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Gillespie grain elevator with agent Scotty Robertson
8 Together we thrive
Brackman & Kerr (left), and Gillespie elevators (right)
“I really feel like we need to protect the ones that are left.
It represents our agricultural history here.”
Thanks in part to a $50,000 Community Grant from
Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF), along with a
provincial grant for aging facilities, the Ag Society raised the
necessary funds to repair the building’s foundation, paint the
wooden structure and begin repairs to the windows.
“We believe that a community’s health and identity are
deeply rooted in its connection to the past,” says Melisa
Zapisocky, ECF’s Grants Associate. “Projects like the
preservation of the Spruce Grove Grain Elevator don’t just
protect historic structures — they safeguard the stories,
values and experiences that shape who we are.”
Today, the bold green elevator continues to stand proud as
the heart of the Spruce Grove and District Historic Agricultural
Grounds, and is open to the public during the society’s office
hours. Tours of the elevator, which is still in its original working
condition, are provided from April to October.
“It’s in very good, original shape inside, and it’s beautiful,”
says Acheson.
Looking back over the restoration project, as well as
the fundraising process, Acheson can hardly believe what
the society has been able to accomplish within just a short
few years.
“At first, the thought of managing all that work was
overwhelming, but once we started to see some grants
and funding coming in, we realized we could actually do it,”
she says.
“It’s quite wonderful to think that when you work
together and get other people involved that you can
accomplish things like that.”