The Standish Town Council will hear an update Tuesday, Feb. 12, on the search for land to build a recreation center.

Included in the update will be discussions on the future of the land on Moody Road that the town purchased but may be unable to build on, and a renewed offer of free land donated by the Standish Kiwanis Club.

The organization sent a letter to Standish Town Manager Gordon Billington Jan. 30 offering seven acres of land from Kiwanis Beach for free to the town for the recreation center. The club offered the same land two years ago before the town purchased the Moody Road land.

“We see it as a definite need in the town,” said Gary Lind, a former Kiwanis Club president. He said his club supports the idea of a community center in Standish and would like to see the Kiwanis land be put to good use.

Linda Brooks, director of the Standish Recreation Department, said that land was turned down in the past because they would lose road access if the Kiwanis Club ever sold its property remaining.

After purchasing eight acres last fall for $325,000, town officials were told by the Army Corps of Engineers Oct. 5 that vernal pools on the property may make it illegal to build there, although future studies may say otherwise.

Vernal pools are hollows and pits that fill with water in the spring and dry within the year. These temporary bodies of water can be habitats for salamanders, turtles and frogs.

Brooks said the Maine Department of Environmental Protection decided vernal pools should be protected after the town purchased the land.

“It has not been totally abandoned,” said Wayne Newbegin, a member of both the town council and the Community Building Development Committee that is in charge of finding a spot for the recreation center. He said a motion not to use the Moody Road property has been tabled and he expects it will come up again at the town council meeting.

Newbegin said the Community Building Development Committee has asked the council to do more studies on the Moody Road land to see if it can be used.

“We’ve received three other proposals from people in Standish,” said Newbegin, although the other proposals did not offer land for free.

The Community Building Development Committee met Feb. 6 to discuss the different land options and will present the results of that meeting to the town council.