It’s been seven months since Haliburton Rotary unveiled a four-year beautification plan for Skyline Park, with long-time member Ursula Devolin saying volunteers have made major strides since work began last fall.
Approximately 20 Rotarians were on-site May 10 as the group kick-started its efforts for the year. Devolin said workers used an excavator to reshape and level the picnic area, removed hazardous tree roots protruding out of the ground, laid topsoil and grass seed, and installed picnic tables.
This followed work done last year to restore the viewing platform that overlooks Haliburton village. Devolin said several dead trees have been removed, with branches impeding views of the village landscape also taken down.
“We’ve put in gravel pathways that make things a little more accessible for people and will be laying some recycled asphalt so that those with strollers and wheelchairs can safely visit the park,” Devolin said.
The group has also improved the parking area, creating space for larger vehicles to maneuver safely.
Later this year, there will be a new picnic shelter installed – with Rotary partnering with Glenn Diezel and students from Fleming College’s timber framing program for the build. The club will pay for the construction materials, while students, guided by Diezel, complete the work.
Devolin said that will be the first major installation, with a second picnic shelter and washrooms also planned. She confirmed the project will run through 2027, with Rotary now estimating costs around $200,000.
That’s down from the $300,000 to $400,000 they forecast last year, with the decrease attributed to several in-kind donations. Devolin said Haliburton County Development Corporation has kicked in $3,000, Emmerson Lumber has donated some supplies, Randy’s Landscaping gifted some topsoil, and Derek Beachli Construction is letting workers use machinery free of charge.
There have been plenty of community donations, too – including $5,000 from one generous donor who read about the project in the paper.
“This has been a total community effort so far,” Devolin said.
The park is owned by the Ministry of Transportation and a designated rest stop on Hwy. 118 heading east out of Haliburton village. It was dedicated by Leslie M. Frost on June 20, 1958. The MTO maintains the park through a contract with a local company, but Devolin feels the site “has not been a priority” for the ministry, with few upgrades over the past 65 years.
She said Rotary will continue advocating for MTO investment at the site, hoping the province will help pay for some of the planned upgrades.
One of the last to leave the park on Saturday, Devolin said she was able to see an immediate return on the Rotary club’s investment.
“As I was cleaning up, two families drove in, got out of their car with a picnic, and sat down at the tables we’d installed 20 minutes earlier. That was the highlight of the day for me, seeing people enjoying the park together.
“That’s exactly what we’re trying to promote by doing this – recreating a place where people feel comfortable and can enjoy how beautiful Haliburton is,” she said.
