Restoration of historic Alberta grain elevator underway

To help preserve Alberta’s cultural heritage, the restoration of an important piece of the province’s history is underway.

Tucked in Alberta’s badlands, “Dorothy” is one of the last grain elevators in the province.

“Not everybody can say, especially nowadays, that they’ve worked on a grain elevator,” Mark Cooper, the co-owner of Mast Construction, told CityNews.

He and his crew are restoring the former Alberta Pacific Grain elevator, which was built in 1928. While it only saw use until 1951, Dorothy has been featured in blockbuster movies and as the backdrop in the Tom Cochrane music video for his hit “Life Is a Highway.”

“It’s fun just figuring out how to save them,” Cooper said.

“We’re tryna make it look not-new. So, a worker’s up there putting on some top coat over primer and he’s rubbing it with a heavy broom, trying to scuff off some of the paint he’s just put on the wall so that it looks somewhat rustic.”

The relic, about two hours northeast of Calgary, had a new roof installed and repairs done to the cupola structure in April. The roof was torn off in 2015 during a windstorm and was further damaged in the summer of 2024.

It’s one of the most photographed historic elevators in the province, according to the chair of the Special Areas Board, Dorothy’s stewards.

The prairies were once covered with elevators like Dorothy, but Cooper estimates that only about 40 are left standing in the province.

“These were cultural icons of Western Canada. You couldn’t see the town on the horizon, but you could always see the elevator,” he said.

“They were the delivery point for all the farmers and their grain.”

The side panels were sourced from a grain elevator in Saskatchewan that was built in the early 1900s. Cooper says locals have appreciated the attention to detail in preserving the history.

“Bringing the boys cookies, cake, I think [residents] had them over for a BBQ, but it’s been pretty neat,” he said.

When finished, the Alberta Pacific Grain sign will be freshened with the name Dorothy added alongside, hoping to keep this landmark drawing tourists’ attention.

Repairs are expected to be completed in June 2025.