Dysart calls for security camera feedback

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August 27, 2021

Dysart et al has launched a community survey about surveillance cameras in Head Lake Park.

Residents can share their opinion on the cameras and their usage through a threequestion survey on the municipality’s website.

A recent uptick in vandalism around the park, including graffiti scratched onto the Rotary band pavilion, sparked the idea.

“We’re looking at various areas in the park that have received vandalism and not so much positive activity in the last while,” said CAO Tamara Wilbee.

Only certain municipal staff, such as Wilbee, would be able to view the footage.

“This isn’t general surveillance that anyone can access. It’s only accessible by certain staff like myself if there was an incident,” Wilbee said. “It’s not so we can watch everybody. It’s for a very specific service.”

The municipality will also only store surveillance video for seven days, and let people know through signs when cameras are in use. Those policies, as well as public consultation, are mandated through the Municipalities Video Surveillance Policy.

On the survey web page, the municipality claims a lack of video surveillance “makes it more difficult for the municipality and law enforcement to prove what happened in a particular incident, whether that be vandalism, an altercation or someone getting injured.”

Mayor Andrea Roberts said that surveillance could be a good step in apprehending vandals.

“When there is a vandalism report, the first thing the OPP do is ask for our surveillance,” she said. “The OPP are completely in support of this.”

She said reports of vandalism at the park are “disheartening.”

After receiving responses, staff will present the survey’s findings to Dysart et al council. To access the survey, go to dysartetal.ca

Renters dump waste

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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It isn’t unusual to see bags of garbage, discarded household wares or even furniture lying roadside around Haliburton.

Students and faculty from Fleming College’s sustainability program wanted to find out why.

In partnership with U-Links, Fleming College’s sustainability program produced a new study which sifts through reasons people might dump garbage illegally, and steps Dysart Township could take to stop the problem.

While they couldn’t determine if illegal dumpers were aware that they were breaking laws, they found nearly half of Dysart’s Airbnb listings didn’t mention waste disposal. The students suggested mandating clearer instructions about how tourists can deal with their waste.

“To make waste management really front and centre for people booking online: that, to me, was a really great take away,” said John Watson, Dysart’s environmental coordinator.

The study also recommends signage at garbage “hot spots” as well as monitoring illegal dumping instances and creating flyers to be distributed to short-term rental sites.

Coun. Larry Clarke said he hopes the study’s findings will influence the County’s rules for short-term rentals in the future.

“I think it’s important that if somebody is not stepping up and providing a process for people dealing with their waste their license should be pulled. It shouldn’t be on the short-term rental market,” he said.

It’s not an issue unique to Dysart, however illegal garbage disposal has an environmental and financial impact on the township. Rob Camelon, director of public works, estimates crews spend 20-25 hours responding to illegal dumping complaints and Mayor Andrea Roberts recounted how nearly every morning garbage bags are found lying around Head Lake Park garbage bins.

Fleming’s study compared how municipalities across Ontario deal with the issue, as well as how residents can report garbage being dumped on roadways.

Watson said that information has already helped Dysart improve its own reporting practices. Currently, people can submit details and photos of each instance on Dysart’s website. That information helps municipal staff create maps and databases that highlight areas which see a lot of garbage. Watson said the students and faculty’s hard work is helping Dysart “[build] practices and procedures here that will really help keep our community clean.”

The study is available to read on the municipality’s website on the agenda for the Aug. 10 committee of the whole meeting. Faculty from Fleming College declined an interview request.

Haliburton County sees recent increase in opioid overdoses

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 27, 2021

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An international overdose awareness week event slated for Head Lake Park in Haliburton Aug. 31 is promising “a safe space for community members to remember loved ones who died from overdoses, share stories, provide support and help break the stigma.”

In announcing the 10 a.m. to noon event, the HKPR district health unit said it will also have a flag where individuals can place a pin in honour of a departed loved one to keep their memory alive and wave with pride.

“We encourage everyone to come out and show their solidarity and support,” the health unit said.

The week comes on the heels of the health unit issuing an opioid alert for Haliburton County Aug. 18.

“In this situation, Haliburton EMS notified the health unit about an increase in overdoses involving Fentanyl,” said Cathy MacDonald, the substances and harm reduction coordinator for the health unit. She said their hospital data corroborated the finding, resulting in the alert.

She did say “as is the situation in Haliburton County, the safety of the drug supply can also lead to overdoses. Some ‘street’ drugs are more dangerous and could be contaminated or poisoned, meaning they are more potent and likely to cause severe overdose reactions.”

Asked for local numbers, the health unit said it could not separate out from a region that also includes The City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County.

Department of emergency services director, Tim Waite, said he did not have the exact numbers, however, local EMS usually see a “few” opioid-related incidents but had six to eight ambulance responses for possible opioid overdoses over a two-week period.

Haliburton Highlands OPP added on Aug. 24 that last week, officers attended five overdoses, including one resulting in death.

“So far in 2021, the Haliburton Highlands Detachment have investigated four drug related deaths, which is an increase from the 2020 year, when two drug related deaths were investigated,” they said.

MacDonald said the numbers are trending upwards not only in the HKPR district health unit region, but across the province and country, particularly during COVID.

She said there’d been a “worrying” increase in opioid overdose-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations and deaths in the region since the start of the pandemic.

“In recent weeks, both Cobourg and Haliburton County have seen a rise in overdose incidents,” she said.

She said the regional numbers doubled between April 2020 and March 2021, compared to April 2019 to March 2020.

There had been 208 emergency room visits in 2020, 29 hospitalizations from January to September 2020 and 37 deaths in 2020. “These are more than statistics.

These are real people who are overdosing and dying in our communities,” MacDonald said.

She added, “Let’s remember that overdoses are a health and social issue, and that with increased community awareness and action, we can save lives.”

She attributed the increases to more people using drugs during the pandemic, in part to try to cope with COVID-related challenges such as social isolation, losing a job, poor mental health and concerns or anxiety about the virus. She added people may also be using alone, due to COVID-19 precautions and restrictions.

The event in Head Lake Park is in partnership with PARN, the John Howard Society, Fourcast Addiction Services, local health care providers, Haliburton EMS, and Haliburton Highlands OPP.

“Equally important as preventing overdoses is changing the conversation about substance use. We need to look at substance use as a health and social issue. With increased community awareness, understanding and action towards overdoses, we can save lives. We need to work together, setting aside personal concerns and opinions, and treat people impacted by opioids with compassion and dignity to get to the root of this issue,” MacDonald said.

Safety measures

MacDonald also provided some safety measures, such as: test a small amount of any drug before using; never use alone; if alone, call the National Overdose Response Service virtual safe consumption at 1-888- 668-6677 or practice the buddy system and call a friend; call 9-1-1 in the event of an overdose; keep a naloxone kit on hand. They are available at pharmacies and needle exchange sites; avoid mixing drugs.

If you see someone overdosing, you are also asked to intervene by calling 9-1-1 and giving naloxone, knowing you are protected by the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act

Haliburton businesses want better security

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 27, 2021

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Industrial Park businesses in Haliburton have banded together after a number of recent thefts.

Represented by Aggie Tose of the Haliburton County Home Builders Association (HCHBA), Nathan Petrini of Petrini Construction and Scott Neilson of Walker’s Heating & Cooling, they made a delegation to Dysart et al council’s Aug. 24 meeting.

They want a letter signed by council sent to the OPP detachment commander with concerns regarding the recent loss of tools and equipment as well as vandalism. They would like street lighting considered in future township budgets. They would also like the municipality to consider installing a traffic light with a camera at the entrance to the park.

The delegates told council that “over the past few weeks, a number of businesses have lost tools and equipment. They have also lost many hours off the job dealing with the OPP and insurance companies. The loss of vehicle parts deemed the vehicles inoperable. Add to that, delay getting replacement parts, created more lost time on job sites. This all during the busiest season for all contractors and businesses.”

The three said 10 businesses had been directly or indirectly affected.

Tose told council the HCHBA has 57 member businesses and has continued to work throughout the pandemic, making it an economic driver for the County. Petrini added they estimate the park brings in $75 million in revenue with 300-plus employees. Petrini added there are now 28 businesses plus the college and landfill.

“So, it’s a busy area in here.” Petrini said his business was recently robbed, its third since being in the park. He said they had invested in yard lights, cameras, gates and locks.

Businesses want cameras, streetlights, traffic light

Neilson said his business has been hit twice in 10 years and has invested $10,000-plus on extra lighting and security at the shop.

The businesses are now looking for a partnership with the municipality and OPP.

Petrini said, “Number one, let’s light the park up, street lights would be a huge asset for us, cameras … on the roads, the other thing is stop lights out there. It’s tough to get in and out. It’s time consuming and perhaps doing all of that at one time might make fiscal sense on your part.” Neilson said the businesses would also like more of an OPP presence.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said if anything is done at the County Road 121 intersection it is County of Haliburton jurisdiction. She added council is planning phase three of the park but not during this term. She said it might be an opportunity to put in streetlights but could be a few years.

Coun. Larry Clarke said there’s a primary entrance and exit to the park, and even a streetlight and camera at Industrial Park Road and Mallard Road would capture most traffic, particularly if there is an incident overnight. He said there could be other less costly, interim, solutions prior to phase three. “I think this is something that has to be dealt with on a very immediate basis.”

Coun. John Smith said they could avoid dealing with the County if they put a camera at Industrial Park Road and Mallard Road.

Coun. Walt McKechnie said, “I definitely want us to look into it as a council, definitely communicate with the OPP and try to come up with some type of solution.”

Petrini said, “We’re looking for solutions, not roadblocks. So, I want everybody to have an open mind. I want us to look at how we can solve the problem, not having to rely on the County for instance or someone else. Let’s do what we can here.” He added they are open to other suggestions.

Meanwhile, the OPP said Aug. 24 that they are investigating a number of thefts from the Industrial Park area, specifically catalytic converters. “These investigations are still ongoing and we encourage anyone with dash cam or video surveillance to contact the OPP. Our detachment has increased patrols in this area in an effort to reduce the number of thefts that are occurring.”

A staff report will come back to a future council meeting.

Rocking the night away at Head Lake Park

By

Sam Gillett

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August 22, 2021

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From Elvis to Queen, Van Morrison to The Who, Leisa Way and the Wayward Wind Band jived through rock history at an open-air concert in Head Lake Park on Aug. 21.

Hosted by the Highlands Summer Festival, the band performed “Rock the Night Away” on Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening.

Leisa Way’s exuberant stage presence was punctuated with snappy outfit changes and fun anecdotes about the history of songs and bands loved worldwide. Whether chatting about Mick Jagger’s backstage shenanigans or turning a Gordon Lightfoot classic into jazzy pop number, Way kept the audience on their toes — and kept those toes tapping.

Her band is stuffed with experience: Fred Smith, a guitarist who’s shared the stage with Chuck Berry, shredded a handmade electric guitar alongside bassist Bobby Prochaska. Jake Simons was the band’s newest member — but it didn’t seem like it. A highlight of the show was his rendition of a stone-cold Elvis; matching the King of Rock and Roll note for note (along with signature hip-shaking).

Doug Balfour took centre stage for a few songs from the keyboard and drummer Don Reid accented stories with raps of the high-hat and showcased his versatility with rhythms that shook the soul all night long.

For more information visit https://www.highlandssummerfestival.on.ca/

Dust Society plays Jenga at Head Lake

By

Sam Gillett

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August 22, 2021

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Strange characters have been spotted around Haliburton during August: on the 22nd, they were found playing Jenga at Head Lake Park.

Figures dressed as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were joined by three others, all disguised in Sunglasses, at around 5:17 p.m. beside the Haliburton welcome centre.

They then proceeded to set up and play Jenga — a game in which players tap out blocks from a tower without making it fall.

A crowd of about 10 people looked on, some recording the scene with cell phones.

All five sported construction hats with the words “Dust Society” written on them. Throughout the past weeks, those who have seen the crew or spotted strange objects around the County have been invited to report the findings to www.iseedust.com.

According to unconfirmed reports, the website is set to receive an update on August 23rd.

People who have submitted reports recieved the following message: “Your data point has been entered. Thank you for your help with our study. To learn the results, please check www.iseedust.com on August 23rd, 2021.”

Branding on the site, and a linked Instagram page, seems to suggest the Dust Society operates the web domain, and a figure named the “local representative” seems to be an organizer.

The Highlander has been alerted to these strange occurrences through emails from a source who appears to be indirectly linked to the group but wishes to remain anonymous.

Soft, and quiet, opening for Minden’s new rec centre

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 19, 2021

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Art and Cherie Wright and Iryna Samofalova and Nick Skyba took to the pickleball courts Aug. 16, making them the first users of the newly-refurbished S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena and Community Centre.

The centre has opened to the public for the first time with people able to book appointments to use the pickleball and basketball courts as well as the walking track.

Director of community services, Craig Belfry, said it was good to finally get the building opened.

“We’ve worked towards this for so long and to have the window open to be able to do this right now is encouraging. It’s good to get the community in here to finally do what they love to do. It’s a good day.”

Belfry said they were also in the middle of making ice.

He said with the public emerging from almost two years of a global pandemic, and it being mid-August, it was a quiet first day.

“Hopefully as the fall comes we get more uptake. We know we’re getting high demand for the ice, which is good to see.”

The fitness room is not yet up and running. A new request for proposals for fitness equipment will come before a September council meeting. Belfry said the other outstanding item is design of the snack bar.

He is encouraging people to book the facilities and ice time.

“It’s a little different. You do have to pre-book so we can do contact tracing. But just come on out.”

Samofalova gave it two thumbs up, saying “this is so nice. It’s gorgeous.” And Cherie Wright added, “it is going to get a lot of use.”

Pickleball is Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Basketball is Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1p.m. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors. The walking track is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free. All activities are offered in one-hour time slots and people must wear clean indoor shoes. Pre-registration is required. See mindenhills.ca/recreation.

Walker brought smarts and leadership to the rings

By

Sam Gillett

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August 19, 2021

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For Jake Walker, curling means strategy. It means balancing big picture goals and razor-sharp precision.

Now, the national junior champion who’s represented Canada abroad is among the first inductees to the new Haliburton Highlands Sports Hall of Fame.

“Obviously, it really is a great honour,” Walker said. “I’m very appreciative of the support that I’ve had throughout my career from the Haliburton County community.”

Walker began his curling journey at the Minden Curling Club at eight years of age.

“The Minden Curling Club was extremely supportive of basically helping me have the tools to grow as a kid, to learn what the sport was,” Walker said.

From Minden, Walker’s curling career took a turn when he was offered a position on a team from Woodville, Ontario. Over time, he grew into his favourite position in the game, skip.

That’s the key role in a curling team, responsible for directing teammates and throwing pivotal shots.

“Being in that position is really not easy. It’s kind of where I got to flex my strength the most,” Walker said. He mentions how curling requires “mental toughness”: the ability to persevere through intense stress and pressure on the rink.

“Mental toughness is maybe 80 per cent of how good teams do well,” said the curler.

It’s likely that quality came in handy at the Canadian Junior Championship in 2010, where Walker’s team won gold.

“It was incredible. I can think about the game pretty vividly in my memories,” Walker said. “It left a strong mark on me. It’s a game where me and the team came together and acted as a team the whole time.”

Walker also travelled to Switzerland to compete for Canada in the World Junior Championships, bringing home bronze. Throughout his early career he trained daily for multiple hours, perfecting shots on the rink.

At The University of Waterloo, where he studied engineering, he won the athlete of the year award in 2014.

For now, with a family and busy professional life managing products for an artificial intelligence company in Waterloo, competitive curling is on hold.

“My professional career now has taken over my sports career. I’m okay with that,” Walker said.

But he still curls often and a return to throwing stones competitively might still be an option.

“I’m not saying that winning the junior championships was it for me,” he said. “I’d love to compete at the highest level possible.”

Calling out orders and planning shots on the rink might seem quite different from managing multiple products and technological teams at a tech firm but there are some key similarities.

“The translation between what I do now and curling is that one of the skills I have is seeing things from a big picture point of view.”

He said the mental side of curling, the strategy and planning helps him execute complicated product development initiatives within his work.

“I love thinking strategically about everything in my life,” said Walker. “The strategy of curling is so complicated and it’s ever-changing.”

Accessibility grant to help Legion ‘flourish’

By

Sam Gillett

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August 19, 2021

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The Haliburton Legion will soon start work on more than $100,000 of renovations to improve their building’s accessibility.

New washrooms, ramps, power doors and an elevator are all in the works thanks to a federal accessibility grant.

President Don Pitman said features such as elevators will get a lot of use from members.

“The majority of folks who come through our front door would use the elevator if we had it here,” Pitman said. “If we did have it, we’d have lots of seniors who could go between floors.”

To comply with the grant’s guidelines, all work must be completed within a two-year window. The money almost didn’t come at all: the Legion’s application was initially denied before Pitman received word it was actually approved this summer.

“It was great news after two years of nothing happening because of COVID,” he said. Now the Legion will work with an architect to draft plans for the work, before seeking tradespeople to complete each part of the renovation.

Member of Parliament, Jamie Schmale, who was on hand to celebrate the grant, said the renovations will further the Legion’s important work within the community.

“This is fantastic news not just for the Legion but for the community as a whole. It is a hub for this area and people come here for a variety of reasons,” he said. “Without these upgrades it did exclude a significant portion of the population: they just weren’t able to participate fully.”

Aside from making the building more welcoming to people who need accessibility accommodations, Pitman said the renovations mean the group can host functions more efficiently and improve events. He gives the example of an elevator allowing easier transportation of food and drinks during social events. “Right now, our staff have to lug it up the stairs,” he said.

As well, washroom accessibility will also mean a facelift for the ageing facility: “that’s a win in both ways.”

All the work, said Pitman, aims at making the space even more of a “community hub.” “We want this Legion to grow and flourish,” he said.

Helping kids set sail across the County

By

Sam Gillett

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August 19, 2021

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A few times a week, kids from around Haliburton County can be spotted speeding across the waters of Twelve Mile Lake near Minden.

They’re sailing; often sitting on the front of the boat, and sometimes hoisting the sails themselves as they cut through wind and water.

Robin Carmount has been the director of The Haliburton County Youth Sailing Association since it began in 2019, and he’s looking to add to his group of dedicated volunteers to provide what he says is an important service to County youth.

“It’s one of those cool things that they can tell their friends about,” the police officer said.

Volunteers don’t need to know how to sail (though it’s recommended) to impact kids’ lives through the association. In fact, Carmount himself is still, literally, learning the ropes.

“I’m a YouTube learner, just learning on my own,” he said with a smile in front of the Red Umbrella Inn. Volunteers can help with everything from car rides to supervising kids on shore.

Gesturing towards the water, he marvels at the community support the group receives. Cottage associations donated boats and Haliburton Home Hardware provided a fridge filled with snacks from Haliburton Foodland. Carmount points to his sailing association shirt, donated by COHO Apparel. The inn lets the club use an outbuilding as a storage spot. They also rent out a sailboat to guests, the proceeds going directly back to fund the young sailors.

“It’s totally community driven,” Carmount said. And he added that community investment pays off on the water, as kids learn valuable skills and face their fears.

One of the kids got to pilot a Laser, a one-person dinghy, by themselves after practicing for a summer. “That’s a huge achievement. I’m pretty sure the year before he never would have thought he would be sailing a sailboat by himself,” Carmount said.

Another young girl fearful of the water and the possibility of storms ended up sitting on the front of a boat with “no fear at all.”

“I just like to see the look on their face when they come here every week,” Carmount said.

Charting a course to Highlands East

The sailing club is expanding. Carmount said that some kids who live in Highlands East want to participate, but the lengthy drive makes that difficult. “So, what we’ve done is bring the sailing to them.”

That’s where Highlands East Mayor Dave Burton got involved. Burton volunteered his dock on Wilbermere to store a sailboat which might soon be piloted by nearby children.

“I think: what an opportunity for our youth here and throughout the County,” Burton said. He said he was glad to move one of his own boats out of the way to make room for the club, and hopes many kids take advantage of the program.

Being out on the water, said Burton, can be a therapeutic experience.

“I think just the quiet, the wind hitting against their sails, the water splashing against the boat: all of it.”

Carmount said the Highlands East location will serve a community of kids which sometimes “get left behind.”

“I think it’s a really cool thing for kids to learn over there,” he said.

That’s why he’s inviting volunteers to join up, giving kids the gift of time on the water and the chance to learn new skills along the way.

Those interested in volunteering can contact Robin Carmount by email at mindoverwater2019@gmail.com.