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.
The Manitoba government won't rule out participating in a proposed fire protection deal between the Creighton Fire Dept. and cottagers who live east of Flin Flon. 'If an agreement is reached between the (cottage) association and a fire department that can provide the service, the province will review the proposal,' a provincial spokesperson told The Reminder. The North of 54 Cottage Owners Association has asked Creighton to consider providing fire protection to its members in exchange for at least $30,000 a year. Creighton town council met with Fire Chief Robert Larocque last week to discuss the proposal but has yet to reach a final decision. Complex It's a complex matter with many factors to consider, from manpower and liability to possible cross-border issues. In the event of a deal, it is possible if not likely that town council would insist that a fire in Creighton be given priority if it occurs at the same time as a blaze in cottage country. That's a standard part of the firefighting agreements between the Town of The Pas and its outlying cottagers. If Creighton ultimately accepts the cottage association's proposal, the Manitoba government will at least consider chipping in some funding. Such a precedent has been set at Clearwater Lake Provincial Park, whose cottage residents have an agreement to receive fire protection from the The Pas. See 'Province' on pg. Continued from pg. Each cottage at Clearwater Lake pays $55 a year to The Pas, with the province topping that up with $22 per cottage given that it is responsible for provincial park residents. However, the province does not, as of yet, help fund external fire protection for cottagers who live outside of provincial parks. The provincial spokesperson made it clear that the province has not yet been approached for an agreement by the cottage association or any fire departments other than Flin Flon's. The spokesperson said the province will examine 'all possibilities available' to bring fire protection, as well as 911 phone service, to cottagers. Based mere moments from the Flin Flon Fire Hall, the Creighton Fire Dept. currently has 20 firefighters, two fire trucks and one rescue unit. As is the case in Flin Flon, Creighton firefighters are paid for attending fire scenes as well as training sessions. Over the summer, cottage association reps rejected an offer from the City of Flin Flon to provide fire protection for $300 a year for every road-accessible cottage. The cottage association subsequently approached Creighton to see if it would provide fire protection for less money.
