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.
"Ridiculous." The word was spoken to me by one reader with an undeniable vigour. His target? Flin Flon City Council's decision to sponsor the Flin Flon Bombers to the tune of $11,000 over the next two years. I'm sure our councillors knew when their vote carried last week that there would be a degree of criticism. I can just imagine the reaction from some people. "How can they give money to a hockey team when my road needs paving?" one might say. "What about seniors' housing?" another may ask. As Mayor Dennis Ballard once said, the City could hand out free gold bars and someone would find reason to object. The Bomber issue isn't quite so one-sided (I'd love a gold bar), but our elected officials made the right call. Why? Well, let me first explain that I'm not speaking from the point of view of a rabid hockey fan. In fact, my attendance at the Whitney Forum is spotty at best. I do like the Bombers, but I'm a more casual fan, following their progress in our sports pages. The reason I support council's sponsorship is because I see how much the Bombers give back to this community. The club doesn't always get the credit it deserves for being a cog in our economic engine. They bring in hotel bookings, restaurant customers, visitors to the games. They generate employment and spend thousands in ice rental fees at our taxpayer-operated Whitney Forum. They even help us here at The Reminder sell a few more papers. Beyond that, whether you're a fan or not, there's no denying the team is an integral part of Flin Flon. For nearly 80 years they've brought untold thrills to chilly winter evenings in this out-of-the-way mining hub. And when you mention Flin Flon to people outside the community, it's not mining they think of, but hockey and the Bombers. There are other factors to consider. The Bombers are role models to our children and have inspired a myriad of youngsters to get involved in Canada's national pastime. For a lot of kids, pulling on that legendary maroon and white jersey is a dream no less significant than a kid in Montreal fantasizing about slipping into the Habs' bleu and rouge. This franchise has a history that is unparalleled in junior hockey. Combined, these factors may or may not be enough to justify the distribution of tax dollars. The factor that convinces me is the team's precarious financial situation. The possibility of the club folding has come up publicly at least twice in the past seven years. Their struggles are very real, and it's city council's job to make this the best community it can be, to give residents what they need and want. Besides, $11,000 may sound like a lot to you and me, but in terms of our municipal government, it's 0.13 per cent of an annual budget. Surely this isn't too great an amount to support our team. I was one of the very few Canadians to favour the infamous 2000 federal tax cut for our six NHL teams. I recognized the economic and civic benefits these franchises provide to the country. I also grasped the legitimate possibility of one or more of them making like the Winnipeg Jets and heading south. Most people, however, only saw their taxes going to a bunch of "millionaire owners" (not really true when, in effect, the government was not going to GIVE money, but TAKE less). The public outcry was so massive that our leaders did an about-face. Hopefully not many Flin Flonners will have a similar reaction to city council's vote. The Bombers are simply too important, and they are worth it.10/31/2005
