Nanton grain elevators granted historic designation

At 95 and 93-years-old, Nanton's grain elevators have held a steadfast place onthe prairie skylinethrough most of Southern Alberta's recent memory.

On Saturday,after housingmany a bushel between themover the past decades, the threesomewereofficiallygranted designation as a provincial historic resource.Two of the elevators are twin structures, the third stands on its own.

The designationa form of legal protection that helps to recognize and protect historic places means the elevators will be eligible for more funding and grant opportunities than they were before, from both the provincial and federal government.

Leo Wieseris president of the Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Center. He saidthe historical stamp will be pivotal inmakingnecessary repairs possible, and will also helpto further develop the site as a tourist attraction.

"The designation is fantastic because it means legally that the lands and the elevators themselves are protected," said Wieser.

"We are now officially starting to work with the province of Alberta to sustain this site and to ensure that it has a future."

Wieser noted that the efforts to get the site its designation had been underway for ten years before it was finally granted.

A landmark saved

The three remaining grain elevators were oncepart of a row of seven. After the last of these was decommissioned in 2002, they allfaced demolition.

But thanks to the efforts and donations of the citizens of Nantonabout 90 kilometres south of Calgaryand the surrounding area, three of the landmarks were saved, and restored to their original paint colours.

Sitting on the former Canadian Pacific RailwayMacleod branch line,only 500 metres away from the historic site of the CP Rail station, the elevators are some of the last remaining examples of20th century industrial architecture in the province.

Also on site is one of the Alberta'slast remaining coal sheds.

Roger Reid,MLA for Livingstone-Macleod, said he remembers many trips to the local grain elevator during harvest season with his grandpa when he was young.

"The elevators were an important part of our daily life ...for those of us that grew up in Southern Alberta, grew up onfarms," said Reid.

"[They're]part of what helpedbuild our province as agriculture grew."

Reid said that while the ancient structures can be challenging to maintain, it's important to preserve at least some of them.

He added the historical designation is a tribute to the community spirit of Nanton, and that it will act as a trigger to move intentions for the site forward.

Future plansin motion

Since the three elevators were saved, they've acted as a site for movie screenings and have had colourful light shows projected upon their walls. Most recently, the elevators were lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Wiesersaid theyaren't stopping there.

"We are in discussions of how to make this space more vibrant, to make it more of a centrefor engagement so that we can bring more people in to enjoy the spacein a way that they can stay for a while," said Wieser.

There are some practical matters that need to be seen to first, like necessary restorations to thecoal shed and the grain elevator doors, saidWieser. But aside from that, Wiesersays they have their sights set on hosting film events, puppetry showsand even opera singing at the site.

"It's really exciting and the tourism potential is vast," said Wieser.

In the meantime, he hopes that passersbystop to take in the grain elevators (or book a tour in advance) andtake a detour to Nanton for a coffee while they're at it.

He only warnedpotential visitors of a group of feline friends who have made the site their mice-hunting grounds.

Wieser said the catsaren't quite friendly enough to pet, but are well-cared for in exchange for their mousing abilities.