The City of Orillia has purchased approximately 15 acres, or 6.1 hectares from a numbered company that owns the land on which Morton Metals operates at 351 West St. S. for $1.82 million.
The purchase of property was made for the purpose of expanding operations at the adjacent Municipal Operations Centre (public works) at 20 James St. W.
“These lands presented a unique opportunity as they are immediately adjacent to the municipal operations centre, conferring operational advantages,” wrote Dan Kirby, director of council services and assistant city solicitor, in an email to OrilliaMatters.
“It was purchased at a price less than market alternatives, as the land lacks access to a public highway,” wrote Kirby. However, the land is accessible from the back of the city’s operations centre.
The property is needed to give the city space to store excess soil. Under new provincial legislation, the city is required to re-use soil rather than it going to landfill, wrote Kirby.
And, he noted the property is situated in a place where soil storage will not cause disturbance to neighbours such as residential home owners.
The site of industry for decades, the property, formerly known as Francoz Metals, is a brownfield, but Kirby said the city has experience with brownfields and does its “environmental due diligence.”
“While there are impacts with the site’s former industrial usage, they can be mitigated with the placement of capping in areas where the site is to be actively used for municipal operations,” he wrote.
Morton Metals remains in business on the front part of the property facing West Street.
