The Town of Amherstburg council approved a $1,060,000 plan on February 23, 2026, to build new sports courts and an accessible trail at H. Murray Smith Centennial Park in Amherstburg, Ontario. This decision moves forward with a project designed to restore recreational facilities to the central neighbourhood after several amenities were lost to school construction in recent years.
According to the project details on Talk Amherstburg, the upgrades include two fenced tennis courts and two non-fenced multi-purpose sports courts that will be open for different activities. The plan also features a 10-foot-wide accessible asphalt trail for walking and wheeling, along with new parking, seating, and landscaping at the site located at 209 Victoria Street South.
Town leaders say this redevelopment is meant to replace the four baseball diamonds and the public swimming pool that were removed when the land was used for North Star High School. Residents and local groups, such as the Greater Amherstburg Tennis League, have advocated for the park to return to being a major hub for community sports and exercise.
The town will fund the $1.06-million project using $530,000 from a previous 2024 resolution and $250,000 originally set aside for a skatepark. An additional $80,000 will be redirected from accessibility and park trail funds to bridge a budget shortfall, with the goal of hiring contractors and starting construction work during the summer of 2026.
