The City of Flin Flon has big plans to boost local recreation areas and are looking for some money to pull things off.
In a presentation to members of the Flin Flon Rotary Club on Jan. 31, Flin Flon recreation director Nicole Hartman sought assistance in funding a number of community projects. Hartman said the city has reached out to Tri-Service clubs and submitted grants to cover expenses of much-needed projects.
One project, assorted fixes to the roof, structure and interior of the Rotary Wheel, already has $5,000 in total funds earmarked in this year’s city budget.
Another big windfall came in the form of a $25,000 grant for Steventon Park, turning it into a senior-friendly location including four pickleball courts in the bunk area and potentially adding a gazebo, benches, a bocce ball area and other improvements.
“What we’ll do there is with the bunk there, we’ll have a covering for pickleball courts there. We should be able to get four pickleball courts in there,” Hartman said.
For the upcoming second edition of the Blueberry Jam Music Gathering, the city plans to have two updates, first for upgrading the stage, then installing bathrooms on the site. At the same site, Flinty’s Campground has expansion plans including a camp kitchen and a new children’s playground.
At Channing Beach, a public beach without permanent washrooms, beachgoers have used a Porta-Potty at the site. Hartman said installing a permanent bathroom is another possible city goal.
“It’s gaining popularity but there is no washroom facility there,” said Hartman of the beach.
“It isn’t ideal, but I don’t think people in Channing like the alternatives. We’re looking at putting in something.”
Other ideas are further from the city priority list, according to Hartman.
“Some of the projects have costs and some of them are just so far out that they’re more of a wish-list item,” she said.
“We want to keep up with this stuff and create something positive. We were working on the budget and we had the fun stuff that people would get excited about and had to say ‘That’s for next year.’”
Meanwhile, the Rotary Club and other area groups have kept their doors open for donations, either in time, money or manpower. The two groups have worked together extensively in the past, funding several community projects.
