City eyes rural property for Emergency Services Campus to train police and firefighters

The potential locations are on prime agricultural land and are also outside of the Urban Growth Boundary. CTV’s Daryl Newcombe has the story.

A farm field near the W12A landfill in south London is the recommended location to build London’s Emergency Services Campus, a training and operations centre bringing together a number of public safety providers within a single facility.

Based on a consultant’s feasibility study and subsequent review of city-owned properties, the search was narrowed to two properties (5725-5861 White Oak Rd and 3242 Manning Dr.) within the municipally-owned buffer area around the landfill.

A report to the Infrastructure and Corporate Services Committee recommends the 129.4 acre corn field at 3243 Manning Dr. (at Wellington Road) as the preferred option.

First introduced in the London Police Service multi-year budget submission as a joint-training facility with the London Fire Department, the subsequently expanded scope of the project would include:

Phase 1 (2025-2027)

• London Fire Department Main 911 Centre
• Primary Integrated Emergency Operations Centre
• Fire Station to enhance emergency response in the southeast industrial corridor
• Specialized areas for Provincial HAZMAT response unit
• Training Building (classrooms, drill hall)
• Purpose-built training infrastructure (scenario simulation, indoor and outdoor police firing ranges)
• Clean-burn Firefighter Training Tower
• Police K9 Building and Outdoor Area

Phase 2 (2028-2031)

• Public Fire Safety Village (all ages experience to build awareness and preparedness skills)
• Driving Track
• Fleet and Property Storage
• Fire Department Mechanical Bay

“It’s land that the city already owns, which has significant cost savings,” explains Mayor Josh Morgan. “It’s also near the W12 landfill which means it’s not in a populated area and has really quick access to the 401 and 402 corridors.”

However, area resident Allan Tipping says rural communities in the area must be considered—especially if smoke will be emitted during the training of firefighters.

“I get to smell the landfill here on my property, and there’s a community right beside this property called Glanworth that’s going to be (affected) by this,” Tipping tells CTV News. “This area is already impacted heavily by the landfill.”

The recommended property is outside London’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and classified as prime agricultural land.

The staff report explains that prime agricultural land can be developed if, “alternative locations have been evaluated, and there are no reasonable alternative locations which avoid prime agricultural areas.”

“I think there’s always concerns when you have to go outside the Urban Growth Boundary and build on prime agricultural land,” admits Morgan. “In this case, there’s not much of a choice but to do so. When you think about the fact that we don’t have a parcel of land this size that is appropriate within the Urban Growth Boundary.”

Funding for the Emergency Services Campus was approved by council within the 2024-2027 London Police Service Budget, but the mayor believes the provincial and federal governments might join the city in a partnership if some regional public safety facilities are included on the campus.

“I’ve had ongoing and active discussions with provincial ministers and with our federal MPs about this, and those are progressing really well,” the mayor added. “I think there’s a great opportunity for partnerships here.”

The staff report will be considered by the Infrastructure and Corporate Services Committee on July 16.