Fire destroys historic wood grain elevator in Waskada

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This article was published 06/05/2025 (499 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A fire in southwest Manitoba has left the province with one less historic wooden grain elevator.

The former Agricore grain elevator in Waskada, built in 1961 to replace one destroyed in a fire that year, went up in flames early Tuesday.

Shelley Boulet, the Municipality of Brenda-Waskada’s chief administrative officer, said the fire was spotted by a community member at about 5 a.m.

“But it probably had been burning for some time,” Boulet said.

“We had a thunderstorm (Monday) night, but no cause has been confirmed yet.”

Boulet said even though a large Agricore sign remained on the side of the elevator, it was no longer owned by that or any other major grain company. Agricore closed the elevator in 2000, and the company itself was taken over by the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool in 2007.

The elevator was adjacent to a park and campground.

“The people who lease it were going to have people do some repairs,” Boulet said.

“A farmer leased it and it was full of grain. The firefighters had hoses on the store, it is closer to the elevator, but it was the campground and the park which were damaged. New picnic tables we bought last year were destroyed.

“But we are thankful no one was injured, or worse.”

Gordon Goldsborough, a spokesman for the Manitoba Historical Society, said wooden grain elevators used to be commonplace on the Prairies, estimating that there were more than 700 at one time.

About half that number are in active use now, he said. There are 115 left in Manitoba, after Tuesday’s fire.

“What’s surprising about the Waskada loss is that it was a relatively new elevator, so it wasn’t structurally compromised, unlike a lot of survivors,” he said.

Once the structures catch fire, it doesn’t take long for them to be consumed, he said.

“Although it’s sad to see one go, I hope it might redouble efforts to preserve a few more of the remaining ones,” he said.

“Otherwise, I worry that this once-prominent symbol of the Prairies will be gone within a generation.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca