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Welcome To Our Community!

Yes, you can see Forest for the trees… but take our word for it, this town has more than just trees!

Located halfway between Sarnia and Grand Bend, Forest has long been known as the shopping destination for both our rural and urban communities. It also serves the needs of the numerous campers, cottagers, and day trippers who frequent Bluewaterland.

Visit Forest and you will experience the best of small town Ontario. Our charming, historical architecture pays homage to our past while our retail businesses and restaurants provide personal and friendly service. The recently and beautifully upgraded Kineto Theatre, one of the oldest continuously operating movie theatres in the world, draws in patrons from all over. We are also very proud to showcase the talents of local artists as well as the town’s heritage and vision of its future with the addition to our streetscape of “The Mural Walk”.

If recreation is what you are after, the beckoning beaches of Lake Huron are nearby and The Shores Recreation Centre provides modern facilities, housing an arena, gymnasium, fitness centre and indoor walking track. Be sure to also explore our easily accessible trails, including one along the old Grand Trunk Railway line.

We hope you now have a sense of just some of what awaits you in Forest… besides our trees that is! Be sure to pay us a visit soon and enjoy our hospitality!

Landmarks

Library

The Station Library

Forest’s first railway station was built in 1860. it was a simple frame building and was destroyed by fire in 1898. A new, elegant station opened in 1901. The last train ran in the 1970’s and the station eventually closed and was torn down. In 1985 a unique public library was built on the site of the Grand Trunk Railway Station. Using architect’s drawings acquired from the National Archives, a modified replica of Forest’s second station was created.

Rotary Place Building

North Lambton Community Health Centre

The North Lambton Community Health Centre provides quality primary health care and health promotion and disease prevention programs and services to the community. A multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social worker, dietitian, physiotherapist, provides primary health care services to rostered clients.

Rotary Park Collage

Rotary Civic Park

This picturesque park is located in the downtown area. It was a joint project of the Rotary Club of Forest, the Business Improvement Association and the former Town of Forest with a grant from the Canada Ontario Infrastructure Program. The entire area behind King Street originally contained the railway tracks, a grain elevator, grain warehouses, freight shed, pickling vats and cattle pens.

The Shores Building

The Shores Recreation Centre

Forest’s first railway station was built in 1860. it was a simple frame building and was destroyed by fire in 1898. A new, elegant station opened in 1901. The last train ran in the 1970’s and the station eventually closed and was torn down. In 1985 a unique public library was built on the site of the Grand Trunk Railway Station. Using architect’s drawings acquired from the National Archives, a modified replica of Forest’s second station was created.

Field with river running through it

Esli Dodge Conservation Area

The North Lambton Community Health Centre provides quality primary health care and health promotion and disease prevention programs and services to the community. A multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social worker, dietitian, physiotherapist, provides primary health care services to rostered clients.

Kineto Theatre

The Kineto Theatre

This picturesque park is located in the downtown area. It was a joint project of the Rotary Club of Forest, the Business Improvement Association and the former Town of Forest with a grant from the Canada Ontario Infrastructure Program. The entire area behind King Street originally contained the railway tracks, a grain elevator, grain warehouses, freight shed, pickling vats and cattle pens.