The Town of Creighton will get a helping hand with a pair of projects.
Town council was informed at their Wednesday, July 12 meeting that two funding requests through the provincial Northern Capital Grant program have been approved.
The town will receive just over $92,000 for two new boilers at the Creighton Sportex as well as $25,600 for new fire turnout gear units.
Town administrator Paula Muench estimated the grants would cover 80 per cent of the town’s expenses on the purchases.
Chief says thanks
Council received a letter from Flin Flon Fire Chief Chad Cooper, thanking the Creighton Volunteer Fire Department for their work in extinguishing a recent fire.
Creighton firefighters were called to assist Flin Flon members in dousing a July 8 apartment fire on Tweedsmuir Street.
Members of both departments stayed until early the next morning to extinguish the blaze, which involved demolishing the building.
The fire departments have a mutual aid agreement, meaning each will assist the other in case of a major fire. Similar agreements are in place with the Denare Beach Fire Department and Hudbay’s private firefighting force.
Also at the meeting, town council presented a retirement gift to now-former Creighton fire chief Rob Larocque.
Larocque retired July 1 after 30 years with the department, including more than a decade as chief. Council will begin interviewing applicants for the vacant position this week.
Census query
Council is still deciding whether to appeal this year’s census results.
Council last made contact with Statistics Canada regarding an appeal investigation in May, but has not heard back from the agency.
“They must have had a lot of appeals,” said Ald. Shirley Owen.
Statistics Canada’s census counts for population and dwellings were released in February.
According to the census, Creighton’s population dropped 96 people, from 1,498 to 1,402, between 2011 and 2016.
Citizens on Patrol
Progress has been made on starting a Citizens on Patrol Program (COPP) in Creighton. Council confirmed a number of people have responded to the town’s request for interested residents to step forward.
“We have a list of interested people who want to join up,” said Muench. “We’re going to call a meeting and hopefully get something started from there.”
Flin Flon established its latest incarnation of a Citizens on Patrol Program in 2014.
