By Curtis Galbraith

Sexsmith elevator named municipal historic resource

Dec 13, 2020 | 9:00 AM

SEXSMITH, Alta.,– Alberta Culture has designated the old grain elevator in Sexsmith a municipal historic resource.

This makes the restoration project at the museum eligible for provincial grants and means the building cannot be torn down.

Florence Blais with the Sexsmith & District Museum Society says this also means the elevator will now be put on the municipal register of historic places.

“So, when you look up places to go visit within the municipal area, our elevator will now be on that list of historical places to visit. And, we do have an application in for the provincial designation as well,” said Blais.

Blais says the provincial designation would mean that the Society could apply for a grant of $100,000 rather than $50,000 under the municipal designation.

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Restoration work recently completed has seen the Wooden Giant get a new roof and new paint. Blais says some other work has been done as well.

“The windows are also done, so now the pigeons no longer have a home inside our elevator. We are currently raising money for the dust removal and cleaning of the elevator. Once that is complete, we can start putting in the stories and such.”

Blais says the cleaning would cost around $100,000, work she hopes can be done next summer. The same company that did the painting would do the cleaning.

An application was sent to the County of Grande Prairie, with another to go to Alberta Culture and Tourism, for grants to do the cleaning. After that, the office would be re-done and artifacts placed inside.

The hope is to open it to the public in two years. Blais is hoping the entire project is complete in three years.

“Three to four years maximum, which will include the landscaping on the outside of the elevator, installing the electrical and such, but as far as for viewing and going inside, we’re hoping two years.”

Blais adds she wants to thank the passionate volunteers that are involved with the Society and the contributions they make to the work the Museum Society does.

She also thanks the Town of Sexsmith for changing a bylaw and doing the work on the municipal designation application, something Blais says “has been wonderful for us.”