Norm Perry Park
Originally known as Sarnia’s Athletic Park, the field became home to the Sarnia Imperials football team in 1928. The Imperials had almost instant success, finishing first in its division of the Ontario Rugby Football Union and winning the ORFU final ten of the next twelve years. Football was a little different back in the 1920s and 1930s. Touchdowns counted only five points, passing was rare, and kicking was a bigger part of the game. The Sarnia Imperials won their first Grey Cup in 1934 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Played at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium, the game made Sarnia running back Norm Perry, a future Hall of Famer, a national star.
A key to their success was the fact that Imperial Oil Ltd. was their sponsor. The company lured some of the finest players in the United States to Sarnia by offering them jobs in the local refinery. During the Depression a job at Imperial Oil was worth more than a contract with the fledgling National Football League.
Sarnia lost the 1935 final to the Toronto Argonauts in a game played at what is now Norm Perry Park, but the squad drank from the Grey Cup again in 1936 by vanquishing the Ottawa Rough Riders. The Imperials continued to thrill Sarnians for years to come, They won the ORFU crown in 1951 and 1952. After that, the CFL decided not to let small towns compete, because it feared more Grey Cup wins by Sarnia would tarnish the ‘big league’ image it was striving for.
The team ceased operations in 1955. ORFU football in Sarnia would return under the name of the Sarnia Golden Bears between 1956 and 1961. The Golden Bears won the 1958 and 1959 ORFU championships.
By the 1960s, when Sarnia high schools were at their highest capacity, five teams were drawing crowds at Norm Perry Park: the SCITS Blue Bombers, the St. Patrick Fighting Irish, the Central Centaurs, Northern Vikings and St. Clair Colts.
After he quit football he ran for City Council, easily winning an Aldermanic seat in the 1936 election. Three years later, at age 34, he was acclaimed one of the youngest Mayors in the City’s history. It was a difficult time to be in politics. The Great Depression had ruined the economy and the Second World War was about to break out.
Born in Sarnia on June 1, 1904, Norm Perry worked for Imperial Oil all his adult life. What’s been largely forgotten over the years is that he also hit pay dirt as a politician. In fact, after hanging up his cleats Perry became Sarnia’s 56th Mayor. He was as brilliant with the gavel as he had been with a pigskin, playing an important role in leading the City out of the Great Depression.
His time at the helm was successful by any measuring stick. Welfare rolls dropped, new home construction soared to a 70-year high, there was a slight municipal budget surplus and Christina Street was resurfaced. Despite his successes, he was defeated when he ran for re-election in 1940. At the time, there was speculation that voters turned on him because he had originally said he wouldn’t seek a second term. Perry died in 1957. Athletic Park was then renamed in his honour.
Sarnia’s only sport facility with artificial turf, Norm Perry Park is an important facility for a variety of sports, including football, rugby, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and soccer, with a diverse set of user groups such as the returned Sarnia Imperials, Sarnia Saints Rugby Club, Sarnia FC, and the Sarnia Minor Athletic Association. The park’s season extends from April 1 to October 31.
Want to Lean More? Register for a Tour!
Pedal Through the Past is a guided cycling tour that brings Sarnia’s history to life! Whether you’re a local or just visiting, this unique experience offers a fun and active way to explore the city’s landmarks, hidden stories, and rich heritage—on two wheels.
Each tour includes historical stops, expert storytelling from our local guide, and a chance to see Sarnia through a new lens. The ride is beginner-friendly, about 2 hours long, with an additional hour at the final stop to socialize and enjoy some light snacks and refreshments.
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