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.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Flin Flon needs to better promote itself to reap the benefits of vast new mining activity near Snow Lake. That was the message MLA Clarence Pettersen brought to the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. 'It's going to be a competition,' he said, noting that workers near Snow Lake will not necessary live in Snow Lake or Flin Flon. 'It's going to be a competition with The Pas and it's going to be a competition with Thompson.' Pettersen, guest speaker at the chamber's general meeting, said Flin Flon will need to advertise itself and all it has to offer. 'This is a great community to raise your children and really explore the pursuits you want to go after,' he told 11 noon-hour guests seated at the Friendship Centre Restaurant. Hudbay is currently developing two mines in the Snow Lake area, Lalor 15 km to the west and Reed some 50 km to the west. At full production by late 2014, Lalor and its concentrator will need an estimated 250 workers in addition to the roughly 100 shifting over from the Chisel North mine. At Reed, where full production is expected by late 2013, roughly 77 workers will be required. 'It's tough being a mining town with many ups and (downs) and we'll continue to survive,' Pettersen said, 'and I think we have to look now and take advantage of what's happening at Lalor and Reed.' Also hoping to take advantage of those developments is Pukatawagan, a remote reserve in Pettersen's riding about 115 km northeast of Flin Flon. See 'Chief...' pg. 20 Continued from pg. 1 Pettersen said Chief Arlen Dumas is working with Hudbay to ensure his people share in the economic benefits. And just as the MLA welcomes increased partnerships between First Nations and Hudbay, he hopes Flin Flon will begin to forge closer ties with the reserves that surround it. He suggested chamber representatives board the train to visit Pukatawagan or embark on a trade mission to Sandy Bay. Pettersen urged radio advertisements to tout Flin Flon to outlying communities and advocated a promotion whereby visitors who shop here could be rewarded with a free Bomber ticket. 'We've got to be more open to our other Canadians that are in our constituency,' he said. Pettersen illustrated the importance of First Nations to Flin Flon by surmising that if not for the many patients from Pelican Narrows and Sandy Bay, the community might have a nursing station instead of a full-fledged hospital. Not only does Flin Flon have a hospital, it has what Pettersen views as a greatly improved health-care system following some highly publicized troubles and a governmental review. 'We're working for better health care and cleaning up what we had,' he told the chamber, adding, however, that further improvements are needed. Pettersen said the province will be upgrading the Flin Flon ER, though he still wants the hospital to get a CT scanner like in The Pas. Tenants Though not normally thought of as part of an MLA's job, Pettersen said he has been working to find tenants for the former Flin Flon Hotel on Main Street. He said one possibility could be to eventually use the building, at present privately owned, as a dorm for out-of-town students attending the nearby Northern Manitoba Mining Academy. That concept may or may not ever materialize, but Pettersen said it's important some use be found for the building, which has sat vacant for the past 13 years. 'Any time you have an empty building on your Main Street, it just doesn't foster good viewing,' he said. Reflecting on his first year in office, Pettersen said cooperation has been a dominant theme. 'I want to form partnerships with the chiefs, with the mayors' to help the region thrive, he said. The MLA spoke of a meeting that involved the mayors of Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach and discussion on potential ways to partner, such as paving and firefighting. On the education front, Pettersen, a retired teacher, praised the new Northern Technical Centre trades school in Cranberry Portage. He suggested Flin Flon could tie into the learning opportunities being offered in Cranberry Portage, which he called 'one of the jewels of education' in northern Manitoba. Closer to home, Pettersen said the new Mining Academy will put Flin Flon 'on the map,' but he reiterated the need to try and establish a dorm for students. Confidence In broad terms, Pettersen expressed confidence that Flin Flon has a 'bright future' and speculated that new local mines would in time open up. 'A mining town is always shaky at best, but we've always had ore here,' he said. Pettersen, a New Democrat, applauded Premier Greg Selinger, saying he is committed to northern Manitoba. 'Greg really treats the North highly and comes up for a lot of things,' he said. Other highlights from the chamber meeting: It was announced that the chamber's Light Up in the Spirit of Christmas contest will again be held this holiday season, with more details to follow. The contest sees residents and businesses receive prize for outstanding outdoor Christmas displays. A motion carried to donate $50 to the Northern Neighbours Foundation in memory of chamber member Catherine Hynes, who recently passed away.
