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.
Commentary by Jonathon Naylor They say you can't rule by committee, but the truth is that incredible things are achieved when people join forces. Which is why the prospect of a fundraising group to help build Flin Flon a new, much-needed swimming pool is so exciting. For at least the past decade, city councils have discussed and formulated plans for a pool to replace the aging and inadequate Aqua Centre. But with limited municipal resources being eaten away by costly sewage- and water-treatment plants, and with inadequate support from upper levels of government, nothing has materialized. Enter Sara Lawrence. Young and ambitious, the Flin Flon resident recently approached city council with her idea for a volunteer group that would generate dollars for a modern facility. Lawrence suggested cooperation among the numerous communities that use the Aqua Centre, including Creighton, Snow Lake and Deschambault Lake, among others. In other words, rather than waiting on the provincial or federal government to come through with cash _ an unlikely prospect _ why can't communities in the region pool (pun intended) their resources? Some may see it as naive to think municipalities up to 200 kilometres away will fork over scarce dollars for a pool in Flin Flon. See 'Other...' on pg. 13 Continued from pg. 7 But the fact is these communities use the Aqua Centre and are unlikely to ever build pools of their own. In a way, they have as much to lose as Flin Flon if the Aqua Centre finally crumbles away or becomes financially unbearable. At the very least, communities in the region could put their voices together to form a powerful lobbying effort for aide from the higher levels of government. Flin Flon does not get its fair share from upper government. But maybe Flin Flon backed up by places like Pelican Narrows and the growing Snow Lake could. Isn't there supposed to be strength in numbers? Council has indicated their support for Lawrence's idea _ how could they not? _ but they should do more than offer words of encouragement. They should do all they can to help Lawrence get her proposed committee off the ground, whether it be through advertising, the provision of meeting space or paying for travel to outlying communities. As the Bible says, 'Don't despise small beginnings.' There are numerous facilities and assets in our community that began life as ideas some saw as a long shot. Among them: Pioneer Square; the SPCA animal shelter; Northern Manitoba Mining Academy; Barrow Provincial Building; the expanded Northern Gateway Museum in Denare Beach; and Flinty's Boardwalk. Sometimes when you dare to dream, dreams come true.
