Haliburton Highlands Nordic Trails Association (HHNTA) president Thom Lambert said Glebe Park has never looked better, amid a backdrop of over 100 skiing enthusiasts enjoying the site’s five-kilometre system Feb. 28.
The association was celebrating a $105,700 capital grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), with the money used to climate proof trails in the park.
Lambert said the work – supporting water flow management and allowing for proper drainage – will make it possible to ski earlier and later in the season, while also preserving the integrity of the trails through severe climate events. The money was received last summer, allowing the club to complete work ahead of this winter season.
“The trail work has already made a big difference to our members and the hundreds of winter tourists that travel to ski our trails,” Lambert said. “The quality of skiing on the renovated trails was excellent in the early season. Many of our members commented on the improved skiing conditions.”
MPP Laurie Scott was at Saturday’s celebration, saying the “Nordic trails are a treasured destination for residents and visitors” to the Haliburton region.
County resident Klara Oyler sits on the OTF grant review team. She said the Nordic club grant was one of 730 awarded to nonprofit groups across Ontario in 2025.
“We saw this as a good investment for the community,” Oyler said. “I think this has been a pretty good skiing season and now, with the work you’re doing with the grant, I hope you have many more to come.”
The unveiling coincided with the Highlands ski club’s annual Jack Rabbit parade. The HHNTA runs a two-month program every winter for children aged four to 12 to encourage them to get into skiing. Lessons run every Saturday in January and February at Glebe Park. The initiative has six levels, with local instructors – all volunteers – following national skill development programming.
Joleen Thomas, HHNTA membership coordinator, said about 80 kids participated in this year’s program. Registration opens in November.
“We are going on nearly 40 years of hosting this program locally in Haliburton,” Thomas said. “Cross-country skiing is one of the few activities families of all ages can do together… we are creating skiers for life.”
