‘The end of an era’: Punnichy grain elevator is demolished

About 30 locals gathered around the century-old grain elevator in Punnichy on Monday to watch as their memories fell into a pool of rubble and crop dust.

Last month, it was announced the 107-year-old Pool Elevator would be torn down after its owners moved away and couldn’t sell it.

Brenda Perkin, who has lived in Punnichy her entire life, was a part of the group that stood nearby to watch and capture the demolition.

She said she knew this day would come, but it didn’t make the moment any less heartbreaking.

“It just gave a sad feeling of the history that we had there with it and the history that has left us, but it’s going to still be part of us — in the history book it’s still there and in our memories,” Perkin explained.

The last-standing grain elevator in Punnichy, #Sask. was torn down today. It was built in 1912 by the Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Co. Shares and locals tell me it was the heart of the community. Here’s video of the demo, courtesy of Brenda Perkin. pic.twitter.com/kWQtjkF02C

— Jessie Anton (@jessieanton_) September 10, 2019

Perkin’s sadness during the demolition was mixed with a tinge of fascination.

The 61-year-old said she first watched as the building was sawed in half, then as its base was torn out from under it, causing it to tumble over and reveal a glimpse of the past.

“It’s so remarkable; that wood — I think it’s fir — is just like the day they put it in there. It looks so nice and it’s kind of a shame to see that good wood go,” she said with a chuckle.

“You could also see all the compartments where all the grain went in, and in the (first) part that fell, all the compartments were still intact — that’s how well it was built.”

Perkin said the Southey contractors have until the end of October to tear down the entire building and clean up its remains, but she expects it to be cleared by the end of the month.

Once the rubble is hauled away, she said “it’s the end of an era.”