The iconic Dorothy Elevator is still hanging on and there are some hopes that repairs can be made before it deteriorates more.
The Dorothy Elevator is one of the most photographed historic elevators in the province. Built in 1928, the Alberta Pacific Grain Company Elevator was used until 1951 when it was closed. The lone sentinel still stands, but age and weather have taken a toll on it.
A few years ago the roof was torn off in a weather event, and last spring more damage came to the elevator.
Jim Faubion said some work has been done to make it safe.
“When we lost the south end of the elevator, it was really uneven and shaken, so they went up with a zoom boom and put up a bunch of bracing at the top to hold it in place, and they fenced it off to keep people away obviously in case something comes down,” he said.
Special Areas, which owns the artifact did the work.
“Due to a windstorm earlier this year, a portion of the upper section of the Dorothy elevator was damaged, with materials blowing off the structure near the adjacent highway. In response, the Board had a safety assessment done to ensure no risk to the public. Based on this assessment, repairs have been made,” said communications officer Maeghan Chostner in an e-mail.
Faubion hopes it can be preserved.
“It seems like it is pretty sturdy, right now there is no south wall on the top part,” he said. "I am optimistic, I am hoping they can come up with a game plan and button it up and make it stable enough to live another 40 or 50 years,” he said.
“But if you don’t keep up with the upkeep it slowly dwindles away.”
“The Board recognizes how iconic the Dorothy Elevator is to our region and continues to investigate options for the structure. The area around the elevator has been fenced off and no public access is permitted,” stated an email from Chostner.

One of Drumheller's longest-enduring events has decided to take a year off.
The Drumheller Music Festival, now called the Drumheller Performing Arts Festival has been a staple in the valley for over 80 years, only missing performances due to wartime and most recently the pandemic.
President of the Drumheller Performing Arts Festival Jaclyn Skytt sent a letter to teachers and performers indicating the committee has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2025 season.
“This was not an easy decision for the committee. We understand that this is disappointing for many – Festival is a key performance opportunity in our community, however, it is an important step in ensuring that Drumheller has a performing arts festival for many years to come,” states the letter.
The Festival is a tradition where students have the opportunity to play before professional adjudicators who provide feedback and encouragement. Thousands of youngsters have participated in everything from spoken word to music and dance. It culminated in an awards ceremony and final performance.
“Our primary goal is to strengthen our organization and enhance the quality of festival we offer to participants and audiences alike,” states the letter. “We believe by taking this time to build out membership and explore new strategies for registrations, we can create more competitive and engaging festivals in the future.”
“We are committed to ensuring that the Drumheller Performing Arts Festival remains a vibrant celebration of the arts in our community and we are looking forward to returning in 2026.