Achi news desk-
A group of grain pickers in southern Alberta are among the finalists in an online voting campaign that would see them preserved through a private grant.
The National Trust’s Next Great Save campaign is inviting heritage groups from across Canada to apply for $50,000 in prize money to help protect, adapt and renew their site.
One of Alberta’s submissions to the competition is Nanton Grain Elevators, the three remaining row elevators in the town of Nanton.
“Consisting of five separate buildings, the site has a set of Alberta Wheat Pit elevators, an Alberta Wheat Pit elevator office, a coal shed, a balloon annex and a Pioneer elevator complex,” officials said in a news release.
Railway grounds behind the lifts, now removed, were built in 1896 while the twin building was built in 1927 and the single in 1929.
Since then the grain elevators have been preserved by “a small group of concerned citizens” who bought the buildings with the aim of transforming them into a tourist attraction.
“Heritage places are essential to building sustainable communities and creating a sense of belonging,” the National Trust said in a news release.
“The Next Big Save empowers communities to tell Canada’s diverse stories and help save and restore these important historic sites. Through this competition along with other conservation efforts, the National Trust has supported 932 people not-for-profits working in heritage to grow their capacity in fundraising, business planning, marketing and tourism by providing training, equipment and resources.”
The Nanton Grain Elevators are not the only Alberta landmark included in the competition. Voters can also support Coleman, Alta’s Roxy Theater.
A grand prize of $50,000 per campaign as well as the $10,000 and $5,000 runner-up prizes are provided by Ecclesiastical Insurance.
The winners will be decided by an online vote held between April 18 and May 6, with residents able to vote once a day.
The winners will be announced on 7 May.
The full list of presentations is:
- Cape Bear Lighthouse and Marconi Station – Murray Harbour, PE;
- Cité-des-Hospitalières – Montreal;
- Green Island Housing – Blanc-Sablon, Que.;
- LaSalle Theater – Kirkland Lake, Ont.;
- Mon Keang School – Vancouver;
- Nanton Grain Elevator – Nanton, Alta.;
- Old Church of St. Thomas – Moose Factory, Ont.;
- Our Lady of Mercy Heritage Church – Aguathuna, NL;
- Roxy Theater – Coleman, Crowsnest Pass Municipal, Alta;
- St. Andrew’s Lodge – Qualicum Beach, BC;
- Saint John Arts Center – Arichat, NS; a
- Welland Central Fire Station – Welland, Ont.
