CBC's Nadeer Hashmi reported that a historic wooden grain elevator in Sharples, Alberta, built in the 1920s by Parrish & Heimbecker, is set for demolition this spring due to increasing liability and an estimated $360,000 repair cost. The elevator, unused since the Canadian Pacific Railway discontinued the spur line in 1982, is owned by Alberta Trail Net, a nonprofit planning a recreational trail along the former rail line.
Marvin Bjornstad, a board member, acknowledged the difficult decision, citing the organization’s focus on trail development rather than costly elevator restoration. Grain elevator enthusiast Dan Overes lamented the loss, noting Sharples’ unique barn used historically for horses delivering grain.
