When elevators came tumbling down

By Joan Janzen

A memory recorded in the Sibbald Community History Book was submitted by Bill O’Neill, who had been the manager of the Alberta Wheat Pool elevator in Sibbald in 1967. The elevator was covered with old silver coloured tin siding and held 25,000 bushels with the annex holding 30,000 bushels.

The old Pioneer elevator was demolished in 1984. Photo Sibbald Community History Book

A second red cedar sided elevator nearby held 60,000 bushels. The sign on the elevator read “Alberta Wheat Pool - Farmer Owned Co-operative - Sibbald”.

In 1978 those elevators were torn down, and new ones were built. The wood was left lying on the ground for anyone to help themselves and then was hauled away and burned. It was recorded that Brian Norris’ house was built with some of that wood.

The cost to build a new complex was $500,000. When the first quota opened, Tommy Mills and Elmer Berscht hauled to the Pool; and because Bill O’Neill was a new buyer, the rest went to the Pioneer for a while. The old Pioneer elevator was demolished in 1984.