Trends and Prospects
The community is gradually expanding and settlement is moving out along the
shores of Lake Athapapuskow westward beyond the areas occupied prior to the fire
in 1929. A similar development is occurring to the south and seems to reflect
a desire by local residents to go
With the recent improvement and shortening of the highway to Flin Flon many Cranberry residents are looking closely at this nearby city of approximately 10,000 people as a source of goods, services, and employment. The availability of a greater variety of shopping and recreational facilities has enticed many residents of Cranberry to visit Flin Flon more often than in the past. The impact of this trend on Cranberry may have an important bearing on the future of the community's development.
Within the last ten years local residents have seen, for example, the closing of a dry goods store, a convenience store, a banking outlet and two garages, an ESSO and a Petro Canada service stations. The latter, which closed in the fall of 1995, was also affected by the opening of Fidler's Service Station and Restaurant 16 kilometers south of town at the junction of Provincial Highways 10 and 39. At present there is some fear that the Post Office and the RCMP station may also close in the foreseeable future. To balance this, the opening of Gastrax has added a gas station and a convenience store in town.
The federal government's decision to discontinue the Canadian National's rail link from Cranberry to Lynn Lake in the fall of 1996 was of concern to all the communities affected, including Flin Flon, Pukatawagan, and Leaf Rapids. The sale of the line to the Hudson Bay Railway in 1997 improved the outlook for Cranberry's future development, at least for the time being.
The opening of cottage lots on both Lake Athapap and First Cranberry Lake by the provincial government has created a new flurry of activity around town. A new road from the Athapap logging road south of Cranberry Portage to the south shore of Lake Athapap was constructed in 2006, allowing access to the lake for new cottage lot owners.
Cranberry remains attractive because of its tranquility and its closeness to nature. In a matter of minutes one can enjoy the serenity of a quiet lake and the beauty of the northern wilderness. This is one of the main attractions that brings people to the area and it is also one of the main reasons why many have put down roots and helped to make the community what it is today.