Last Elevator in Hayter — and M.D. to be Soon Demolished
		If you try to phone the Pioneer Grain elevator in Hayter to arrange to haul in a load of grain, a recording comes on that says you’ve just dialled a number that isn’t in use—and now neither is the elevator operation that has served the area producers since around 1913. Bill Mooney, vice president of organizational development for James Richardson International that operates Pioneer Grain told The News in a telephone interview that they notified customers in March of the decision to close the operation. With construction of high output elevators “we just couldn’t compete in any viable way whatsoever” in this district. Mooney said they looked at the situation again in early 2001 and saw that they could not compete. Pioneer Grain will encourage their customers to deal with their elevator at Luseland, Sask. A decision to shut down an operation is not easy, adds Mooney and points out that they knew they would not have a future in the district during the next year.
	Some salvage work has begun on the Hayter elevator and the elevator is scheduled to be torn down in May. Records show that Pioneer Grain appeared on the scene at Hayter in 1913 when the grain company took out a lease from the CPR and put up a 28,000 bushel operation. It is not clear exactly when the building began. An addition—which became the main elevator was built in 1935 by Leach Construction with space for another 50,000 bushels being provided. In 1982 a new office and shed was built and in 1985 a 34,000 bushel steel building was added. James Richardson International has offices and facilities in six Canadian provinces and operates world-wide. The company is privately owned by James Richardson & Sons Ltd. of Winnipeg. Subscribe to The Provost News, just Click here.