Major Wind Damage on November 27, 2011

Pioneer Acres was not to be spared from the wrath of Mother Nature. In the afternoon of November 27, 2011 there were F1 hurricane force winds in Southern Alberta as a major cold front blew in from the west. The front section of the Pioneer Truck Museum Building #1 (also known as the Ron Carey Building) suffered significant damage. The western side of the roof was folded in half over top of the eastern side of the roof exposing some artifacts to the elements. As if that wasn't enough, the roof from our main stage was picked up, flipped upside down, and thrown 100 meters downwind, leaving a trail of debris in its wake.

Several vehicles inside the Ron Carey Building were damaged as wreckage came crashing in. The steel beams and concrete pads that used to hold up the west side of the building plunged through the eastern part of the roof and landed on top of antique trucks. There was an eerie look of suspended animation as the twisted beams dangled through the gaping holes in the roof above them.

All things considered, the damage could have been a lot worse. Thankfully, there were no people in the area at the time so there were no injuries. The stage roof only provides shelter for our announcers in the summer so the biggest risk will be sunstroke! The artifacts in the front section of the Ron Carey Building have been relocated to prevent further damage. We still have 1-1/2 buildings remaining for the truck museum so almost everything will be available for display in the summer season.