change rooms are located in the newly constructed P&G Pavilion. During the winter months we post the current schedule and conditions for the outdoor rinks and toboggan hill.

The Brock Trail

The Brock Trail has something to offer for those of all ages. The fully paved paths and boardwalk have been designed with access in mind providing curb cuts and a surface that can accommodate wheelchairs, scooters, baby carriages, strollers, bikes, trikes and roller blades. There are wonderful views all along the Trail and historical photo plaques enhance your experience.

The Brock Trail is a unique Brockville pathway system that lets you walk, jog, bike, blade or roll through the City’s spectacular waterfront and scenic green space. The pathway is 10 km in length and is still considered a work in progress.

The Brock Trail begins at Armagh S. Price Park on Blockhouse Island Parkway, home to Canada’s oldest railway tunnel and adjacent to the Brockville Rowing Club (there is a short trail extension east to Centeen Park via Water Street). The trail winds westerly along the downtown waterfront, part of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, before heading northward following Buell’s Creek through to Central Avenue. A trail extension connects over to St. Lawrence Park in the west via Church Street. The trail follows the creek north through to the St. Lawrence College grounds and up to the newest link of the trail all the way up to Centennial Road. The Brock Trail ends here at the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority’s Mac Johnson Wildlife Area.

The Brock Trail bisects a number of City parks as it winds its way through the community. Fitness enthusiasts will find the Trail a safe pathway for jogging, running and roller blading; free from the worries of motorized traffic. The Brockville Road Runners Club has installed markers to help keep track of the distance you have travelled.

Your pets are also welcome to join you on the trail but remember, they must be kept on a leash and please observe our “poop and scoop” bylaw.

Future expansions of the Brock Trail include an east linkage all the way to Oxford Avenue, and a link from Armagh S. Price Park through the exciting Brockville Railway Tunnel to the existing trail near Front Avenue.

Reynolds Park Transformation

Through this project, the City of Brockville transformed a former coal storage yard at the waterfront into a usable park. The site connects to our other waterfront parks through the Brock Trail, a network of active transportation pathways. The trail sections within the park also feature solar lighting for pedestrians to safely navigate the trails in low light situations.

The transformed space includes a drop off zone allowing for people using mobility aids to easily access the waterfront along a paved path that connects the drop off zone to the trail, as well as improving the ability for scuba divers to load and unload their diving equipment and access the on site scuba staircase for shore dives. The space also includes parking for 41 vehicles, and a new sidewalk on the south side of Water Street.

Future developments of the park include a plan for a boardwalk and pavilion, along with additional benches and trash receptacles. This project is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

Off Leash Dog Park

The dog park is located behind the Brockville Youth Arena on Broadway Avenue, off of North Augusta Road. The park was established by a group of dog loving enthusiasts who raised funds to fence in the area and develop the park. The City supplies water to the park from May 1^st to November 1^st. The park is operated and maintained by volunteers. Use of the park is free of charge.