The long-term survival of one of Alberta’s last remaining grain elevators is in question after a tumultuous meeting of the P & H Elevator Preservation Society.
Board members informed a crowd at the Stettler Agri-plex on April 30 that the society has reached a critical “quagmire” that may result in the organization dissolving entirely.
The primary hurdle, according to President Brad Wohlgemoth, is a lack of documented “care, custody, and control” over the privately owned elevator site.
The society reported that it has been effectively locked out of the new elevator building since the previous year’s meeting.
The board noted they have faced ongoing challenges in accessing official society mail and records.
Most notably, the society was forced to decline nearly $5,000 in grant funding for the upcoming summer season.
The board stated they could no longer guarantee the training or proper supervision of summer students on a site they do not control.
The society also noted over $3,000 in unbudgeted wage expenses after a student was hired for double the duration approved by the Canada Summer Job Grant.
Second Elevator Society Formed
Adding to the complexity is the emergence of a second organization, the Stettler Grain Elevator Museum Society, formed late last year by elevator owner Stan Eichhorn & other individuals.
Provincial authorities, including the AGLC, typically only recognize one entity per project, meaning the existence of two competing societies has paralyzed the ability to secure major provincial grants.
Options Moving Forward
Members were presented with four options for the society’s future during the AGM at the end of April.
These range from launching a legal challenge regarding ownership to the complete dissolution of the society.
Other possibilities include transferring all assets, including buildings and artifacts to the new museum society & pivoting the P & H Society toward different community heritage projects.
However, the board cautioned that without a formal lease or use agreement, the organization cannot fulfill its primary mandate of preserving the P & H site.
The meeting concluded with the board noting that any shift in the society’s original purpose requires a special resolution and 75 per cent approval from the membership
The society currently maintains a base of 101 lifetime members. Details on a future meeting are yet to be determined.
Previous AGM Suspended For One Month
In May 2025, The Stettler P&H Elevator Preservation Society elected a new board of directors following a tumultuous annual general meeting that required a month-long suspension.
The meeting was halted amid a heated debate over the society’s core mandate & a lack of maintenance work done on the elevator.
Elevator owner Stan Eichhorn noted the roof on the annex building of the elevator is in need of urgent repairs following the 2019 hailstorm.
Following an open nomination process, ten directors were elected made up of previous board members & a review committee formed in 2024 to examine the society’s bylaws.
As noted previously, a second entity known as the Stettler Grain Elevator Museum Society has since been formed, which has frozen the society’s access to provincial grants.
Until a resolution is reached, the P&H Elevator remains caught between two organizations.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
