Demolition begins on Sanford grain elevator

Source: Gordon Goldsborough.

A large crowd gathered in Sanford, Man. Saturday afternoon as a piece of prairie history came crumbling down.

Demolition started on a 70-year-old wooden grain elevator.

Built in 1949, the elevator was formerly operated by Manitoba Pool Elevators but had mostly recently been used for private grain storage, according to the Manitoba Historical Society.

Manitoba Historical Society head researcher Gordon Goldsborough was one of several observers on site Saturday.

He snapped dozens of photographs as a crew demolished the elevator's annex.

It's an event he described as "the quintessential Canadian moment."

"There must've been over 200 people there," said Goldsborough.

Goldsborough said some members of the crowd watched the demolition from the comfort of sofas which were set up on a flatbed trailer.

He said the remainder of the elevator is expected to be demolished sometime this week.

The Sanford elevator is only the latest wooden grain elevator to be torn down.

Larger, more modern concrete structures are taking their place.

Goldsborough said there are 129 wooden grain elevators still standing in the province.