聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A major landmark in southeastern Saskatchewan is the Richardson Pioneer grain elevator located in Stoughton. While driving along one of the many highways which intersects the town, people gauge where they are by the orange beacon miles away which can be seen above the rolling hills.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This structure located just outside of town in the R.M. of Tecumseh No. 65, is currently under review to be made into a heritage property. A meeting was held for presentations to be made to the Heritage Property Review Board on Friday, Jan. 9, as the building is actually to be demolished by its current owners, Crop Production Services (CPS) as a result of a contractual obligation when purchasing the land.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Reeve Zandra Slater of the R.M. of Tecumseh spoke to the importance of preserving this piece of history for the town and the surrounding communities.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 know we can't preserve every structure, but consider saving this one,鈥� she pleaded.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The regional landmark was built by Jacobson Elevator Builders in 1984/85 and opened in the fall of 1985. Slater continued to explain that it is one of the last standing wood cribbed structures in Saskatchewan. A large gravity flow facility, the entirety of the mechanics is housed within the building as there is not a side annex like most elevators built later.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally it was built on a floating slab which has helped keep the integrity of the building to this day; it is dust proof, has wood floors, and each board throughout the building was specially handpicked by Jacobson Elevator Builders which is unique as not a single knot in the wood chosen can be found according to locals.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t was built to stand the test of time, the elements, and hopefully the wrecking ball,鈥� Slater stated.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Following Slater's presentation, a CPS representative, Jordan Hardy, spoke about their precarious position. CPS purchased the structure in October of 2013 from Viterra with the contractual obligation to destroy and safely remove it from its location.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He drew attention to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevator found within the town stating that it has more significance as it honours the history of cooperatives in Saskatchewan.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This point was brought up later by community members who asked to speak in front of the board; all stating that the Pioneer, from a local standpoint, is the more important structure to save in town.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The elevator has been sitting vacant for years, which leads CPS to question the hardships the standing building will pose to the health and safety of the public. They don't want to be liable for anything that might happen at the site, which is why they want to honour their contract with Viterra, although they are obligated to demolish the building anyway because of the contract.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 CPS also questioned the integrity of the request for a heritage site as it came after a local producer showed interest in purchasing the elevator. However, the R.M. stated that it wasn't important as to who owned the structure, simply that it is saved.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Since the demolition is a condition of their contract with Viterra, a question posed by the Heritage Property Review Board in attendance regarded the possibility of looking into the contract to see if CPS could possibly keep the elevator for an alternative use such as a museum.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The local producer who has shown interest in the structure, Marcel Van Staveren spoke following the first two presenters. He and a group of other local producers would like to purchase the building to use in order to store and mix different grades of grain giving local producers the benefit of the building while abiding by heritage status.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐PS and Viterra, we're all friends, we all do business with them,鈥� Van Staveren explained as a grain producer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The building does have significant economic value to these farmers in the area, but hasn't been opened for years and if it is going to be demolished, Van Staveren drew the conclusion that it must not be of relevance to the larger companies鈥� business plans; whether it is left standing or not, the elevator would not affect CPS or Viterra鈥檚 business, but could mean a lot to local producers. Although this economic value is part of the reason why the local producers are interested in the grain elevator, Van Staveren also pointed to the significance of the building to the community and its importance to the legacy of Stoughton being an agricultural centre.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Another local producer, Taylor Phillips, spoke to the importance of the elevator to the community, but also to the condition of the building in hopes of encouraging the board to declare the elevator a heritage site.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he elevator, built 30-years ago, is in phenomenal condition,鈥� Phillips explained. 鈥淚t was built to last generations.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢ost historical buildings are far past an economical point of salvaging, let alone restoring or operating. But the condition and integrity of this elevator is excellent.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Phillips spent a lot of time in the elevator, having been friends with the elevator agent's son, and had a vast knowledge of the elevator's character defining elements. He spoke of the fact that no Richardson Pioneers in Saskatchewan have been designated as heritage sites, but that the vibrant orange colours of this company鈥檚 grain elevators are the most recognizable across Canada. That it is a landmark in the community as anyone travelling along one of the highways can see the building from a distance and know they are almost at Stoughton.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The building has closed bin tops with an intricate dust removal system, which greatly increases the safety of the structure reducing the possibility of combustion, which is usually a major concern regarding saving elevators. Additionally it was built to ship and receive at the same time, which is a unique feature not all elevators, even newer ones, are capable of.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally, Phillips told the board. 鈥淭he longest straight rail in North America and the second longest in the world runs from Regina to Stoughton, that elevator is at the end of the line.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ultimately he stressed two points: 鈥淐onsider the elevator's enormity, condition, location, founding company or the generations of agricultural toil and progress symbolized by the crib structure. This elevator truly is a landmark worth saving.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淒o keep in mind the impressive list of demolished elevators during your impending deliberations as this meeting is the only thing keeping this perfectly sound structure from being levelled.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After listening to the reasons for classifying the elevator as a heritage site and for CPS' contractual obligation to demolish it the Heritage Property Review Board now has a difficult decision to make. They will be deliberating and researching the structure further before making their ruling, which must be made within 30 days of the hearing.
