It’s still nearly two years away, but already there are concerns over where hundreds of visitors to Flin Flon’s next community reunion will stay.
Accommodations have been identified as a challenge for the Flin Flon Homecoming 2017 / Celebration of Canada’s 150th Birthday.
“It would be nice if we could kind of come together and make sure everyone has a place to stay,” said Colleen McKee, a member of the organizing committee.
McKee said there are “limited accommodations” in the area given that Creighton’s Prospector Inn motel has closed. It’s not known if the motel will reopen in time for the homecoming.
Flin Flon’s last homecoming, held in 2008, boasted 3,200 registrants, McKee said.
“So that might be a good idea as to how many people are going to respond to this,” she said.
In the first five days after its recent launch, the 2017 event’s Facebook page had 1,017 likes, a figure McKee called impressive. By the middle of this week, the number was approaching 1,050.
Prior to 2008, Flin Flon’s most recent homecoming took place in 2000. In both cases, visitors filled up area hotels and campgrounds. Others stayed with family and friends or pitched tents in backyards.
With planning for the 2017 homecoming in the early stages, McKee said feedback is welcome as to what the celebration should look like.
She said the event will be more or less structured the same way as the 2008 homecoming.
McKee said the organizing committee will extend an invitation to include representation from Creighton and Denare Beach.
“We want this to be a regional-type event,” she said.
McKee, who is also a Flin Flon city councillor, said the committee also wants to develop a volunteer list for the homecoming at city hall.
She further requested that people organizing events to be held at the same time as the homecoming, such as school reunions, contact the committee so that homecoming activities can be coordinated around those events.
One way to contact the committee is through their Facebook page. It can be found by logging onto Facebook and searching “Flin Flon homecoming.”
The Flin Flon Homecoming 2017 / Celebration of Canada’s 150th Birthday will be held June 30 to July 2, 2017, in conjunction with the Trout Festival.
“I know that we’re still two years away, but it comes up fast,” said McKee.
