Cairns and Monuments of our Community
HUDBAY - 2017
When one heard the name Flin Flon, the first thoughts which came to mind were Mining, Milling, Smelting
& Canada's favorite sport, Hockey. On our skyline there was once 3 headframes and an 825 ft. smoke stack.
Today when we look at our skyline, we have only one operational headframe at 777 mine and the huge smoke stack,
which provides our community with a landmark that many fishermen and pilots have used to find their way home.
This also supports repeater stations for communications within our area, as the smoke stack ceased operations
in 2010 with the closing of our Smelter.
This 825 ft., stack was constructed in 1973 at the cost of $6 million dollars
and was constructed by an American firm by the name of Hamon Custodis who
specialize in stack construction and maintenance. This is the 11th free standing
structure in Canada.
The 2 Monuments in the above picture play a very vital roll in our Communities past.
This Monument is dedicated to all the employees who had the misfortune of losing their life in the Mining Industry.
Each and every year there is a ceremony conducted at this site by United Steel Workers of America by
placing wreaths in honour of members who sacrificed their life while in the work place.
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This Monument honours Mandy Mine which was the first copper producing
Mine in the Province of Manitoba in 1916. This takes us back over 100 years
that Mining has played a vital roll in our Community.
I have been part of this Community for over 60 years and I look at Flin Flon, Creighton & Denare Beach
as Communities which have played a vital roll in all our lives. What I am attempting to do is to point
out to each and everyone of you some of the Cairns & Monuments that make us take a look, step back
and realize the accomplishments of the individuals who have gone before us.
The Flin Flon Monument which has been in place for some time, adds a nice touch to the entrance
of our Community, honouring Mining & the Northern Wilderness which has played a great part
in our daily lives.
Our City Camp Ground and Trailer Park was once started by our local Lions Club, and they have turned it over
to our City and it has become the home for the Station Museum, Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin,
the Radisson Canoe, the Welcome Arch, the main Sheave Wheel from Northmain Shaft
which brought home many a paycheck, and the City of Flin Flon Cairn. This is a worthwhile
stop - check it out.
The Welcome Arch was constructed by Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd, for the hosting
of an Elks Convention in the 1930's. I have done an article on this Welcome Arch which is
part of this Website. Check it out and I think you will be surprised the roll that this
Arch has played in our Community.
Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin is definitely one of Flin Flon's outstanding
and more notable Monuments. Very few Communities have a
Monument which has created more interest and discussion than
old Flinty.
Here is a plaque honouring the individuals and businesses who provided
funding when Flinty had to be moved from his No. 10 highway location
to his present location.
Certennnial Canoe Team raced from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta to Expo 1967 in Montreal.
Norm Crerar, Gib McEachern, John Norman, Blair Harvey, Joe Michelle, Don Starkell,
Roger Carriere, Dave Wells, Wayne Soltys and Jim Rheaume.
The above image shows a fountain that was erected in the honour of Francis Laurence Jobin, better
known to friends and neighbours as "BUD". This man left a footprint on our Community
in many ways. He definitely was one of the most Community minded individuals that
I ever had the pleasure of knowing. The fountain is no longer a fountain. It has been
converted to a giant flower bed. The cost of maintenance and local kids filling it
with soap which created many bubbles, brought about the conversion to a
flower bed.
Francis Laurence Jobin was born August 14, 1914 and died August 25, 1995. He was a politician
and the 18th Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Manitoba.
Jobin was born in Winnipeg, and was educated at the University of Manitoba. He moved to
Flin Flon, in the northern part of the province in 1935. He worked for Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting
as a labourer, miner and surveyor, later working in the company's purchasing department, and
contributed many hours of community service. He was one of our pioneers.
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