Agricore United has rejected a bid from a group of farmers to buy one
of the newest wooden elevators on the Prairies and instead will spend
up to $100,000 to demolish it.
On Sept. 30, Agricore United rejected the group’s second offer to buy
the wooden elevator in Hines Creek, Alta., for $1,000, said Don Wieben
of Fairview.
He is one of five farmers who offered to buy the elevator for on-farm
storage.
“It makes me feel very bitter towards Agricore United,” said Wieben,
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after the second offer to buy the elevator was rejected.
“It shows spite or lack of flexibility or something.”
The elevator is scheduled to be demolished starting Oct. 2, along with
elevators at High Prairie and Manning, also in the northern Peace.
Wieben became interested in the elevator as storage while determining
how to remove the grain dryer he had bought.
During the same time he met other farmers who bid on the elevator’s
grain cleaners and weigh scales.
The group realized the elevator was worth more standing as extra
storage than by salvaging pieces.
“The more we looked into it, the better the idea looked,” said Wieben.
“It’s in mint condition, structurally. It’s just a darn nice structure.”
An offer made Sept. 27 of $1,000 was rejected. Over the weekend the
farmers made a second offer for the same amount, but with a $10,000
performance bond if a deal couldn’t be made, and a purchase agreement
with Canadian National Railway to buy the land where the elevator is
located.
But Brent Lindsay, Peace region territory manager for Agricore United,
said plans have been in the place for 24 months to dispose of the
elevator and can’t be stopped at the last minute because farmers were
slow to realize the structure’s benefits.
“There’s more to this than an 11th hour bid from a group of farmers,”
said Lindsay.
He said more than a year ago the company offered the elevator to the
Village of Hines Creek and the local museum association at no cost, but
the locals rejected the offer because of the costs to move and maintain
the elevator at the museum site.
Lindsay said it’s not the first time farmers realized too late they had
the opportunity to save a local grain elevator.
“This is not something that’s happened in the last two days.”
