The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Some day, when local historians look back on the 2000s, they will view them as a decade that transformed Flin Flon as much as any other. Here is a recap of the major events: 2000 The decade began not with Y2K fears come true, but with the unfortunate destruction of Eddie's Family Foods at the fiery hands of a devastating blaze. Fortunately, only property was lost and ownership renewed its faith in the community by building an even bigger and better store in its place. Thousands of past and present residents welcomed the decade with a summer party they're still talking about Ð Homecoming 2000. Games and socials were on the agenda, but the real joy came from reuniting with so many old, though still familiar, faces. Tragedy struck when explosions at the HBMS smelter injured 14 workers, including 33-year-old Steven Ewing, who subsequently passed away. The accident, the result of water coming into contact with molten metal in an industrial furnace, renewed workplace safety and health as a top-of-mind concern in the community. Meanwhile, HBMS undertook a multimillion-dollar environmental initiative called the Smelter Gas Handling Project, which led to significantly lower sulphur dioxide emissions and noticeably cleaner air. More good news came when the first section of the revamped highway into the city opened, much to the delight of motorists. On the political front, Wilf Boychuk held onto the mayor's seat in Creighton, as did Carl Lentowicz in Denare Beach. 2001 Flin Flon went to pot when the so-called "Marijuana Mine" opened in vacant space at the Trout Lake mine. In a story that grabbed international headlines, Saskatoon-based Prairie Plant Systems began growing medicinal marijuana for Health Canada using the mine as a subterranean growth chamber. The city's first indoor movie theatre in decades opened in Hapnot Collegiate as part of a business education program. Six years later, however, it would close due to low attendance. HBMS was fined $150,000 after pleading guilty to having an unsafe workplace in connection with the fatal smelter explosions a year earlier. The company also saw its expanded plant and cellhouse go into full operation. In response to a plague of abused and homeless animals, the decision was reached late in the year to form a Flin Flon, Creighton and Area SPCA. The group quickly became one of the area's strongest non-profits. 2002 The retail landscape shifted with the start of the Flintoba Shopping Centre and the arrival of the world's largest retailer, Wal-mart. While some businesses suffered and ultimately closed, others managed to take advantage of the opportunity presented by a store that converted Flin Flon into a regional shopping hub. An overwhelming blaze destroyed half of the the Hemlock Dr. seniors apartments, leaving about 18 seniors without a home. See 'First' on pg. Continued from pg. The fire was later ruled accidental and linked to contractors working at the site. Popular Flin Flon mayor Dennis Ballard was re-elected to his second (and what turned out to be final) term. 2003 A year of colossal change saw the Creighton School Board vote to establish a high school program, ending the decades-old practice of Creighton and Denare Beach students graduating across the border. The 4-2 decision galvanized public opinion and prompted an unsuccessful campaign to have the move delayed for a year. At HBMS's 777 mine, the first ore was hoisted to the surface by contractors. With a $200-million price tag, the mine was touted as the company's new flagship. After more than six decades of operation, HBMS's Callinan Mine entered what's known in the industry as "sunset mode." The ore hoist was decommissioned and the man hoist and headframe were reverted to a back-up system for the more modern 777 mine. What sunset mode meant for the roughly 220 people who worked at Callinan was a transfer to 777. While there was some sadness among workers, there was also a sense of amazement at how long Callinan lasted. A major restructuring at HBMS saw the elimination of about 90 jobs, many of them through retirements, and some drastic changes in the way Flin Flon's largest employer does business. The overhaul was prompted by parent company Anglo American, which said it wanted to avert red ink in 2004. The Flintoba Shopping Centre further expanded with the opening of Canadian Tire. As well, former councillor Bruce Fidler was acclaimed as mayor of Creighton while incumbent Carl Lentowicz returned as mayor of Denare Beach. 2004 When 2004 began, not many residents had heard of Ontzinc Corporation. But by the end of the year, the little-known Toronto-based company had become the new owner of Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting. The historic $312-million deal saw the operation purchased from Anglo American International S.A. of London, England. Some saw the move as positive since Anglo wanted to divest itself of HBMS, but others worried the comparatively small size of Ontzinc Ð later renamed HudBay Minerals Ð might lead to financial problems down the road. In an unrelated development, the ultra-modern 777 mine went into full production, with HBMS employees taking over operations from contractors. Competition for shopping dollars heated up when Extra Foods opened a spacious new store, the third (and so far final) component of the Flintoba Shopping Centre. 2005 After years of rumours and speculation about its fate, Parkdale School closed due to structural concerns. In the fall, its former students were dispersed to McIsaac School Ecole McIsaac and Ruth Betts School. The Parkdale building would later house Many Faces Education Centre. In a ceremony that was years in the making, Flin Flon's $13-million sewage treatment plant opened, and the environmental benefits were immediately visible. Motorists welcomed a $2.6-million government initiative to resurface the highway route from Third Ave. to South Main St. as well as the Perimeter Highway. See 'Therien' on pg. Continued from pg. As then-mayor Dennis Ballard said at the time, "It's changed the whole face (of the community)." Bedrock Manor, a 12-suite seniors housing complex, opened in Creighton, and Flin Flon's Hemlock Dr. seniors apartments reopened more than three years after an immense blaze struck. 2006 Flin Flon was overflowing with optimism after a major exploration announcement from HudBay Minerals . The HBMS parent company planned to spend $37 million on the search for ore in 2007, primarily in the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt. Tom Therien rode his personal popularity and track record as a city councillor to the mayor's office. Therien stepped up the political ladder with 65 per cent of the popular vote in the municipal election, succeeding the retired Dennis Ballard. Under the shower of fire hoses, a backhoe tore through a pair of flaming Main Street businesses in a bid to prevent the inferno from spreading. There were no injuries from the fire, which originated in the kitchen of Ribs Restaurant before spreading into the attic of the building it shared with Northern Rainbow's End, a flower and gift shop. Bruce Fidler was again acclaimed as mayor of Creighton, while his Denare Beach counterpart, Carl Lentowicz, won re-election against three challengers. 2007 Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting stated it expects to shut down its copper smelter sometime between 2008 and 2015, reiterating an earlier announcement. At issue were financial challenges for the aging facility as well as incoming air pollution targets the company says it cannot feasibly meet. Johnny's Confectionery, a landmark Flin Flon business if there ever was one, closed after some six decades in business. The iconic Green St. establishment was famous for its coffee bar, long known as the place to go to hear the latest gossip (or start the latest rumour). "I haven't seen any place I like better," said a disappointed Harvey Lamont, a customer for over 50 years. Despite optimistic predictions, the latest Statistics Canada figures showed Flin Flon's population continued a downward trend. Results of the latest census revealed that the community lost 431 residents between 2001 and 2006, a drop just shy of seven per cent. Meanwhile, millions upon millions of dollars were pumped into the local economy when HBMS employees received sizable profit-sharing cheques. Cheques for $33,059 (before taxes) were distributed to workers based on the company's 2006 profitability. Creighton Community School hosted its first high school graduation, with 35 students donning a cap and gown. 2008 A long and colourful chapter in Flin Flon's history came to a quiet end when Freedman's Confectionery closed after nearly 80 years in business. "Lots of people are coming in and saying 'Oh, it's so sad' and 'What are we going to do without you?'" said Michelle Reid, manager of the Main St. landmark. Thousands of past and present Flin Flonners were reminded why they love this city over the June long weekend as the 75th Birthday Bash / Homecoming kicked into full gear. A government study found that incidence of cancer was no higher in Flin Flon and Creighton than in the NOR-MAN health region or Manitoba as a whole. And there were no specific types of cancer with "significantly greater" occurrences compared to Manitoba or Saskatchewan. In fact, for men and women combined, overall and premature death rates due to cancer were lower in Flin Flon-Creighton when contrasted with both provinces and the NOR-MAN region. But the study also found that Flin Flon-Creighton has a slightly above-average mortality rate from respiratory disease, though smelter pollution Ð the reason for the study Ð is not necessarily to blame. The provincial government began placing fresh soil over Flin Flon playgrounds out of concerns over high levels of smelter-borne metals in the ground. 2009 The Northern Manitoba mining landscape dramatically shifted with the long-awaited confirmation that HudBay Minerals will develop its world-class Lalor deposit near Snow Lake. Work began on an $85-million production ramp, though it will take approximately four years for the base metal and gold mine to be fully operational. "Lalor is now well on the way to being HudBay's next big mine," said HudBay CEO Peter Jones, adding that Lalor will be "one of the most significant mines we have seen in more than 80 years of production in Northern Manitoba." Earlier in the year, the news wasn't so rosy as HBMS suspended its Snow Lake operations. When those Snow Lake workers exercised their contractual right to transfer to Flin Flon, several dozen contractors and nine company employees were bumped out of a job. Fortunately, both Chisel North and the Snow Lake concentrator are re-starting. HBMS was able to pin down the date of its smelter closure Ð by mid-2010. Retirement incentives were offered to eligible workers to minimize the impact. Flin Flon lost its informal title of "Marijuana Capital of Canada" when HBMS chose not to renew its lease with and its medical-pot-growing tenant at Trout Lake mine, Prairie Plant Systems. Hundreds of residents got up early one summer morning to watch the obsolete South Main headframe brought to the ground. Flin Flon City Council announced plans to build a drinking water treatment plant in light of the fact that the present system cannot meet provincial standards taking effect in 2012. Once again, Bruce Fidler held onto the mayor's job in Creighton and Carl Lentowicz was handily re-elected mayor of Denare Beach.
