City council has abandoned plans to build a combined fire/police station on a south-end property, Orillia Today has learned.

Mayor Ron Stevens confirmed the city has withdrawn its offer to purchase the former Canada Wood Specialties property, which had been touted as the ideal location for the planned facility.

“We had 90 days for due diligence, and at the end of the time frame, council decided not to proceed any further with it,” Stevens added.

Council in July approved an agreement to purchase land at 300 West St. S. for $1.6 million.

The 9.73-acre property had been home to an operation that offered kiln drying of wood products for at least 50 years.

It is located across the road and a short distance south of a contaminated site, proposed as the home of Orillia’s recreation complex.

Stevens said he could not disclose the reason behind council’s decision to pull out of the deal.

Officials were hoping to have the new station erected and open for business by 2011.

“We are going back to the drawing board to come up with a site for police and fire,” Stevens added.

A building of approximately 53,000 square feet is needed to meet the needs of both departments over the next 30 years, according to early estimates provided by the firm of Rebanks Pepper Littlewood Architects.

The facility would replace the existing fire hall on West Street South and the OPP detachment on nearby Peter Street.

Stevens acknowledged the search for a south-end location was strategically based.

“(The) fire (station) clearly has to be within that area,” he said. “If that can’t happen, we have to look at other alternatives.”

The city had three months to inspect the site prior to finalizing the purchase, during which time environmental and geotechnical testing were to be conducted.

Stevens at the time said council was erring on the side of caution, given the area’s industrial past.

The sale was slated to close on Dec.1

A portion of Kitchener Park had previously been contemplated as a potential site for the new station, according to Coun. Michael Fogarty.

The Orillia Fire Department recently opened a sub-station on Commerce Road to serve the city’s north end and the West Ridge area.