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.
Flin Flon City Council has been asked for financial support to help spur the growth of an upper end neighbourhood. At Tuesday's Council meeting, local developer Paul Berthelot said he and his business partner are willing to purchase and develop lots on Murton Avenue provided they be reimbursed for the cost of blasting away the neccessary rock. "(The lots) aren't very appealing because of the fact that they require so much work, so much blasting," Berthelot told the councillors. "The area's nice but the lots are not very suitable for building." Council referred Berthelot's request to the City's Engineering Services Committee for further review. There are currently seven available lots on Murton Boulevard directly across the street from the existing row of houses. Berthelot and his business partner, Chuck Gareau, hope to purchase one lot at a time, build a home, and sell it. "I realize that rockiness in lots in Flin Flon is something we have to contend with," said Berthelot. "However, those lots are unique in nature because of the fact that they are completely bedrock." Berthelot estimated that the blasting would carry a price tag of between $5,000 and $8,000 per lot. The blasting would be neccessary for the home foundations and to level the land. In the men's view, funding the blasting would be a good investment for the City. "I don't have to explain to you the tax revenue that you're looking at obtaining," said Berthelot. "There are seven lots there, so that's a fairly good tax revenue." The men are ready to begin preparing the lots for construction as early as March. Like the other homes on Murton Boulevard, the houses would be considered upper end. They would be priced in the $150,000 range. "I think there is a good market right now for those types of homes," commented Berthelot. Other matters In another matter at their meeting, Council reviewed a letter from the Flin Flon Skating Club asking that the City waive the special ice rental fees for an upcoming figure skating tournament. The letter stated that the Norman Regional StarSkate Competition, slated for January 30-February 1, is a costly event. Waiving the ice fees, the letter said, would help the club in a time of financial difficulty. "Not only will this contribution aid our club, it will benefit all the children competing in this event, and will make this event a greater success," read the letter. See 'Calls' P.# Con't from P.# Council referred the correspondence to the Flin Flon Parks and Recreation Commission for further discussion. As well, Councillor Dave Kennedy briefly reviewed the Fire Chief's Report for 2003, which noted that a total of 73 calls came in during the year, a very minor decrease over 2002. Of those 73 calls, 20 were false alarms, the report noted.
