Cottage North July-August 2015 by Cottage North

cottagenorth free

a magazine about life in north central canada

julyaugust2015

Cooperative Art A new initiative comes to life in Thompson

Flin Flon, The Pas, Thompson, Prince Albert & surrounding areas

In this issue Julyaugust 2015 • Volume 13, Issue 4

features 12 A place for artists

New Thompson collective

fosters arts in the north

By Molly Gibson Kirby

18 In search of

a grandmother

Jeanne Treat’s journey into

history leads to her Cree

heritage in Norway House

By Jeanne Treat 24 Books:

Favourites 6 Calendar of Events 7 Facing North 37 A Good Taste

the greatest escape

A program through The Pas

Regional Library opens doors

to reading for inmates

By Lauren Wadelius 27 Roaming the streets

of Flin Flon

Morley Naylor tells the stories

behind the names of streets,

places and landmarks

By Morley Naylor

34 The call of the loon

The life and times of the

iconic northern bird

By Gerry Clark 38 Profile: Griffin Wadelius

Gavroche from Flin Flon’s spring

performance of Les Misérables

sets his sights on Hollywood By Libby Stoker-Lavelle

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ON THE COVER Anthony Clemons, president of the Northern Culture Artists Cooperative, creates a work of art using spray paint on canvas. Clemons uses a controlled flame to quickly dry each layer of paint so he can add successive layers of colour to the canvas. See story p 12. julyaugust 3

From the Editor's Desk

cottage

a magazine about life in north central canada

north Publisher

Valerie Durnin Editor

Libby Stoker-Lavelle Advertising sales consultant

Krista Lemcke Graphic design

Valerie Durnin Danita Stallard

Cottage North Magazine 14 North Avenue Flin Flon, Manitoba R8A 0T2 phone: 204-687-4303 fax: 204-687-4473

“School’s out for summer!” What other words could inspire so much collective joy? From the first icy dip in the lake to the taste of sunwarmed blueberries, summertime seems to bring out the seven year-old in everyone. To help you enjoy those endless days, we have a lineup of juicy stories to share. Molly Gibson Kirby tells us all about an exciting new artists’ cooperative in Thompson; Gerry Clark, resident wildlife writer, discovers some little-known facts about Canada’s most beloved bird; and Morley Naylor takes a trip around Flin Flon to discover the local history behind our street names. Summertime is also the perfect season to reach out and connect with family, friends, neighbours, and even strangers—somehow the warm weather seems to draw us out of our shells. Within these pages, you’ll meet some interesting characters: an

Libby (Elizabeth) Stoker-Lavelle

insect hunter, a promising young actor, and a writer who travelled from Niagara to Norway House in search of her heritage. Whatever your summer brings— quality time with family and friends, a busy outdoor project, happy afternoons spent with a rod and reel—we hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

www.cottagenorthmagazine.ca facebook.com/cottagenorthmagazine @cottagenorth

email: cottagenorth@thereminder.ca Cottage North is published six times a year by the Flin Flon Reminder in Flin Flon and is distributed free of charge to businesses and services throughout northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Precipice Lake, MB. Photo by Wayne Pachal

Vol 13, Issue 4 July/August 2015 Printed in Canada, 2015.

Subscribe to Cottage North

Support your local magazine & have Cottage North delivered to your door six times a year! Makes a great gift. One year subscription (6 issues): $36.00 GST incl.

Advertise With Us Contact Krista Lemcke, 204-687-3454, sales@thereminder.ca Submissions We welcome submissions of photos, art and articles at all times. Please contact us if you have something to share! cottagenorth

Letters to the Editor

Contributors

Do you have an opinion, a photo or a brief story to share with Cottage North readers? Send in a contribution to our Letters to the Editor section.

Thank you for reminding me to renew my subscription. I was in Flin Flon in 1935 and I really enjoy having the connection that your magazine gives me. Kathleen Zanyk (Née Martindale) Sarnia, ON Thank you for sending Cottage North. I love it! It’s also put me in touch with my friend Sheila (Marchant), whom I called “Grandma Moses of Poetry.” She should put out a book, eh? Noreen Lockhart Pitt Meadows, BC

The May-June issue of Cottage North included stories about the 4-H club in The Pas and two new museums cottagenorth

Molly Gibson Kirby

Jeanne Treat

“A place for artists” p. 12

“In Search of ...” p. 18

Molly Gibson Kirby is a journalist originally from Nova Scotia, living in northern Manitoba. Molly studied radio television arts at Nova Scotia Community College, and majored in broadcast journalism. Now working for the Thompson Citizen, the passion she has gained for writing keeps growing with every passing minute.

Jeanne Treat is the author of the Dark Birthright Saga, a trilogy set in 17th century Scotland, England, and the Colonies. To research her books, she travelled to Scotland, visiting castles, seaports and stone circles. She lives near Niagara Falls, New York with her husband and two Scottish terriers.

Morley G. Naylor

Lauren Wadelius

“Roaming the Streets ...” p. 27

“Books: The Greatest ...” p. 24

Morley was born in Sherridon and has lived in Flin Flon since. For 32 years, he has travelled all over northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan with CBC TV and CBC Radio. Morley is a regular contributor to Cottage North magazine.

Lauren Wadelius is administrator of The Pas Regional Library. She has served as president of Theatre 53 and secretary for The Pas Minor Hockey and is member of the Arts Guild. Lauren has resided in The Pas for over 15 years with her husband and three children.

Sheila Marchant

Gerry Clark

“We Are Home” p. 36

“The Call of the Loon” p. 34

A longtime resident of northern Manitoba, Sheila enjoys capturing the natural beauty of this region in poetry. She gathers inspiration everywhere, but particularly from her scenic views on her monthly bus rides from Flin Flon to Prince Albert.

Gerry Clark is a retired teacher whose whole career, starting in 1969, was at Hapnot Collegiate in Flin Flon. His interests include drawing; photography, mostly wildlife but also sports, involving his four grandsons; and writing, mostly about local history. julyaugust 5

Calendar of Events

July | August 2015

Here’s what’s happening in your community!

Borealis Festival in Prince Albert The August long weekend will be a loud one in Prince Albert this summer. For three days the city will come alive with folk and roots music during the inaugural Borealis Festival. As of June 18, the line-up will include: Fred Penner, Close Talker, Harlan Pepper, Until Red, The Dead South, Mario Lepage, I Draw Slow, Andino Suns and The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer (left).

Trout Festival in Flin Flon

Thompson July 6-10: WISE Kid-netic Energy camp, R.D. Parker Collegiate and Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre July 2-31: Carole Hyndman Art Exhibit, Heritage North Museum

Prince Albert July 14-16: AirFair 2014, Prince Albert Municipal Airport July 28-Aug 1: Summer Fair, Prince Albert Exhibition Centre

Flin Flonners from near and far, including Teddy Trout, will flock to the city for the annual Trout Festival from July 1 to 4. Highlights will include the Main Street Days midway, a free community concert at the Creighton Ball Diamond on Friday evening, and a Battle of the Bands and Fish Fry on Saturday.

July 31-Aug 2: Borealis Music Festival, Kinsmen Park

Flin Flon, Creighton & Denare Beach

Aug 21-23: Polkafest 2015, Prince Albert Exhibition Centre

July 1-4: Flin Flon Trout Festival July 3: Wood ’n’ the Wire musical event, Johnny’s Social Club, 8pm

The Pas

July 6-11: Kids’ art classes, NorVA Centre

June 6-Sept 28: The Great Five local art exhibit, Sam Waller Museum July 6-Aug 14: Into the Wild Summer Day Camp, UCN

July 14-19: Million Dollar Hole-in-one Fundraiser, Foster Park

July 27-31: WISE Kid-netic Energy camp, Location TBA

Aug 9-15: NorVA Artists’ Retreat, Bakers Narrows Lodge

Aug 8: Gallery in the Garden self-guided garden tour, The Pas Arts Council

Aug 17-21: WISE Kid-netic Energy camp, École McIsaac School

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high Flying

Over the years, many youth have participated in the annual wakeboarding clinic in La Ronge. Here Scott Schooley shows his prowess.

on the water

By Valerie G. Barnes-Connell

Photo by Valerie G. Barnes-Connell

Both newbies and seasoned wakeboarders alike will get an opportunity to ride the waves this August 4, 5 and 6 when the Town of La Ronge brings Waterski and Wakeboard

Saskatchewan into the community. This travelling clinic is offered in towns and cities province-wide. Instructors are seasoned wakeboarders, many of whom compete

nationally and internationally. The instructor fits each participant with equipment and gives them some pointers, then it’s hands-on learning— and plenty of fun—from there.

New anthology of Flin Flon writing By Libby Stoker-Lavelle

Cover art features the work of local photographer Colin Knight. cottagenorth

“Those who love the North and stay remain under its spell. Those who remain under its spell are forced, like Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner, to reflect the reality they have experienced here.” So ends Gerard Jennissen’s foreword to the anthology Words on the Rocks, a collection of diverse local writing published by the Flin Flon Writers’ Guild this year. Over the past two years, Alex McGilvery, minister at Northminster United Church and an active member of the writers’ guild,

has been spearheading the project with support from guild members and a book committee. Twenty-two local writers contributed short pieces of fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction. Words on the Rocks is a second anthology for the Flin Flon Writers’ Guild; in 1992, the guild published Between Beaver Lake and Athapap. In late June, readers will be able to pick up a copy of Words on the Rocks at the Orange Toad and the Flin Flon Public Library; an e-book version will be released in the fall. julyaugust 7

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A pollinating beetle in Thompson.

Photo by Marijo Readey

Insect hunting in northern Manitoba By Libby Stoker-Lavelle

It is 7 o’clock on a warm Thursday evening in June, and I am catching insects on the bank of Flin Flon’s Ross Lake. With me, canvas net in hand, is Marijo Readey, a biology and entomology professor, who is here to study the creatures that Northerners love to hate. As diners at the picnic tables at Mike’s Ice n’ Burger Hut swat away flies, eyeing us suspiciously, Readey shows me how to scoop the net through the long grasses and identify the insect species that collect there. The insects that Readey is collecting will suffer a brief demise but will live on, preserved in alcohol, and in images, to serve a higher purpose. Readey is an adjunct professor at Northeastern Illinois University and the 8 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

Dean of Studies at Noble International University (NIU), a new university that aims to offer affordable online-based programming for students around the world. As part of this latter role, Readey has been making regular trips to northern Manitoba to develop a bank of insect specimens and photographs to build a research collection for NIU. Readey’s travels have taken her to Ashern, Thompson, Split Lake, Pisew Falls, Grass River, Snow Lake, and Flin Flon. “Northern insect life remains understudied and under appreciated,” says Readey, noting that these specimens will be valuable tools for teaching students about Canada’s boreal forests. As Readey explained in a proposal for

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a recent Kickstarter funding campaign, an abundance of boreal specimens will also give the university a unique advantage. “Insect collections from northern boreal forests are less common than those from the midwestern states and southern Canada. Thus, NIU will also gain the advantage of being able to increase their collection by the exchange of specimens with researchers at other universities. These recipients will likewise increase their collections. It is a win-win situation for all institutions involved.” While it might be hard to comprehend a desire to study the creepycrawly creatures we love to hate, Readey assures me that there is worldwide interest in insect research. In fact, insects are a subject of interest for a cottagenorth

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Summer Project? Find quality lumber and building materials at Flin Flon Home Hardware Building Centre. Our experienced, knowledgeable staff will help you find the right tools to get the job done. Home Improvement Decks & Garages Home & Garden Paint & Décor Plumbing Electrical

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Home Owners helping homeowners

Marijo Readey on the hunt for boreal insects in Flin Flon

Own the cabin of your dreams growing field of study: biomimicry. Biomimicry is a scientific approach to design innovation whereby biologists collaborate with engineers to study, and learn how to replicate, mechanisms found in nature. As an example, Readey points out that butterfly scales collect solar energy. By studying the structure of butterfly wings, researchers are learning how to build more efficient infrastructures for harvesting solar energy. “Nature has had half a billion years of product testing,” Readey says with a smile. “There is a lot going on we never looked at before.” So the next time you slap a spruce bug off your shoulder, just remember there are students all over the world— or at least one biologist—who would love to take it off your hands. cottagenorth

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facingNORTH The sun sets over Bigstone Lake near La Ronge amid smoke from 47 wildfires on June 6. Dry conditions and lightning strikes led to the wildfires in the area. Steve Roberts, executive director of the Wildfire Management Branch of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment, suggested cabin owners consider sprinkler systems for their property and follow FireSmart procedures to keep their properties safer. Photo by Valerie G. Barnes-Connell

Caring for Our Elders Humility, honesty, respect, courage, wisdom, truth, and love. These values, known as the Seven Teachings in Cree culture, were highlighted in the Caring for Our Elders Conference at the Kikiwak Inn on Opaskwayak Cree Nation. The conference was held on June 15, which is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. “The planning group wanted to

By Libby Stoker-Lavelle

provide a gathering for seniors so they knew that the community cared about them and that there was somewhere to turn if they were being hurt in some way,” explained Carie McIntosh, one of the organizers. “The gathering brought together 100 elders, community members, and service providers to share stories, hear presentations, and raise questions.”

Air conditioning

Guest speakers added new perspectives on issues relevant to seniors including prescription drug use, health care directives, and types of elder abuse. The conference was facilitated by the Beatrice Wilson Health Centre and the Opaskwayak Health Authority. Attendees came from OCN, Sapatowayek, Nelson House, The Pas, and Swan River.

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Learning from the land at the Boreal Discovery Centre By Molly Gibson Kirby

Thompson kids will have an opportunity to learn about the forest around them through summer workshops at The Boreal Discovery Centre, a multi-faceted facility that is the successor to the former Thompson Zoo. Keith MacDonald, chairperson for the centre, explains that the focus is on teaching children information that they might not learn in school, in a fun and inclusive environment. “We talk about birch bark, we build a teepee, and we talk about herbal medicines, like teas and how to prepare that, as well as other plant life that we can use for food. It’s all based on the cultural Aboriginal way of life.” Along with the cultural workshops, the centre features community gardens, a petting zoo, which is open on Saturday and Sundays, and a sturgeon presentation and viewing area. MacDonald says workshops will continue and only grow following the development of the Boreal Discovery Centre. The centre will be holding a gala on September 18 to raise money for the ongoing development project.

Shane McNevin showed off his skills at a skate and BMX competition hosted by the Hapnot Collegiate student council at the Flin Flon Skate Park on Sunday May 31. Photo by Daniel Dillon

Where all our profits stay in the community

Cooper says:

“Come see us at the Flin Flon North of 53 Consumers Co-operative!”

We offer only the freshest choices in groceries, produce, meats, deli selections and baked goods, and we have a full service specialty meat counter and meat cutters on site to make sure you get the cut you want, just how you like it. We can even smoke it for you with our on-site smokehouse.

North Of 53 Consumers Co-Operative Limited has been a locally owned and operated community grocer serving Flin Flon since 1946.

North Of 53 Consumers Co-Operative 29-31 Main Street Flin Flon, MB R8A 1J5 204.687.7548 cottagenorth

Mon-Fri 8am-8pm Saturday 8am-6pm Sunday 12pm-6pm www.flinfloncoop.com julyaugust 11

12 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

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the arts

A new art cooperative in Thompson

A place for artists

story and photos by Molly Gibson Kirby

The Northern Culture Artists Cooperative has put down its roots in Thompson, and members are looking for new artists to join in on their movement. Allan Chapman, the elder of the co-op, and co-op artist, had the idea to start the group in Thompson after he successfully started one in Churchill which ran for two years. “I came to Thompson about 10 years ago, I thought there should be something for artists here, since there are so many here, and in the outlying communities too,” he explains. Chapman began by speaking to Shane Cripps, who owns the Thompson Lodge and Ecotourism Centre, as well as Riverview Restaurant. Cripps, now treasurer of the cooperative, has played a large part in the creation of the group. “I wanted to help the artists that have come to our lodge and

Rapper Messy Jesse McKay (left), a member of the cooperative, at a BMX bike tournament in Thompson. McKay says the cooperative’s design and production equipment has helped him reach a wider audience. cottagenorth

our restaurant, who had just finished a work of art, travelling in their cars having to sell them. I thought it would be good to some way promote them. There’s a gap for facilities to work together on art and promote arts in general,” he says. In June, the co-op will be opening a studio at 97B McGill Place. Members of the cooperative will have access to this space to create their art, and Markus Mercredi, vice president of the cooperative, will be setting up a tattoo parlour there. Mercredi says he wanted to be a part of this movement to become a role model for children and to help people realize their artistic potential. “I’m currently reaching out to people who are incarcerated, they have a lot of talents there,” he explains. “I’m reaching out to the reserves around Thompson. I want them to be artists, and I want them to learn how to draw.” In addition to the studio space at McGill Place, artists will be able to show off their work at a gallery and gift shop in The Riverview Restaurant,

and there is now a stage set up in the restaurant’s dining area as a space for the performing arts. “Art isn’t just on a canvas, and we want to highlight that,” noted Cripps. The Northern Culture Artists Cooperative has set up a website where all member pieces will be photographed and put up, and purchases can be made online, all over the world. Cripps says although the co-op is located in Thompson, that doesn’t mean it’s only available to residents of the northern city. “We’re hoping it doesn’t become a Thompson thing because of the outlying communities. In the past the relationship(s) with some larger centres were not the greatest, they thought they got less, so we don’t want that impression at all. It’s northern Manitoba. We’re starting in Thompson because we’re here, but the region we’re hoping to unite is northern Manitoba.” In order to do this, Cripps explains, the co-op has been reaching out to outlying communities to nail down community champions. These champions julyaugust 13

the arts

will bring in promising artists, upload their work to the website, and stay in touch with the Thompson base. Cripps says good champions would be librarians or community members with access to the Internet. Currently the business has seven members, all of whom are board members. Individuals can sign up for a lifetime supporting membership, which is for people who wish to support the cooperative, but may not be artists themselves, for $10. Artists wanting to distribute and sell their art to the larger market areas can sign up for a producing lifetime membership for $50. Both sets of memberships have different benefits which include use of

the website for revenue and access to studio space, computers, audio and video editing equipment, cameras, and even printing equipment for graphic design. “It’s open to all artists, and all cultures, and it’s democratic,” Cripps explains. “Once you’re a member, you have a vote to who is on the board; you have a vote in the running of your business.” Rapper Jesse McKay, known as Messy Jesse McKay, says joining the cooperative has done wonders for his career. “It’s become [an] asset for us. In the North here there are a lack of options in the art world, and you have to create them for yourselves. Having this co-op and everything that it offers is

really helpful.” McKay explained that having access to graphic design and video production equipment will help him to get his name out and communicate what he has to offer. According to Chapman, this new cooperative is a non-competitive place for artists to make their way in the industry and to promote their pieces on a website which will reach around the world. This will give northern artists access to a new, welcoming environment to create art they may not have been able to beforehand, and to have a place to sell their work at top price. Artists wishing to join The Northern Culture Artists Cooperative can email recruiting@northernculture artistscoop.ca.

Board members of the Northern Culture Artists Cooperative join together for a hip hop night at the Riverview Restaurant. Back row, from left, Bruce Thera, known as KP on stage, stands with Markus Mercredi, Jesse McKay, known as Messy Jesse McKay, Anthony Clemons, Josh Deschambeault, known as Dag and Shane Cripps. Allan Chapman holds one of his paintings in front. 14 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

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Markus Mercredi (top), vice president of the Northern Culture Artists Cooperative, is opening a tattoo parlour in the co-op’s Thompson studio. Tattoo artist Ashton Wright, a member of the co-op, helped face paint during the 2-15 camp day in Tim Hortons. Wright is a tattoo artist, but plans to stick to the fundamentals of drawing and painting with acrylics, oils and watercolours. She’d also like to work with leather carvings and needlework.

Allan Chapman, local elder and member of the cooperative, hangs his painting in the gallery space at the Riverview Restaurant.

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fore! Photo courtesy Flin Flon Heritage Project, FF in Retrospect Flin Flon Community Archives

Flin Flon’s lake-bottom golf course, 1932.

A most unusual place to play In 1931, Flin Flon was the proud home to a lake-bottom golf course. Over the previous two years, Flin Flon Lake had been dammed off and drained in order to expose the orebody to be mined by open pit. The lake bottom that remained was flat and reasonably stable, prompting several groups of ball players and golfers to take interest.

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In the summer of 1931, under the auspices of the Community Club, preparations were underway to develop a nine-hole course. Initial expenses were estimated to be about $300, with membership fees set at $10. Ladies joined the golf course in the summer of 1932, and Flin Flon’s future in golfing was assured. Infrastructure improvements included a waiting room structure, individual lockers, and a lunch counter. The lake-bottom links not only survived but thrived for many years, until local golfers made plans to construct a new nine-hole course in the vicinity of Phantom Lake. Construction began in 1949, and the Phantom Lake Golf Course officially opened in 1951. Today, Flin Flon’s lake-bottom golf course— perhaps the only one in the world— exists only in memories and photos. Morley Naylor cottagenorth

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American author Jeanne Treat chronicles her journey through Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba to discover her roots.

A tintype photo of Clara Crate, the author’s great grandmother.

In Search of a Grandmother I have always been the family historian, researching genealogy, recording the stories of elders, and tracking births and deaths. I had been successful with my father’s side of the family, documenting our history back to the 1500s in England and Scotland. My mother’s side was another matter. There was a story told that her grandmother had been a Native American medicine woman before she 18 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

married a Hudson Bay man, moved to Saskatchewan, and founded the town of Rocanville. They said that she practised hands-on healing and herbal medicine, delivered babies, treated wounds, and set fractures. Known as Granny, she was the only midwife for miles around. In 1994, my 73-year-old mother found a tintype picture of her grandmother and expressed a desire to

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learn about her heritage. There was very little to go on. We knew that her Christian name was Clara Crate and she’d married a Hudson Bay man named Auguste Rocan Bastien. I sent out letters of inquiry to research societies, churches and government agencies in Canada. We were able to find information on Auguste in the Hudson Bay profiles, but nothing on Clara. The town of Rocanville accottagenorth

her story

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knowledged that she had lived there, was buried there, and had been an important part of the town. But they claimed that no one asked about her tribe because it wasn’t proper. Early in 1995, my uncle offered me some engineering diaries that his father James (Clara’s son) had kept after he moved his family from Canada to Niagara Falls. They were faded texts with crumbling covers, written partly in French and partly in English. Drawing on my high school French, I spent months translating these diaries. Towards the very end of the last book, I translated an entry that was to be a clue to finding Clara. 11/06/1933 Sister Eveline’s 65th birthday. Oh how I think of when we were little tots. Don’t seem so long ago but what changes since. Our mode of travel from Norway House northern Manitoba was by York Boats, 8 oared and helmsman. There were 5 of these boats about 6 tons each fitted for the Hudson Bay Company. We went from Norway House to Fort Carlton on the Saskatchewan River in the year 1875. I believe it took us 4 weeks to make the trip. I was baptized at Pas (or Ross) Mission, close to Norway House.

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I studied a tribal map of Canada 18,995 th with great expectation. There was a e R18,995 $ 10,0001 eminder reservation at Norway House, and the Streamer tribe was the Woodland Cree. announce’ss An inner voice told me loud and closure Cranberry Po rtage clear, “Yes, you are Cree.” landmark bu siness in its final days I wrote to the pastor of the church D at Norway House. We sent him our information and hoped to get a speedy reply. Months went by without a word. Saskatoon ai r link no m ore My inner voice told me to travel to A Saskatchewan and visit the reservation NO RAM 150 $

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in Manitoba. Logic told me to wait until we had more information; but the voice was persistent and won out. I began the process of booking a trip. It was easy to get transportation and accommodations in Saskatchewan, but getting to the reservation was another matter. I wanted to rent a truck in Winnipeg and drive north to the reservation at Norway House, but there were no real roads going up there. At Travel Canada I was told that the roads were dotted lines on the map, which meant that they were dirt roads at best. Once we left Winnipeg to travel around the lake, there would be no place to stop along the way. Not real friendly for a 73-yearold woman and me. I asked the logical question. Was there any other way to get there? I was told that Perimeter Airlines flew out of a small airfield in Winnipeg. Later that day, I sat across from a confused AAA agent, insisting that this airline existed. She called dozens of contacts at Winnipeg airport before anyone would acknowledge it. With phone number in hand, she called Perimeter Airlines for reservations. The girl on the other end said, “Just bring cash. We will get you on.” When the agent demanded a reservation number, the girl gave her the name Gertrude.

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We had no set itinerary, yet my inner voice was insisting that we go. It was telling me, “All you shall need will be provided.” Two days before the trip we still had no definite plans. Then a miracle occurred. I received a phone call from a historian in Winnipeg. The letter I wrote to the pastor at Norway House had been sent to him. Ray Beaumont had our entire history for us in written form. There was so much information on Clara’s mother, Sarah Nekahwiw, that they’d made a school project about her. The school district had always wondered where the medicine woman, Clara, had gone and who her descendants were. He was eager to talk to us. We juggled our trip schedule so that we could meet with Ray in Winnipeg. Two days later, my mother and I flew out of Toronto for Regina, Saskatchewan. Traversing that province, the ground appeared below us like a patchwork quilt, blanketed with squares of bright green canola and purple-blue flax, and adorned with miniature oil wells. In Regina, we visited a local museum and spent time at a library researching birth and death records on microfiche. The next morning, we headed east across a desolate prairie to the town that my great-grandparents founded. cottagenorth

her story

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An inner voice told me loud and clear “Yes, you are Cree.” Downtown Rocanville had been a hub along the Canadian Pacific Railway in years past, but no more. What remained was a wide street with tiny stores, a post office, a bar, and a dreary-looking Chinese restaurant. A sign claimed that the population was 918, but even that looked outdated. The townspeople were nice and showed us the cemetery where Clara and her husband were buried. Tombstones claimed that many had been lost in the world flu epidemics in 1916 and 1917. We toured a little museum where my mother saw a chair that her grandfather had made. In the morning we were off for Manitoba! We spent the day with the historian, Ray Beaumont, who provided us with a complete family tree from my great-grandmother back five generations. We received information on the Cree syllabic language, the Hudson Bay settlement, and Clara’s mother Sarah. We learned about her marriage, her children, what jobs she held, ceremonies she attended, and what she bought and sold. We found out why we had trouble locating information on Clara Crate. She had been born Clara St. Germain. When her father died, her mother remarried a man named Crate, and Clara took his last name.

The historian asked us if we had a guide once we got to Norway House. We told him that we weren’t sure what we were going to do once we got there. He made a call and arranged for us to have a guide meet us when we arrived. He also offered to connect us with a distant cousin of ours, a Cree man living in Winnipeg. When we returned to the hotel, our cousin Ken called and asked if he could come over to meet us, so we gave him our room number. In the meantime, we went down to the lobby to have coffee. Fifteen minutes later, a man came into the hotel, looked us over, and walked to my mother. He touched her cheek tenderly with the back of his hand and held it there. It was Ken. He said, “You don’t even have to tell me who you are. I know who you are. You look just like my grandmother.” We spent an evening with him looking over the genealogy, discovering how we were related, and talking about Norway House. Early the next morning, we boarded the Perimeter flight for Norway House. The aircraft was so tiny that you had to stoop to enter it and keep your head low as you walked the narrow aisle. We were separated from the cockpit by a drape, and the pilots looked like

My mother and I flew out of Toronto for Regina, Saskatchewan. Traversing that province, the ground appeared below us like a patchwork quilt, blanketed with squares of bright green canola and purple-blue flax, and adorned with miniature oil wells. cottagenorth

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her story

An aerial view of Saskatchewan farmland, the “patchwork quilt” that Treat observed while flying into Regina airport

He said, “You don’t even have to tell me who you are. I know who you are. You look just like my grandmother.”

A rock mural at the entry to Mission Island in Norway House.

they were 19 years old. We sat down and looked around. The plane carried ten Aboriginal people, who promptly put earplugs in their ears. The noise level was deafening, and without earplugs you could hear the pilots fighting over the gauge alarms going off. This was quite an unnerving feeling as we were flying over the waters of Lake Winnipeg. Due to a lightning storm, we were diverted to Cross Lake where we landed hard on a dirt runway. The pilots collected money from a rider, and we waited an hour for the weather to break. When it cleared, we continued on to Norway House, where we landed on a rough gravel road. As we disembarked, we learned that the airport terminal was a deserted shack with a telephone inside. I called our hotel and said, “This is Ms. Treat. My mother and I are expected as guests. Will you send a shuttle to the airport to pick us up?” 22 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

This evidently was not something anyone had asked for before, as it caused a stir on the other end of the phone. They agreed to send someone, and 15 minutes later we noticed a vehicle approaching in a cloud of dust. Soon, an old man covered with plaster arrived in a beat-up pickup truck. Without a word, he tossed our bags into the back of the truck, nodded, and helped us up onto the bench seat. The hotel turned out to be the local greasy spoon with a couple of rooms above it, vintage 1950s with dark furniture and chenille bedspreads. We were informed that for the most part only hydro engineers stayed there. My mother and I settled into our room and went down to the restaurant. While we were having a late breakfast, a man appeared at our table. He stood silently for what seemed like five minutes. My inner voice was telling me to be still and listen. At last he said, “I am Byron, and I will be your guide.” Byron drove us around the reserve, then to the old Hudson Bay cemetery, where Sarah Nekahwiw, my greatgreat-grandmother, was buried. He in-

cottagenorthmagazine

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Photo by Hans Arnold

troduced us to his people and showed us their community centre. Norway House was beautiful. We saw shimmering lakes and fast-moving rivers, with little islands in the middle of them. Byron then took us to Rossville, where we went to the church on the point and met the Reverend John Crate. If you ever needed a beautiful setting to believe in God, this was the place. Our guide took us to see the York boats up close and a team of women rowing one in preparation for York Boat Days, an annual festival. What more could we want? We thanked Byron and returned to our hotel with a sense of satisfaction. Our trip seemed to be over. The plane was scheduled to leave the next day at 4:45 p.m. At this point we didn’t expect anything else to happen. The next morning, as we were having breakfast, Byron appeared, sat at our table, and lowered his head. He sighed and said, “This is a very small place.” Everyone wanted to know the two new women and their story. The tribal cottagenorth

her story

The elders offered prayers about ancestors and family and held a ceremony to accept their lost sisters back into the tribe. council wanted to meet with us. First, Byron took us to the school, where he gave us books on the Cree and videos of the history of Norway House. Then he took us to the longhouse to meet the elders. It was more modern than I expected; we sat around a conference table and listened to the sounds of a fax machine. I had photocopied my family tree and gave each man a copy. Talk was friendly, and we soon found that we were related to three of the men on the council. My mother spoke at length about her father’s diary, so we gave them a copy as well. When she told them about James’ account of his trip on a York boat, they presented us with a

three-foot replica of the boat to take back with us. I wondered how I would get it on the plane. At last we stood. The elders offered prayers about ancestors and family and held a ceremony to accept their lost sisters back into the tribe. My inner voice came forth loud and clear, “Yes, Granddaughter, you are Cree”. ••• My great-grandmother followed me back that day. From that time forward, I felt unafraid to touch others who needed healing or reassurance. I began to intuitively know about plants and to practise herbal medicine on myself and family members. I sought out a local tribe, participated in rituals and

drumming circles, and studied alternative therapies. Many years have passed. My mother died in 2010, but I shall always remember the times we spent reminiscing about the discovery of her grandmother. Granny has been a dear companion to me, helping me to heal myself and others, and protecting me from those who would do me harm. It was a worthwhile trip, a grand awakening, and I will always be grateful for her love. This article has been adapted from the original blog post with permission from the author. The original post can be found at www.jeannetreat.wordpress.com

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Books

The Greatest Escape

Lauren Wadelius, library administrator at the Pas Regional Library, shares insights into the library’s latest initiative: bringing the joys of reading to the lives of inmates at The Pas Correctional Centre. At The Pas Regional Library, we have always had an interest in finding new ways to introduce library services to the public, and reach out into the community. Several months ago, I came across a peer-reviewed online journal, called In the Library with the Lead Pipe. There I found an article called “Books Behind Bars: A Volunteer-run Prison Library Service in Winnipeg, Manitoba.” The article was written by Kim Parry, a librarian who developed a weekly drop-in library service at the Winnipeg Remand Centre. This story inspired me to explore the possibility of providing library services to inmates of The Pas Correctional Centre, which houses approximately 150 people—men, women and occasionally youth.

As my research continued, I discovered how prison library services can impact the lives of incarcerated people, individuals who are a part of our community. Benefits can be recreational, educational and spiritual. I viewed the library services at the Winnipeg Remand Centre, and met Manitoba Library Association Prison Libraries Committee members, Monique Woroniak and Kirsten Wurmann. The information I found prompted me to contact TPCC Assistant Superintendent Marlene Rumak. It turned out the TPCC did have a small collection of books, put together over the past five years through the efforts of the recreation officer, Vienna Ford. With support from the staff of TPCC, the staff of The Pas Regional Library

Building a collection Vienna Ford, recreation officer at TPCC, started building the book collection at The Pas Correctional Centre five years ago. “I love to read, so I would go garage sale-ing, and pick up secondhand books wherever I could get them,” she explains. Ford says the library has had a positive impact on the facility and the inmates. “Someone will say, ‘I’ve never read a book,’ so I tell them, ‘I’ll find you a book, and you’ll love to read.’ Then after a while, I’ll see them progressing to asking the library for certain books. That’s a huge step.”

24 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

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made preparations to start a library in a small room off the facility’s gym. With the installation of bookshelves and a few boxes of donated books, the library was open for the inmates on April 8, 2015. Our experience has been amazing so far. The inmates of TPCC have been making good use of the library, which we run once a week during recreational time. Inmates are welcome to borrow up to two items at a time. Many check out books weekly, and request certain books or genres, which we try to accommodate. We have found the inmates to be very respectful of us and the materials, and they welcome any new items we bring in to the library. Inmates share some of their personal stories, and often will ask for authors

A book can help build connections. “You’ll have an inmate who wouldn’t say two words for months,” says Ford, “Then you would start talking about a book and they get right in there and they are talking about it. It opens them up.” Reading has also helped Ford get to know the inmates better. “A lot of men like cookbooks. More men ask about recipes than women do. Then they’ll come to me to talk about a recipe, or they’ll ask me about a food item, or recipes that their children would like. Then a conversation will start about what their granny used to cook, or they’ll ask me if I’ve eaten sturgeon. We learn together.”

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that they have read in the past, such as John Grisham and James Patterson. Library staff members have told us that they are able to discuss books they’ve read with the inmates, making the experience more personal for both staff and inmates. As the program develops, we are finding new and more efficient ways to provide services to the inmates, and take into consideration their needs and requests. Being flexible has been very important to our success so far. We have adjusted dates and times of the program to accommodate more inmates, and adapted our methods of signing out items. We do not have a computer system for the library, so everything is done on paper, and we have been working on finding the most efficient ways to do this. The support of the staff of The Pas Correctional Centre and the Board of The Pas Regional Library have been important to the success of our program. To continue to grow from our current 1,000-book collection, we rely on weeded out materials from our library’s own collection, as well as donations of paperbacks from the public. Volunteers will also be instrumental in keeping the library running smoothly. We are always looking for people who can offer a small amount of time with the program. Throughout the country, there are many supporters of an inmate’s right to read and access information. They can see the many benefits to inmates and society as a whole. The Pas Correctional Centre is the first Manitoba facility outside of Winnipeg to provide a library to incarcerated people. I hope that with our success as a model, other libraries and correctional facilities throughout the province will build similar partnerships. cottagenorth

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Roaming the Streets of Flin Flon

What’s in a name? Morley Naylor explores Flin Flon’s historic streets and landmarks.

Have you ever wondered how and why your community’s streets and landmarks were named as they are? Join us on a journey up and down the streets, neighbourhoods, and subdivisions of Flin Flon (with the odd excursion in to the bush). We track down the origin of their names, and delve a little deeper in to the stories behind our streets, and the people who helped build this city on the rocks. Historic photos courtesy of the Flin Flon Heritage Project. Additional photos by Morley Naylor and Valerie Durnin. cottagenorth

The Mayors Flin Flon was, in the early days after ore body evaluation, expected to last about 17 years. The mining camp and town sprang up around the mining complex area, and then as the expected life of the ore body expanded and population increased, developed out in to a very scenic community. The development and naming of subdivisions and streets fell to the municipal mayor and council of the day; many of the initial streets and landmarks were named in recognition of these officials. Evans Avenue: George Wellington Evans was mayor from 1937 to 1938.

He was a teacher, businessman, and first manager of Transport Limited, a draying company. He managed the Imperial Oil Agency and was active in the school board and Flin Flon Highway Association. Foster Park: Ernest E. Foster was Flin Flon’s first mayor and a businessman who owned a store and later a hotel. In office from 1933 to 1934, Foster guided the community through the mine strike of 1934. A dedication ceremony for the park named after him was set for September 4, 1939, but was pre-empted by the outbreak of the Second World War. julyaugust 27

streets of flin floN

nikiAshton

Email: niki.ashton@parl.gc.ca www. nikiashton .ndp.ca Flin Flon Office

24 Main Street | 1-866-669-7770 The Pas Office

1416 Gordon Ave | 1-866-785-0522

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Freedman Street: Mayor from 1953-56, 1961-62 and 1965-70, Jack Freedman was a businessman who served on council before becoming mayor. Freedman, a newsie on the rail line to Flin Flon, went on to open a confectionary newsstand. Easily the most colourful figure to hold office, he is remembered for his chalkboard messages outside his business, which served as a sort of soapbox for the self-appointed civil affairs critic. Freedman’s store on Main Street sunk in the muskeg, creating a large drop down to the entrance. He erected a tongue-in-cheek sign: “Freedman’s Fall In.” Jobin Park: Francis Lawrence “Bud” Jobin was Flin Flon’s mayor from 1975 to 1977. He came to Flin Flon and worked at HBM&S while pursuing his passion for politics with a great deal of success. He served as MLA and municipal councillor and went on to serve as the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba from 1976 to 1981. Jobin Park and fountain area is at the Jubilee Residence on Green Street. Mainwaring Street: George Baskerville Mainwaring took over from Foster in 1935 and was mayor until 1936. He had previously been a councillor, as well as an editor, accountant, and teacher. He was the editor of the HBM&S magazine, Northern Lights, for many years. McSheffery Avenue: Peter McSheffery succeeded Evans as mayor for the 1939-40 term. Originally employed in the mechanical department of HBM&S, he was a prominent figure in the Trades and Labour Council, Manitoba Federation of Labour, and later, the Workman’s Compensation Board. He served on council prior to becoming mayor. McSheffery Avenue,

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which was to be named in his honour, through a weird twist of fate never came in to being. The area in question near Ross Lake Cemetery was never developed as a road, although it existed on municipal maps. The City of Flin Flon recently sold the property to a homeowner to build a garage. Mitchell Road: Gordon Mitchell’s stint as mayor was from 1987 to 1992. A northern pioneer who excelled in aircraft engineering, Mitchell helped open up this remote area. He owned an aircraft and marine support business, and is remembered for his longtime positions on the board of the Flin Flon Bombers hockey team and the school board. Steventon Boulevard: Cyril Steventon worked in the mechanical department of HBM&S and went on to become the superintendent. He was mayor from 1944 to 1952. He was an active Royal Canadian Legion member, serving on the executive and as auditor. He was a key figure in establishing the Northern Health Unit, and was an avid photographer. Wright Avenue: Orson F. Wright served as mayor from 1940-43. He was a lawyer, magistrate, and was appointed King’s Counsel. He partnered in the law firm Wright, Ferg, and Wright and took an active role in the local school board upon arriving in Flin Flon. Over the years Flin Flon has had 11 other mayors who could just as easily have appeared on this list: Frank Dembinsky (1957-1960), James R. Conner (1963-1964), Ed Yauck (1970-1974), Bruce Keddie (19761977), Howard Abrahamson (19771980), Nazir Ahmad (1980-1986), Graham Craig (1992-1998), Dennis Ballard (1998-2006), Tom Therien (2006-2010), George Fontaine (20102014), and Cal Huntley (current). cottagenorth

streets of flin floN

mayors TOP: Evans Avenue; Foster Park, 1951; George Mainwaring. BOTTOM: Jack Freedman; Freedman Bridge

The Councillors

The Company Officials

There was a trend of naming streets after municipal councillors in the earliest days as the town stretched farther away from the metallurgical plant. The following streets and avenues were named after individual councillors from the early years of the community. A later street name, Dadson Row, was accorded in honour of R.W. (Bob) Dadson. He served on town council from 1940 to 1950 and was a prominent supporter of the Boy Scout and Cub movements.

These HBM&S officials, most of whom were Americans, were pioneers in the truest sense – blazing the wilderness of Canada to build a huge mining and smelting complex and a hydroelectric dam to power it. They were committed to the company and the community. Channing Drive: Roscoe Henry Channing, the original HBM&S president, was instrumental in the start up and development of the plant. He led the company through the 1934 strike. When the new community hall was completed in 1957, the main auditorium was named after him. In addition to the R.H. Channing auditorium, the community of Channing is named for him as well. Green Street: This long road artery was named for Waldron Alvord “Baldy” Green, the long-serving local general manager who left Flin Flon in 1959. Green became president of the company in 1962 upon moving to New York. A green room, in show business jargon, is a room that func-

Anderson Avenue �� Miles Anderson Adams Street �� Jacob R. Adams Bell Avenue ��L.S. Bell Boam Street ��George T. Boam Burke Avenue �� Albert Burke Danard Avenue �� Martin Danard Longmore Avenue ��Ben Longmore Milton Street ��Bob Milton Murton Boulevard �� George

H. Murton

Scarth Street ��W.B. Scarth Willis Avenue ��Fred W. Willis cottagenorth

tions as a waiting room and lounge for performers. However the Flin Flon Community Centre’s Green Room, a small meeting room upstairs, is named after Baldy Green. Phelan Avenue: Robert Early Phelan is best remembered as chief engineer, and a key player in the development of the Flin Flon property. Roche boulevard: Maurice A. Roche was mine superintendent and assistant to the general manager from 1926 to 1960. He received Knighthood in the Order of St. Gregory The Great. The Sir Maurice Roche School, now closed, was also named for him. Whitney Street: Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney was responsible for exercising the option on the Flin Flon property and founder of HBM&S Co. Ltd. He was chairman of the board from 1930 to 1957, when he assumed the president’s role. Also named for him are Camp Whitney on Lake Athapap, and the Whitney Forum. julyaugust 29

Have You Protected Your Family’s Future? Lenna GowenLock, edward Jones

Help support your surviving spouse’s retirement

ow that summer is here, you may go on vacation, head up to the cottage or just lounge around a pool. But what’s really important about this season isn’t just the relaxation — it’s the chance to spend more time with your family members. And when you think of how much they mean to you, shouldn’t you take the steps necessary to protect their financial future? One of the most important moves you can make is to ensure that you have adequate life insurance. Of course, you may have some insurance through your employer — but is it sufficient? If something were to happen to you, your family could face some enormous financial obligations — with a large part of their financial resources suddenly missing. By purchasing additional life insurance, as needed, you could enable your family to accomplish the following:

While you’re working, some of the money you put away in your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and various other accounts may also eventually help support your spouse in retirement. Without your income and these continuing contributions, could your spouse still enjoy the retirement lifestyle you both have envisioned? The proceeds from a life insurance policy could prove important in helping your surviving spouse during his or her retirement years.

raise your children

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

A family might spend more than $190,000 to raise a child between birth and age 18, according to research from the home economics section of Manitoba Agriculture. Clearly, the proceeds of a life insurance policy would be enormously valuable in helping your family cope with these costs.

Pay for university A university education may be the best investment you can make in your children’s future — but it won’t come cheaply. On average, undergraduate students at Canadian universities paid $4,917 in tuition in the 2009–2010 school year, according to Statistics Canada. And room and board could easily tack on an extra $6,000, according to the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Based on these figures, and assuming even a modest 3% annual inflation rate, a child born this year could expect to pay more than $78,000 for four years of university. Insurance could help cover the high costs of higher education.

Pay off your mortgage If you’re buying your first home or moving into a different one, you will be asked if you want to purchase mortgage insurance. However, life insurance may be a better option. If you purchase mortgage insurance, the lender is the beneficiary, but when you own a life insurance policy, you get to choose the beneficiary, so you can name your spouse. Once your surviving spouse receives the tax-free death benefit, he or she can pay off the mortgage or invest the money to generate an income stream that can help cover living expenses and continue the mortgage payments.

As you can see, adequate life insurance is indispensable to your family’s financial security. Consult a financial advisor to determine if you’ve got the appropriate level of coverage, or if you need to add more. Once you know that your family is protected, you may find that relaxation isn’t just for the summer. ©Edward Jones, Member CIPF

www.edwardjones.com

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Beingasked asked a few questions should bebeginning the beginBeing a few questions should be the of the lifeofinsurance process, notprocess, the end not of it.the Which why ning the life insurance endisof it. at Edward Jones, your local Edward Jones advisor meets Which why at Edward local Edward with youisface-to-face, so we Jones, can getyour to know you and your entire financial picture. we can findsothe Jones advisor meets withThat youway, face-to-face, welife insurance policy that best suits your family’s unique needs. can get to know you and your entire financial

Because more wewe know what’s picture.the That way, canabout find the lifeimportant insurancein your life, the better we can help you take care of it. policy that best suits your family’s unique needs.

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To learn about our wide range of life insurance plans, contact your local Edward Jones advisor.

Pay off other debts You may have car loans, credit card bills and other types of debt. Life insurance can help your family members pay off these debts without jeopardizing the household’s cash flow. 30 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

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Lenna Gowenlock Financial Advisor .

#1-53 Main Street Flin Flon, MB R8A 1J7 204-687-5390

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streets of flin floN

Local People & Events

A few Saskatchewan names to note

From grocers to prospectors to a princely visit, streets and landmarks have names that reveal pieces of local history. ’57 Memorial Cup Drive: This drive, near the Whitney Forum, recognizes the Flin Flon Junior Bombers’ victory at the Memorial Cup championship in the 1956-1957 season. Angel Avenue: This name was an initiative of the Women’s Resource Centre, a tribute to women and children who have been victims of domestic violence. Bakers Narrows: Bakers Narrows is named after William Edward Baker, a trapper and prospector who resided with his family in the area in the 1920s. Bakers Narrows Provincial Park also take its name from him. Barrow Provincial building: Flin Flon’s provincial building was officially named in honour of long time MLA Tom Barrow, though it has been dubbed “Red Square” for its colour and shape – and as a joking reference to Moscow.

• Once the site of a popular local recreation area between Flin Flon and Creighton, Phantom Lake was so named because of its many deceptive bays. When exploring the lake, you think that you are going one place, and then you wind up somewhere else. •  The flamboyant mining promoter, John Edward (Jack) Hammell, who almost retained the massive Flin Flon mining property, has a lake named for him just outside of Creighton. • The village of Denare Beach takes the cake when it comes to innovation. The community was named by joining the first two letters in the words of the DEpartment of NAtural REsources. • Mosher Lake was named after Dan and John Mosher who were prospecting in the area around 1917. • The town of Creighton is named for prospector Tom Creighton. His gravesite tribute reads “His wants were few, his habits simple. The bush was his wide domain. Here lies a man.”

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Boundary Avenue: This aptly named residential street lies near the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border. Bracken Street: This street came in to being because of Manitoba premier John Bracken. He was no stranger to Flin Flon, having driven the last spike in 1929 when Harry McLean forged the rail line into Flin Flon. He was also intimately involved in the cessation of the mine strike of 1934. Callinan Street: This locally famous mining family name appears on a street sign because of prospector “Cranberry” Jack Callinan, who staked some of the original claims in the Flin Flon mining camp. Callinan Mines, which was acquired by Altius Minerals Corporation in May 2015, recently completed an agreement with Hudbay for possible purchase and development of the War Baby property at 777 mine. Dion Street: This street is named after two prospecting brothers, Isadore and Leon Dion. Flin Flon Station Museum: The Flin Flon Station Museum was socalled as the building was a former CNR Station, which was moved from its original location in uptown Flin Flon to today’s location at the campground near the city entrance – no easy feat. Hapnot Street: Hapnot, the name of a major corridor in the uptown area and our high school, is a play on words. It is the reverse of Tonapah (minus the second a), the company involved with

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the first significant mine in the area, Mandy Mine, and the name of a sternwheeler barge operating on Athapap Lake around 1918. Hapnot Collegiate and Hapnot Lake share this name. Hammel Street: This street is named after Jack Hammel, a mining promoter Joe Brain Petting Zoo: This local treasure in the Willowvale subdivision is so named due to the generous contribution of a prospector and mining investor. Joe van Nes Airport Terminal Building: The Flin Flon Airport terminal building was opened in 1968. In 2004 the facility was officially named the Joe van Nes Airport Terminal Building and a plaque was mounted to honour its namesake. Joe van Nes served in the RCAF during the Second World War, and was a key player in bringing the terminal project to fruition. Kirkland Drive, Rush Place, Wanless Avenue: These names can be traced back to members of Club 27. Club 27 honoured those who had participated in any or all phases in the development of Flin Flon up to December 1927. Members held regular get-togethers until time passed them by. Kirkland Drive is in Channing and the other two are in Flin Flon. Mandy Mine: The first mine in the Flin Flon area (located on Schist Lake) was named for the wife of co-founder Fred Jackson. cottagenorth

streets of flin floN

places Sipple Hill in 1930, in the 1950s and today.

McKeen Avenue: Members of the McKeen family were some of Flin Flon’s earliest drayers, who transported freight loads by wagon or sled with teams of horses. Prince Charles Place: Prince Charles visited Flin Flon in July, 1970 during the Manitoba Provincial Centennial; this street was named in recognition of this important occasion. Ross Lake: This lake in the geographic centre of Flin Flon is named after Horatio Hamilton Ross, a colourful character who operated Ross Navigation Company for the Mandy

Mine ore haul; he also operated a barge/ferry route on Ross Lake. Sipple (or Sipple’s) Hill: This steep hill on Ross Street is known locally as Sipple’s Hill, named for Del Sipple who used the route in the early days to deliver groceries to the Ross Lake area. Tweedsmuir Street: In 1939, Lord Tweedsmuir, then Governor General of Canada, visited Flin Flon, prompting this street name. Veteran’s Way: This road was named in honour of all Flin Flon area veterans, past and present Waldron Avenue: This residential

street is named after John Waldron, an early years surveyor. Wahlenberg Christmas lights display: This Flin Flon tradition, a colourful seasonal display on Bellevue Avenue, was originated by resident Art Wahlenberg. Christmas lights are still displayed here every year. Waly Heights: This subdivision was named after the first family to inhabit the area; they were locally famous for their huge garden. Young Street: This name recognizes early businessman Charlie Young who owned and operated a restaurant and then the Flin Flon Hotel.

Odds & ends: local slang A collection of unique names for local spots. • High Rock is the large rock feature near the end of Green Street heading north. • Little Cliff Lake swimming hole, found north of the perimeter highway, down the railroad track, has been a popular swimming spot since the 1940s, at least. • Mile 84 subdivision and Mile 86 area (rail and cat train marshalling area) were distances on the CN Railroad from The Pas. The Macham family lived at Mile 86 with a huge garden and decorative vegetation growing all over their house. • Second Valley was a popular ski hill at the north end of Ross Lake in the perimeter highway area. • The 100 Stairs are found between Third Avenue and Hill Street. The stairs lift pedestrians over a rock face and into the city centre with the nostalgia of an actual mining drift (a horizontal tunnel) at the base.

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• Tobacco Road was the original route from Channing into the Flin Flon area, which is known today as uptown. The road was once a red light district, named after a 1932 novel by Erskine Caldwell. • The Old Barn was the affectionate name for Flin Flon’s original ice hockey arena, and the description was quite accurate.

julyaugust 33

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(204)

687-3221

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100 Main St | Flin Flon, MB

Main Phone

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flinfloninsurance.ca cottagenorth

Roaming the Streets of Flin Flon

What’s in a name? Morley Naylor explores Flin Flon’s historic streets and landmarks.

streets of flin floN

nikiAshton

Email: niki.ashton@parl.gc.ca www. nikiashton .ndp.ca Flin Flon Office

24 Main Street | 1-866-669-7770 The Pas Office

1416 Gordon Ave | 1-866-785-0522

8DII6<:

A MAGAZINE ABOUT LIFE IN NORTH CENTRAL CANADA

NORTH Bringing you the north’s stories, all year round!

COTTAGENORTH FREE

A MAGAZINE ABOUT LIFE IN NORTH CENTRAL CANADA

MAYJUNE2015

Fun the 4-H way Restarting a club in The Pas

Snow Lake Mining Museum New Cranberry Portage museum too

Chaga: natural remedy of the North Thompson Mud Bog Fishing derbies in Flin Flon & The Pas 1 COTTAGENORTHMAGAZINE.CA

COTTAGENORTHMAGAZINE

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Six issues, GST incl

Have Cottage North delivered right to your doorstep! Subscribe online at www.cottagenorthmagazine.ca or drop by The Reminder at 14 North Ave. 28 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

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streets of flin floN

mayors TOP: Evans Avenue; Foster Park, 1951; George Mainwaring. BOTTOM: Jack Freedman; Freedman Bridge

The Councillors

The Company Officials

H. Murton

Scarth Street ��W.B. Scarth Willis Avenue ��Fred W. Willis cottagenorth

Have You Protected Your Family’s Future? Lenna GowenLock, edward Jones

Help support your surviving spouse’s retirement

raise your children

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

www.edwardjones.com

Get Life Insurance from Someone who Actually Knows About Your Life.

tant in your life, the better we can help you take

To learn about our wide range of life insurance plans, contact your local Edward Jones advisor.

cottagenorthmagazine

cottagenorth

Lenna Gowenlock Financial Advisor .

#1-53 Main Street Flin Flon, MB R8A 1J7 204-687-5390

cottagenorth

streets of flin floN

Local People & Events

A few Saskatchewan names to note

built for great barbecue flavour.

Gas Refrigerators

Unit Heaters

Gas Furnaces

BBQ season is here! Call today for information on our great selection of Broil King Grills.

Stittco Energy Limited

Your propane specialists in Northern Manitoba

78 Third Avenue, Flin Flon, MB Ph: 204-687-3493 | Fax: 204-687-5591 | flinflon@stittco.com cottagenorth

julyaugust 31

it’s BBQ time!

streets of flin floN

aaa anguS beef seafood • local pickerel

farmer’s

sausage

people Callinan Street, Prince Charles’ visit to Flin Flon in 1970.

your gourmet Grocery Store

135 Main St Next to Subway 204.687.6072

Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm • Sat 9:30am-5pm

organic • gluten free wine & beer making

Fresh Food. Friendly Faces. Your Local Homestyle Deli.

fully licensed

114 Main Street, Flin Flon, MB

Home Made Soups • Sandwiches Fresh Salads • Wraps • Pitas

204-687-7676

For Take-out & Reservations

Mon to Fri Saturday 8 am • 4 pm 9 am • 3 pm

Sunday Closed

Find Mugsy’s Soups & Sandwiches at Super K! 32 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

cottagenorthmagazine

cottagenorth

streets of flin floN

places Sipple Hill in 1930, in the 1950s and today.

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julyaugust 33

The Call of the Loon story by Gerry Clark

34 cottagenorthmagazine.ca

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wildlife

Photo by Valerie Durnin

The loon’s call

According to The Loon Preservation Committee, loons have four distinct calls which they use to communicate: the tremolo, wail, yodel, and hoot. You can hear samples on the organization’s website at www.loon.org. cottagenorth

There is nothing more Canadian than the loon. The beaver is the official symbol of our sovereignty, and the maple leaf appears on our flag, travellers’ backpacks, and the uniforms of our athletes, but the loon has to be at least as special to most Canadians. Still, most people don’t know that much about the aquatic bird that appears on our dollar coins. The common loon is bigger than most people realize: up to 90 cm long and weighing up to 5 kg. While swimming and diving, they look majestic, but they aren’t well-designed for other activities. They are considered to be good flyers, but they find takeoffs a challenge. Most loon species — and there are five — can’t take off from land. The others have to paddle like crazy into the wind to take off from water. The scientific name for the common loon is Gavia immer. Apparently the word loon is derived from the Old English word lumme (lummox or awkward person), which is in turn derived from the Scandanavian word lum (lame or clumsy), referring to the loon’s awkward gait on land. Not surprisingly, loons avoid walking on land as much as possible. They are clumsy walkers. The problem is that their webbed feet are set quite far back, making balance a challenge. Perversely, nature has programmed loons to build their nests and to mate on land. Once a pair have become an item, the male chooses the site for their nest, then they both get busy building before making love in the new nest. Kind of romantic—except that loons don’t

mate for life. On average loons live for six years, but can live to 30, and a typical loon will have multiple mates during its lifetime.

protecting the loon

In Canada, loons are protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Hunting or harassing them in any way is a crime; in fact, it is even illegal to possess a loon feather. To be fair, loon relationships survive as long as they do in spite of many threats. For one thing, other loons are always coveting good nesting sites. Home invasions are a regular occurrence in the loon’s world, and the fights are vicious. There seems to be some kind of protocol to these nasty encounters: If it is a male intruder, it is Dad who defends, and similarly if the intruder is a female, it is Mom. If a pair attack, it is a free-for-all! It is estimated that up to a third of these confrontations lead to a death. If that isn’t enough stress for the young families, a nesting pair have to keep an eye out for all the usual predators from above, below, and on shore: ravens, big fish, and weasels just to name a few. Of course, in the end it may be man who will wipe out the species with acid rain, mercury, lakefront cottages, and habitat-destroying dams. Loon parties are a phenomenon we are still trying to understand. julyaugust 35

wildlife

poetry corner

We Are Home For a species that is so violently antisocial, at least during the nesting cycle, it is surprising to see huge numbers of loons flocking together. Experts aren’t sure how to explain this. It could be that flocks are singles’ gatherings made up of birds who either never hooked up or somehow lost their mate. Or it could be a socializing stage before the long migration south for the winter. We don’t know, but encountering a loon party is an awesome experience. Loons are carnivores, with fish being their favourite meal. They also eat frogs, snails and crayfish, all of which they swallow whole. To catch their prey, they can dive to a depth of 60 metres and hold their breath for a minute and a half. Loons tend to prefer clear lakes because they can see their menu more easily. To aid in digestion they eat pebbles; unfortunately this can include lead pellets from shotgun shells and lead weights from fishing tackle, which will eventually poison them to death. Among the sounds of nature in Canada, the call of the loon is uniquely comforting. The lonely howl of a wolf has almost the opposite effect. The sighting of a bald eagle is exciting, and meeting a bear can be terrifying, but a loon encountered under any circumstance always brings a smile. I think it is fair to claim that no creature in the Canadian wild is more beloved than the loon.

By Sheila Marchant

Photo by Mel Reich

Nothing says North like the call of the loon Crystal clear and daunting As it echoes out across the lake And comes right back as flaunting A challenge for all to mimic its call And we are so ever wanting To never regret nor much less forget As it stays – forever haunting

the loonie In the mid-1980s when the federal government made the decision to replace dollar bills with coins, the plan was to continue using the voyageur canoe design that had been used on the old silver dollar. But as a result of a comedy of errors involving the loss in the mail of the die used to make the old silver dollars, the decision was made to come up with a new design. A new coin featuring the loon was introduced in 1987. When it first came out, it received mixed reviews and was somewhat derisively dubbed the “loonie” by the public. However, the nickname stuck. Eventually, the Canadian government bought the rights to the name, and today business reporters are as likely to talk about the exchange rate of the loonie as they are the Canadian dollar. The loonie’s status in the pantheon of national symbols was further solidified by the legend of the “lucky loonie.” In 2002, at the hockey arena for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Trent Evans, an ice maker from Edmonton, embedded a loonie at centre ice as a target for referees dropping the puck for a faceoff. A yellow dot was painted over the spot, disguising the loonie. When both the women’s and men’s hockey teams won gold, the lucky loonie was dug out and presented to another national symbol, Wayne Gretzky, the team’s executive director. The loonie was donated to the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Photo by Mel Reich A “loon party” in Bakers Narrows.

a good taste

Summer fruit yogurt parfait This is one of my favourite desserts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or breakfasts. Fresh berries in smooth, homeprepared strawberry yogurt are just the right combination of sweet and tangy. Valerie Durnin, publisher Cottage North & The Reminer

Strawberry sauce Make the sauce the night before you plan to serve. Hull and then cut a one-pound pack of strawberries into about half-inch pieces. In a small pot, heat strawberries on medium high heat until they begin to form a sauce. Keep sauce at a low boil for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer the strawberries boil, the more they will break down. When the sauce has the consistency you want, remove from heat, let cool to room temperature and chill overnight.

Yogurt parfait Mix three parts plain yogurt with one part strawberry sauce. A higher fat yogurt makes for a thicker sauce. Cut your choice of summer fruit and berries into small pieces. Try strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines and/or bananas. Mix together and layer with strawberry yogurt in a parfait or wine glass. Top with berries, a mint sprig or a dollop of yogurt. For variation try drizzling Amaretto or Chambord (a raspberry liqueur) over fruit before layering.

Feeling inspired by this recipe? Visit us today for all your grocery needs!

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PROFILE

With confidence, ambition, and a cheeky grin, young actor Griffin Wadelius is going places Photo by Tom Heine

Griffin Wadelius What little people can do Griffin Wadelius doesn’t get stage fright often, but if he did, he definitely wouldn’t imagine the audience in their underwear. “It just makes it awkward!” he laughs. Whatever Griffin’s on-stage strategy is, it is definitely working. In the Flin Flon Community Choir’s May production of the musical Les Misérables, 13-year-old Griffin played Gavroche, a daring, street-smart and idealistic youngster. The part is a coveted role for young actors. In the musical, Gavroche serves

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STORY BY Libby Stoker-lavelle

as messenger and fearless assistant to the students who are rising up against the government; he also delivers witty commentary on the sad state of his community. Crystal Kolt, artistic director for the Flin Flon Community Choir, sought out Griffin for the role after seeing him on stage in 2014. “The Pas did a great job of putting on Pirates of Penzance about a year ago,” she says. “Griffin was the only young boy in the chorus and I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. He was such a

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natural little actor.” According to his mom, Lauren Wadelius, Griffin has loved acting since he was pint-sized. “I made Lego movies, and put on lots of plays,” Griffin recalls, “and I was always on stage for talent shows.” Griffin performed in several school productions in his hometown of The Pas in addition to his role as a policeman in Theatre 53’s Pirates of Penzance. When approached by Kolt in December 2014, Griffin leapt at the chance to audition for Les Mis, even

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Photo by Daniel Dillon Griffin Wadelius in character as Gavroche, a pivotal character in Les Misérables. Wadelius played the role in the May 2015 Flin Flon Community Choir performance.

though he knew that, if he were chosen for a part, he would be committing to an intense and demanding project. He and his parents would need to drive from The Pas to Flin Flon for rehearsals throughout the winter, with more frequent trips in the weeks before the performance dates. So was all that driving a pain in the neck? “It was worth it,” says Griffin, without skipping a beat. Worth it, because Les Mis was the opportunity Griffin had been looking for — a chance to pursue his passion and work towards his ultimate goal: a

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career in Hollywood as a television actor, voice actor or director. Through practice and support from the directors, Griffin worked on becoming the cheeky, brash Gavroche. He learned to expand his singing voice, build his presence on stage, and use bigger and more precise body language to communicate with the audience. From his fellow actors, though, Griffin learned a lesson that has proven valuable to him already: “They’d make a mistake during rehearsal,” Griffin recalls, “And then they would say to ev-

eryone that they messed up, and then they would fix it.” After seeing other actors who were willing to own the flaws in their performances, he began openly asking for help so he, too, could improve on stage. His hard work paid off. “He was a perfect Gavroche,” says Kolt. While the whole musical was a highlight for Griffin, when asked about his favourite moment, he doesn’t waver. “My death scene,” he recalls, eyes shining. “The audience responded a lot.”

julyaugust 39

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Holly Rousson

Recruitment Holly RoussonOfficer Aboriginal/External Officer Flin Flon/The Pas &Recruitment Area Western Box 240,Campus The Pas, MB R9A 1K4 Box 240,(204) The Pas, MB R9A 1K4 Phone: 623-9229, Toll Free: 1-866-758-7871 Phone: (204) 623-9229, Toll Free: 1-866-758-7871 Fax: (204) 627-6805, Email: recruitwest@nrha.ca Fax: (204) 627-6805, Email: recruitwest@nrha.ca Dion McIvor

Recruitment Dion McIvor Officer Aboriginal/External Thompson & Area Recruitment Officer Eastern Campus 867 Thompson Drive South, Thompson, MB R8N 1Z4 867 Thompson Drive South, MB R8N 1Z4 Phone: (204) 778-1455, Toll Thompson, Free: 1-877-677-5353 Phone: (204) 778-1455, Toll Free: 1-877-677-5353 Fax: (204) 778-1477, Email: recruiteast@nrha.ca Fax: (204) 778-1477, Email: recruiteast@nrha.ca

Dedicated to providing quality, accessible and compassionate health services. We proudly serve the community, while working toward Healthy People in a Healthy North. Flin Flon Regional Office 84 Church St Flin Flon MB R8A 1L8 Ph: (204) 687-1300 Fax: (204) 687-6405