The Sahara Motel. Photos from the Dave Burwell Collection, Sarnia Historical Society
Information provided by Ron Realesmith.  

Sarnians of a certain age will remember the old Sahara Motel and Restaurant on London Line, or the “Golden Mile” as it’s often called. The Sahara was especially popular in the 1970s with both residents and tourists, offering enough attractions to keep travelers busy.

It had 80 rooms and a lofty restaurant with a glassed-in front. The Sahara also boasted convention facilities for 500 people and had four bowling lanes, four shuffleboard lanes and an indoor pool with year-round swimming. It was marketed as a great place for a weekend getaway, with pony rides in summer and sleigh rides in winter. Today, the TSC Store at 1699 London Line occupies most of the old Sahara site, including the dining room and pool.

The east wing of the complex continues to operate today as Fauld’s Motel, a family-run motel with 25 guestrooms opposite Hiawatha Horse Park and Entertainment Centre.