City of Orillia regains ownership of historic former train station sold in 2019

A former train station at 150 Front Street South in Orillia, Ont., is designated as being of cultural heritage and interest.

The City of Orillia has regained ownership of a historic former train station it sold six years ago after the property was deemed surplus.

On Monday, the City announced it had exercised an option it had reserved in the 2019 sale to purchase the 2.4 acre property at 150 Front Street South.

Mayor Don McIsaac said the re-acquisition is a crucial step in preserving Orillia’s heritage.

“This building has stood for more than a century and holds a deep connection to our city’s railway and civic history,” he said. “We’re proud to bring it back into public hands and look forward to exploring its future potential.”

The Front Street South property was listed for sale in October 2018 for $900,000 and after multiple offers, council accepted one that it said exceeded its asking price, however, the purchaser’s plans never materialized.

The property was built in 1917 as a Grand Trunk Railway station and is the only unmodified railway station in the Sunshine City.

After passenger rail service ended, the building was repurposed for government services and was once home to the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce.

It’s unclear what the future plans are for the $1.2 million property, but the City had previously explored transforming it into a municipal transit hub, which hit a wall based on the property’s heritage designation, among other issues.