Work has started on restoring two grain elevators that stand as a testament to St. Albert’s past.
According to Chris Jardine, general manager of community and protective services, Edmonton’s Delnor Construction won the $1.7 million contract to restore the Alberta Wheat Pool and Alberta Grain Company elevators in Grain Elevator Park.
Work started on March 1, with the windows being removed from the building for repair, as well as preparations for an invasive investigation for a better look at the work required this summer.
Although the grain elevators will be closed during the repairs, Jardine said the train station would remain open throughout the summer season.
Tracy Allen, manager of capital projects for the city, said that starting next month, city and Delnor employees will look in-depth at the amount of work to be done, in addition to how the work will proceed on the two elevators.
On the to-do list for Delnor is stabilization of the foundations, inspection and repair of the timber beams, frames, roof repairs, removal and repair of siding and painting the buildings in a fire-retardant paint. Allen added the city initially looked at putting a sprinkler system in the elevators, but realized it would not be feasible.
She also said there are plans to build drainage areas that would see fluid moved away from the foundations to help preserve them.
The elevators, built in 1927 and 1906 respectively, are provincially designated heritage sites and required approval before the repairs could go ahead. Allen said the group of ministers in charge of designating historical sites are helping with the planned restorations by advising on resources available and other issues they have come across.
Allen stressed the elevators are at a point where repairs are desperately needed. Without them, she said it wouldn’t take long for them to become hazards for the city to deal with.
“It’s like anything else. The longer you wait, the harder it is to repair and sometimes, you can’t repair it at all.”
Allen said the project is only the first phase of repairs planned for the park in an attempt to preserve St. Albert’s agricultural history. She expects repairs to wrap up by the end of November and will then plan the next phase of heritage site repairs.
“It’s definitely one of the more unique projects,” said Allen. “It’s going to be a real destination point for people within the city and outside the city to visit and see the history of the area.”
