Collingwood’s third set of grain terminals replaced two former wooden silos. They were constructed in open water by a continuous pour of concrete over a wooden framework to a height of 180 feet. This engineering feat was accomplishment in only thirteen days. The terminals stored up to two million bushels of grain that were transported by ship and by rail and could handle 30,000 bushels of grain per hour. In 1993, after operating continuously for 64 years, Collingwood Terminals Ltd. Ceased operations. Following a brief dormant state, major equipment was removed or sold prior to abandonment of the site. The structure was purchased by the Town of Collingwood in 1997.

Currently the terminals are unoccupied, apart from roof space leased for municipal and commercial communication systems and a portion of the rail shed by the sailing school. The building is listed on the Municipal Heritage Register and the Collingwood Downtown Heritage Conservation Study and Plan, 2002 states that the grain elevators are “The most important industrial site in the Heritage District”. The town of Collingwood has sought public input and has completed engineering reports to help to decide whether to demolish the terminals property (estimated cost $5-8 million) or restore them (estimated cost $10million).

ACO Collingwood has been defending the terminals since 2011 when the council of the time first discussed the possibility of their demolition. Currently, the branch is acting as a liaison with the Collingwood Terminals and Harbour Action Group in its effort to restore and to maintain the terminals as part of Collingwood’s built and cultural heritage. All stakeholders are waiting to give input to the town’s newest redevelopment proposal of the terminals and surrounding properties on the spit.

The current proposal for The Terminal Points project includes the construction of a 24-storey luxury condominium that will exceed the height of the 10-storey high terminals. This condominium proposal would have a height that would be three times higher than the maximum height set out in the Zoning By-law, limiting the height of structures in Collingwood. The plan for the terminal building is to convert it into a hotel. Both buildings will be privately owned.  The terminals building will be on leased land while the footprint of the condominium will be purchased from the town. As of yet, there has been no acknowledgment of the historical train tracks and trains that once delivered grain to the terminals.

For ideas regarding adaptive reuse of grain silos in waterside locations, see: ACO NextGen Design Charrette, 2014, Canada Malting Silos, 'ACO Interventions to Protect,' p.132