Sarnia Council unanimously endorsed the final Waterfront Master Plan Monday.
There are 34 capital projects identified, including an ice skating loop, floating boardwalk, lookouts, small craft launch and rentals, a market hall, harbour tower and stage.
Councillor Brian White called it one of the "most brilliant documents" he'd ever read.
"This is addressing so many of our priorities here," said White. "I think the public input was well received and well encapsulated in these recommendations. From an environmental standpoint, from an engineering standpoint, a revenue generation standpoint, and a focus on active transportation and the remediation. It just goes on, and on, and how well they blend with each other."
He said the transition from one end of the park to the other and into downtown is seamless.
"This is extremely well done, and I would really, really, hate to see that we take this master plan and work at it at half speed or with half the investment. The opportunity to generate revenue itself should be all we need to commit to the first phase of this."
Councillor George Vandenberg said the plan was "absolutely incredible."
"It's going to create for future generations an all day adventure for people with families and I just love it, I think you've done a fantastic job," said Vandenberg.
Councillor Dave Boushy admitted he had some reservations, after costs to remediate Centennial Park skyrocketed, but said he wasn't going to stand in the way.
"If you ask the average person where that money went, it's very hard to find someone to pinpoint where it went," said Boushy. "I know that there's going to be grants and I know there's a good plan, but what do we say to the people about the money we spend at the expense of the roads and the sewers. Will the budget stay the same? Or, is it going to be very, very, high."
Re: Public Urbanism Planner Paul Hicks said they recommend a separate landscape strategy be developed.
"The focus is on making Centennial Park as usable as possible, given the constraints that exist just below the surface and making some improvements to it," said Hicks.
Three primary districts would be established; the marina district in the north, the market district adjacent to the downtown in the centre of the waterfront, and the innovation district in the far south.
Staff have been directed to develop an implementation proposal for consideration during 2023 budget deliberations.