Flin Flon first made its way into my head when I was a teenager. I caught some off-handed remark about the city at the tail end of the Rick Mercer Report, and, having grown up in southern Ontario and knowing little of the geography of the rest of our vast country, I couldn’t understand where this almost comical-sounding place was. Still, it stuck with me.
It was more than a decade later that Flin Flon made its way into my heart. I rolled into town past the unassuming Manitoba sign on a sunny Sunday evening in May 2016. I was on an adventure to visit friends further north than I had ever travelled, and I was excited to explore the Canadian Shield.
Flin Flon marked the approaching end of a 13-hour road trip from Alberta, and I desperately needed a restroom. Of course, I quickly found there are few options for a restroom at 8 pm on a Sunday in spring in Flin Flon. Amidst my discomfort, there was something else: an appreciation that small communities that close down on Sunday evenings are alive and well.
I spent a week exploring the area. It was possibly the best week of my entire life. The more I saw, the more I played outside, the more I learned, and the more people I met in and around Flin Flon the more I knew: I love it here. I needed to be here.
It’s an interesting time to live in this northern community. While there is some uncertainty about what will happen next in Flin Flon’s main industry, there is a consistent determination to sustain resource extraction in the area for as long as possible.
There’s a determination, also, to keep culture at the forefront in the community - Flin Flon boasts some of the most extensive Culture Days in the country, and opportunities to engage in the arts abound year-round.
Just outside town are unparallelled opportunities to explore vast expanses of wilderness by foot, snowmobile, quad or boat. It’s a dream for anyone with an affinity for the outdoors.
These are just a handful of things that make this place so endearing.
While I am relatively new to the community, I’m not new to community journalism. I have worked as a reporter in small towns and cities in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Each place has been different – they have had different demographics, industries, challenges, strengths and priorities. The common thread is that each place has had great stories. Flin Flon is no exception. This place is is teeming with fascinating people, a vibrant culture, evolving industry, a rich history, and unique opportunities for the future.
The stories that come out of every facet of a community like Flin Flon help bridge gaps between people. These stories connect the members of our community to each other and to the rest of the world. They inform and inspire, and they carry tremendous value on a weekly basis. These are some of the reasons why I am so thrilled to step into this role. I can’t wait to dig in and get to know this place and its people. My door is always open - I’d love to meet you and I’m always happy to chat. Thank you for welcoming me to the community. I look forward to helping shareyour stories.
