About Placentia

A storied past meets a bountiful future

There are many unique threads that make up the fabric of Placentia.

We are the descendants of explorers, fishermen and settlers who discovered a place rich in opportunity and ideally situated to make the most of it. We are Basque, we are French, we are English, we are Irish and we are even a little Portuguese. You see their legacy in fortifications like Castle Hill, a National Historic Site. You see their lives in archaeological digs and museums, dotted amongst our quaint streets, our forested hills and our rolling coastal inlets. Meet their descendants as you stroll down our beautiful Town square and drop into the Placentia Bay Cultural Arts Centre, one of Placentia’s key cultural landmarks. Drop by the old courthouse, one of the oldest operating courtrooms in the country. Taste the local cuisine in one of our many eateries, restaurants and pubs. Enjoy a sunset walk on our famous boardwalk as the bounty of a full day passes with the tide.

Plan your visit to Placentia and discover the wonder for yourself. Our welcome mat is always ready.

Placentia Bay Cultural Arts Centre

Located in the heart of Placentia, along Town Square, is the new Placentia Bay Cultural Arts Centre. This state-of-the-art multipurpose facility in one of the crown jewels of Placentia’s many cultural assets. The facility is fully equipped for cultural events and performances, including audio visual services and dressing facilities. The flexible character of the centre enables it to be easily adapted as a workshop and conference space, as well as a premier venue for receptions and catered events, exhibit and gallery spaces.

To schedule your event at the Placentia Bay Cultural Art Centre please contact Jennifer Bennett, Manager of Tourism, Marketing and Communications at 709 227 2151 ext 224, or via email jbennett@placentia.ca.

Placentia Area Recreation Complex (PARC)

Home of the Placentia Lion’s one of the centerpieces of Placentia’s proud athletic culture is the Arena. This modern indoor stadium is designed to maximize the range of sporting and entertainment events. From hockey to curling, figure skating to power skating, power walking to birthday parties, PARC fits the bill.

Phone: 709 227 3996
Email: unityparc@placentia.ca

Recreation Facilities

Placentia is a healthy, active community with a very long and storied heritage of sports, recreation, and active living. It is one of the essential ties that binds the community, providing the vital fabric that connects family and friends. The town prioritizes the creation of opportunities for exercise and active lifestyles, reinforcing a sense of community and belonging, and continues its investment through its Recreation Commission.

And when it comes to recreation in Placentia, there is something for everyone, whether you play competitive sports or just want a leisurely game of ball with your friends and family.

Historic Sites and Trail Networks

Placentia’s rich and storied history means there is a wealth of famous and infamous sites literally on your doorstep. Castle Hill is the most prominent of a group of centuries old English and French fortifications that call Placentia home. With its famously commanding view of the town and surrounding coastline, Castle Hill offers a unique national historic site experience. You just might meet residents from 1696, or even the Governor himself, as well as merchant soldiers and fisherpersons of the period, as you tour this memorable vista. Uncover that rich mix of French and English history that shaped our wildly colourful and tumultuous past. Tour our archaeology lab “Placentia Uncovered” at nearby Fort Louis and the British New Fort and discover artifacts from French and English families dating back to the 1600’s! Hikers and adventurists can take advantage of a well maintained network of trails around historic fortresses and scenic panoramas.

Easy Travel Distance to More Adventure

Placentia is also an easy driving distance to some of Newfoundland and Labrador’s finest nature sites and historical treasures. Check out the famous Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, one of the province’s most iconic attractions: some of the province’s most dramatic cliff faces offer perfect viewing prospects for one of the largest and most unusual bird nesting colonies in the world. Be sure to stop by picturesque Ship Harbour and view the Atlantic Charter Site and Monument, commemorating the famous meeting in 1941 between Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt that changed the course of the Second World War. And historic St. John’s is just over an hour away.

Discover for yourself what has drawn people here for centuries. You will be surprised not only by what you find but what is left to be explored.