A century-old grain elevator is getting a new coat of paint thanks to a group of seniors. The U.G.G. elevator is one of five still standing in a row in the community of Inglis, Man. and Stu Breckon, along with eight other volunteers, will begin repainting the structure starting Sunday.
    
Breckon said they've been planning since last summer, and added they'll be repainting the elevator the old-fashioned way with swing stage scaffolding and brushes.

Inglis in winter with the UGG in front

"With ropes and pulleys and you pull this board all the way to the top and you paint on your way down. It's been exciting just figuring out how we're going to do it."

He noted that one of the volunteers on the project, Dale Holiday, used to paint grain elevators this way when he was a teenager. "He'd work on these paint crews, so we actually have somebody that knows what they're doing," joked Breckon.

Breckon added that most of the painting crew has a connection to the old grain elevators that used to line the rural Manitoba horizon. In fact, his dad used to run the U.G.G. grain elevator in Homewood, Man. from 1952 to 1964.

"That's kind of when I grew up and as they say, the happiest days you remember are your childhood. And it's nice to do this for my dad, I'm excited."

Just the other day, Breckon said a guy from Winnipeg gave him a call because he'd heard about the project and he also used to paint elevators in the summer when he was young.

He explained why maintaining these historic icons is so important.

Meantime, community volunteers are pitching in and getting involved. A local ladies group has banded together to provided lunch each day and several dinners are being provided by families in the area, including a big Ukrainian feast.

A wrap up celebration is planned for Friday evening at the community hall, including amateur Elvis impersonators and karaoke.