South London location for Emergency Services Campus approved by council without seeing confidential feasibility study

London city council has approved using 50-acres of prime farmland on Manning Road for the new emergency services campus.

A location has been chosen to build London’s police and firefighter training centre.

On Tuesday, Council voted 14-1 (Trosow opposed) to approve the farm field at 3243 Manning Dr. (at Wellington Road) for the Emergency Services Campus (ESC).

Civic Administration was also directed to consult with the London Police Service (LPS) about bringing forward an executive summary of the ESC to a future committee meeting based on a number of unanswered questions about the project’s design and feasibility study.

Coun. Sam Trosow wanted the complete feasibility study made available to Council to ensure they agreed with the evaluation process that narrowed 15 potential city-owned locations to the preferred site near the W12A landfill.

“I want to see that report and I want to see it come back to this council,” Trosow told colleagues. “I’ve asked for it. I’ve spoken to a number of people about it. I could not in good conscience support this [location] without seeing the feasibility study.”

Mayor Josh Morgan, who sits on the London Police Services Board, explained why the report will remain confidential, “The feasibility study contains components about the operational capacity and vulnerabilities of the London Police Service.”

Last week, several concerns were raised about the loss of prime agricultural lands as well as the potential for smoke, chemicals, or noise to escape into nearby rural neighbourhoods during live training scenarios.

City staff said the 200-page feasibility study must be updated by the consultant based on more recent discussions about phasing construction and the potential to add some provincial training facilities.

The city intends to create a Get Involved London webpage with information about the ESC and host a community engagement session.

The deputy mayor expressed confidence in the internal staff process that narrowed the list of 15 city-owned properties down to the preferred location.

“I trust our staff have done their evaluations of the 15 potential sites and that they’re bringing forward their best recommendation to us,” Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis asserted.

A total of $187 million (Phase 1: $137 million, Phase 2: $50 million) was previously approved by council in the multi-year budget for the Emergency Services Campus.

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