Big crowds take in Petrolia’s Canada Day finale
Submitted Photo
Sarnia's Joe DiBatista and his mixed doubles partner, Bright's Grove native Angela Walker Marczak, who now lives in Pittsburgh, won gold at the Franklin US Open Pickleball Championships in Florida April 11-18, 2026.
Sarnia man brings home pickleball gold from world’s largest tourney
May 11, 2026
The Independent
A Sarnia senior has won big at the world’s largest pickleball tournament.
Joe DiBatista won three golds at the Franklin US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida in April. The tournament hosts over 3,750 amateur athletes from 53 countries.
DiBatista won in gold in his age bracket for singles, men’s doubles, with Chi Fai Cho of New Jersey, who he’d met at the tournament for the first time, and mixed doubles with Angela Walker Marczak, a Bright’s Grove native who now lives in Pittsburgh.
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Big crowds take in Petrolia’s Canada Day finale
July 1, 2026
Heather Wright/The Independent Young and old came together for the finale of Petrolia’s Canada Day celebration. The fields at Greenwood Park were filled with people on blankets and on lawn chairs taking in the music, including Ultrasonik, and watching the fireworks display.
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Highway 402 buckles near Reece’s Corner as temps hit 34 C on Canada Day
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Heather Wright/The Independent It appears the extreme heat is causing the concrete on Highway 402 near the Oil Heritage Road exit to buckle again. Around 5 pm Canada Day, Lambton OPP closed the westbound lanes of the highway at Reece’s Corners “due to hazardous road conditions.” Traffic was being directed down London Line to get back on Highway 402 at
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Petrolia soccer field officially opens
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Heather Wright/The Independent Petrolia Soccer Club Board Members Emily Atkinson, Angela Salaris and Stephanie Munro were trying to defend the goal against Tallulah Pettit, Sadie Atkinson, Remington and Daisy Pettit at the Tank Street Heritage Field in Petrolia Wednesday. The town officially opened the new soccer pitches at the Petrolia Y as part of the Canada Day celebrations. “Today is
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Celebrating Canada’s 159th in Sarnia
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Cathy Dobson/The Independent Sarnia residents lined Lakeshore Road, finding as much shade as they could for the annual Sarnia Canada Day parade. The event is one of the largest in the region.
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