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.
Hopes for a fire protection deal between the City Flin Flon and cottagers appeared faint last week with a make-or-break deadline less than a month away. In their latest letter to city, the North of 54 t t a g e O w n e r s Association, representing cabin owners in the Flin Flon region, was critical city council's proposed fee. But the association did offer a definitive yes no, saying different city-related issues would discussed at a future meeting. Asked to respond to the letter, recently published in The Reminder, Mayor George Fontaine said there was not a lot to say.'My understanding is this is a notice from the cottage association prior to them having a meeting with their members,' he said at the June 4 council meeting. 'We haven't heard about a meeting with members, so there's nothing much to comment on.' A d d e d M a y o r Fontaine: 'If they've had a meeting or if they've had some discussion that relates to that, we haven't heard.' Cottagers were notified in March that unless they agree to pay a yearly fee to the city, or are reasonably close to agreeing, the city will revoke fire protection for outlying cottage subdivisions as of July 1. The cottage association's latest letter does not alter that plan. The city has asked for at least $300 a year from all cottagers who now rely on Flin Flon for fire protection, provided their cabin is accessible by road. 'If we can't provide the firefighting, then we're not going to be asking them to give us anything,' Mayor Fontaine said. The city has long provided fire protection for cottagers as essentially a goodwill service. The city is under no legal obligation to do so and says insurance on cottages is typically not enough to cover the cost of sending firefighters. Moreover, the insurance only applies to same-day costs, not the day-to-day expenses of running a fire department, such as building and equipment maintenance. If fire protection does indeed end on July 1, Coun. Bill Hanson said firefighters will continue to respond to vehicle accidents outside city limits, as those costs are covered by MPI. In its letter to the city, the cottage association said it has spent years trying to reach a fire protection agreement with the Manitoba government. Some cottagers are also considering options within their neighbourhoods. This would not be unprecedented, as a cottage subdivision outside Thompson has its own volunteer fire department. There have been questions as to whether Flin Flon would provide protection to cottagers who pay the yearly fee and ignore those who do not. However, the city has ruled out this scenario, saying it would be impractical in situations where time is of the essence. Jonathon Naylor Editor
