Now that plans to build a new Aqua Centre in Flin Flon have been made public, the community has chimed in.
Members of Flin Flon city council spoke about the reaction to the announcement of the project earlier this month, with councillors saying most responses were positive.
“I have had very positive responses through email, through Messenger and in various ways, through conversations on the street, whatever. I think it's been very positive. I have heard of one person and it was sort of hearsay, that they're not happy about the direction that council is going with its vision,” said councillor Colleen McKee.
“Some people will always complain, no matter what you do. If we paved every street in town with gold, people will say it doesn’t shine bright enough,” said councillor Ken Pawlachuk during city council’s Sept. 17 meeting.
“Everyone sitting there is getting flack.”
Word of the council’s official plans came out at the Sept. 3 council meeting, where councillors approved committing just under $2.36 million in funding, most of which will be raised through authorized borrowing, to build a replacement to the existing Flin Flon Aqua Centre. The estimated price tag for a new Aqua Centre is pegged at around $8.8 million. Most of that price will be covered by a federal infrastructure and recreation grant.
Pawlachuk said a high community contribution to the project, similar to how funds were raised for the recent upgrade to the Flin Flon General Hospital emergency department, could cut the cost down considerably.
“We could end up paying nearly nothing, if the grants come through. If those two grants come through [and donations are high enough], we could pay almost nothing, really,” he said.
“Two million dollars from our community went into the hospital. We could get that for the pool.”
The new pool is one of the first major initiatives considered under the City’s strategic plan, which was introduced earlier this year. McKee said the consultation process behind the plan’s creation allowed councillors to receive a good look at residents’ priorities.
“One of the reasons behind developing the strategic plan was to get the majority’s feedback, instead of just listening to the few naysayers. The hard thing about being a councillor is that sometimes, those are the only people you’ll hear from,” she said.
McKee, a lifelong Flin Flon resident, added the current Aqua Centre played a crucial role for her growing up and hopes a new centre would serve a similar purpose for others in the community.
“I grew up in the low rentals,” she said.
“That pool, in my mind, saved my life. If we can give that to young kids, they have a place to go and burn off their energy, they’re not out stealing from garages and painting all over town. We’ve got to move forward. If you stop progressing, you roll over and you die. I don’t think this town is willing to do that. I think we’re willing to keep going, keep building, keep developing.”
