Haliburton PGA hopeful teeing up for big tournament

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August 11, 2021

James Allison says he plays golf to win.

After building up his game over the past several years, the 32-year-old from Haliburton will have a chance to record the ‘W’ on one of Canada’s biggest stages; the Mackenzie Tour.

“It’s a huge milestone for me. It’s a piece of a dream coming true,” Allison said. “Not a lot of golfers have been inside the ropes at a PGA-sanctioned event and I feel very fortunate to be able to do that.”

Allison, who lives near Minden, will play alongside Canada’s best golfers as they compete at the Osprey Valley Open in Caledon from Aug. 16-22.

It’s a chance to impress on a national stage and have a shot at qualifying for the Korn Ferry tour; a pathway to the PGA Tour.

“I’m working my way up, slowly but steady,” Allison said.

He’s played golf since he was a kid, and began focusing on his game after moving temporarily to Burlington. Now, while also working full-time as an electrician, he spends long hours practicing nearly every day in Lindsay with the hopes of playing golf at the highest level.

“Eventually I got to the point where I thought I could make some money doing this,” Allison said.

This summer, he’s been playing games on the Toronto Players Tour, a professional and amateur golf circuit in Ontario. Through that tournament, he got on the waiting list for the Osprey Valley Open.

“I have a lot of confidence going into this event. I wouldn’t enter an event if I didn’t think I could win it,” said Allison in an interview at the Blairhampton Golf Club.

For Allison, playing the Mackenzie Tour isn’t the end goal: it’s the next step in a journey.

“A lot of players make a great living but never win. That’s not what I’m striving for: I want to win. I want to be the best, and I really see myself getting there, but I know I’m not going to win every week.”

To achieve that goal, the golfer analyzes every part of his game: alignment, ball position, hitting the proper yardages, knowing the greens and the layout of the course and even gauging the wind speed and direction.

“It’s about learning that, and how to adjust on the fly,” Allison said.

Allison practices nearly every day at a golf course in Lindsay, as well as at Blairhampton Golf Club near Minden.

He added mental and physical preparation for high-level games such as the Osprey Valley Open mean ensuring he “peaks” at the right time. That also means playing courses which simulate competition conditions.

“I just want people to know this isn’t a fun day on the course for me. I take this seriously, it’s my second job, my business,” he said. “I strive to be the best.”

On his journey to becoming a full-time pro, Allison is learning the business side of golf too. That means managing social media accounts, building a website and searching for businesses that may want to support him through sponsorships.

“If I can find any partners along the way to help me in my journey, and be a part of my journey — that’s great.”

He also started a GoFundMe fundraiser, to help out with tournament and travel fees which are increasing as he progresses to higher level games.

Live scoring for the event will be available at mackenzietour.com

Allison posts about his golf journey on Instagram at jamesallisongolf, and can be reached at jamesallisongolf@gmail.com.

Strange booth gone after apparent heist by Santa, Easter Bunny at Head Lake Park

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Sam Gillett

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August 6, 2021

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At 1:10 p.m. on August 6th, two figures were spotted approaching the red and white booth that was recently installed in Head Lake Park in Haliburton.

One was dressed in red and white, the other in a white rabbit costume.

In an email an anonymous source, who first alerted The Highlander of the event, claimed these two individuals were “Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.”

A passerby said the “Easter Bunny” refused to answer questions when approached and instead distributed a black business card from The Dust Society, linking to a recently published website.

The two figures were spotted cycling out of Head Lake Park and turing on to Maple Avenue in Haliburton Village.

After loading pieces of the booth into a waiting car, both figures took off on bicycles. However, the “Easter Bunny” appeared to steal “Santa’s” bike and pedal in the direction of Maple Avenue. On the bike was a box wrapped in decorative Christmas-themed paper.

Both figures disappeared from sight.

A Kajiji ad, posted this morning, seems to request help dismantling the booth: “Must have long distance running and deconstruction experience. Available today.”

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Lakeside storytime with the Lions

By

Sam Gillett

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August 6, 2021

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Snacks, games, and a whole bunch of books await young readers at the Haliburton Lions’ Stories in the Park Fun Fair.

On Friday, Aug. 27 from noon to 2 p.m, the Haliburton and District Lions Club is inviting kids to celebrate the joy of reading at Head Lake Park.

“You cannot really underestimate the value of literacy, and early literacy for children,” said Lion Gail Stelter.

Every kid will get to choose a free book to take home. They’ll also be invited to listen to a story read aloud at the “story tree.”

Hotdogs, popcorn and juice boxes will be free to munch and sip on while playing games such as bean bag toss, fish pond and more.

“It’s a fun, low-key, delightful event,” Stelter said. It’s the second year of the event, first prompted by COVID-19 safety concerns. By inviting kids to the park, they can have safety protocols in place in a physically-distanced setting.

“It was a huge success,” Stelter said. “Having had such a wonderful event for the kids, we decided, why not make this an annual event? Not knowing COVID would be lasting into this year!”

And providing a safe way to connect kids with books fits right in with the Haliburton Lions’ passion for connecting kids with great books. “Every now and then it’s nice for a child to say ‘this is my book and I own it completely,” Stelter said.

Apart from Stories in the Park, Stelter said the Lions want to help kids dive into reading all year.

They have a reading action committee which visits schools to distribute books across the County in schools and mini outdoor libraries. They also plan to join up with the Blue Spruce program, a reading challenge prompting kids to read books and vote on which should receive the Blue Spruce award.

“Our goal is to put books in the hands of children,” she said.

She also mentioned how this event is made possible with volunteers and community sponsors.

The Lions are looking for volunteers for the afternoon too. To volunteer, contact Stelter at gatesstelter@gmail. com.

Construction ends with a clean sweep

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Lisa Gervais

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August 6, 2021

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Proper disposal of construction waste is a critical part of completing a renovation or new build and preserving the health of the environment.

“The importance of a professional construction waste removal company is that we can work closely with the customer to develop a construction and demolition program that focuses on recycling,” said Dan Garbutt, general manager of Garbutt Enterprises in Minden.

“As part of this initiative, materials that would normally be landfilled get recycled and sorted. Long gone are the days of just taking demolition waste or any waste for that matter to a pit to be burned under the midnight sun.”

Garbutt Enterprises was formed by Dan’s father in 1970.

“He started with a pickup truck then purchased a single-axle straight truck and things have just steadily grown from there,” said Garbutt. “Garbage is in my name and in my blood I guess.”

Waste disposal businesses can be called on for something as simple as hauling away a toilet and as complex as full demolition. For example, Garbutt will bring waste bins to a construction site to be filled by the customer or bring bins and perform the cleanup for house and garage cleanouts and partial or full home demolitions.

Service assessments can usually be done over the phone but for some jobs, disposal contractors will require photos and possibly a site visit.

Demolition projects require permits and preparation, said Garbutt.

“Safety protocols and proper disposal methods [must] be utilized, you have to check everything to make sure you’re not dealing with asbestos or other hazardous materials. We remove all windows before demolition jobs and do a full cleanup right down to the last nail. If a structure isn’t being rebuilt, we will generally put grass seed down and you would never know there was anything there.”

Keep in mind that certain materials cannot be placed in the waste bins. These include hazardous waste (paint, oil jugs, batteries etc.), tires, concrete, propane tanks, dirt and tree stumps.

Disposal services may be quoted in various ways. Garbutt bins are priced for rental plus disposal fees, or a flat-rate charge if the clients know they’re going to have a full bin. Cleanup services are priced in the same way with labour costs added. Demolition services are quoted based on the amount of waste, heavy equipment rates and labour. Service quotes include any municipal recycling and waste disposal tipping fees.

Whatever your plans, consider booking disposal services as soon as possible since service capacity has been seriously stretched during the pandemic.

“The demand for bins has been almost overwhelming at times with all of the renovations, new builds and everyone just having spare time to clean up around the house,” said Garbutt.

A.J. LaRue helped build Haliburton hockey culture

By

Sam Gillett

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August 6, 2021

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It’s difficult to drive through Haliburton without seeing Albert (A.J.) LaRue’s legacy in action.

The hockey teams he was instrumental in building play on – to great success. The stadium he fought for is a landmark in the County and besides hosting thousands of events and games, was instrumental in our County’s recent vaccine rollout.

A.J. LaRue will be honoured with a spot in the new sports hall of fame – in his namesake stadium. According to the Hall committee, LaRue has been inducted as a builder because he “promoted sports and sporting values that directly impacted thousands of Haliburton County youth.”

After working in Toronto during the 1940s, LaRue moved back to the County and started coaching the senior Haliburton Huskies team. He was widely known as a Scout leader and member of the school board.

Throughout the following decade, “Ab” acted as bus driver too, transporting players between softball and hockey practices. His son Scott LaRue, chair of the Hall committee, said that it became clear the existing natural ice rink wouldn’t cut it if players wanted to progress.

“I couldn’t advance much without the proper facilities,” said LaRue. LaRue said his father worked hard to convince local politicians and community members that the new stadium would be an investment in the community.

“He finally got people convinced it was time to do so – he needed the community’s support,” LaRue said.

His father’s hard work paid off: after managing both the fundraising and building of the project, in 1965, the Dysart community centre opened. Then he got to work finding a way to bring a new branch of competitive hockey to the County.

His efforts were instrumental in landing the Junior D Haliburton Huskies Hockey team.

It was thanks to the family business – a successful bus company – that LaRue, team manager and Scott, the coach, were able to hit the ground running with their new team.

“We couldn’t have afforded that junior team if we hadn’t had our own buses,” said LaRue.

After he came back to the Highlands after a stint playing professional hockey in France, Scott LaRue took over the coaching of the team. With his father as manager, they proved to be an effective duo.

“My dad and I always got along,” LaRue said. “But he wouldn’t let anyone push him around.”

After one game, LaRue stormed up to the referee: “I’m not paying you unless you smarten up and ref a decent game,” his son remembers him saying. “We got a lot of people here – and you just ruined the game.”

The referee demanded payment, but LaRue wouldn’t budge.

He turned to Scott. “Here’s the money, Scotty, you pay him!”

In 1971, the Huskies captured the Ontario Hockey Association Junior D cup. With a line-up of eager fans stretching down the street, the stadium was stuffed to capacity.

After a nail-biting game, the final whistle saw the Huskies finish on top. The crowd erupted.

“My dad wasn’t a very exuberant type of person – but he and my mother were very proud. They went on the ice, and they were shaking hands with everybody,” LaRue said. He even saw tears in his father’s eyes.

“I think it was just a culmination of everything that happened – right up through to win an Ontario championship in the OHA.”

With the new stadium, a successful OHA team and new crop of talent learning the game at nearby Hockey Haven camp, LaRue had the chance to meet the greats: Bobby Orr and Ken Dryden both coached at the camp, and LaRue bussed them and the trainees around.

“I was really happy for him to get to experience getting to know those NHL hockey players,” said Scott LaRue. “He was always interested in hockey, loved to coach the minor kids too.”

Without Albert LaRue, Haliburton’s sporting history would look much different. The athletic community builder not only helped erect Haliburton’s arena: over 40 years, his commitment to the County’s athletes laid a cornerstone for generations to come

County connection to ’72 Canada-USSR series

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 6, 2021

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Parker, who is a filmmaker and journalist, had extraordinary access to the 45th anniversary celebration of the series in Moscow in 2017. She spent five days and five nights in the Russian capital interviewing former Soviet and Canadian hockey players who had been invited to the commemoration, which included an audience with President Vladimir Putin. Some of that footage will feature in Ice Breaker.

Pat Stapleton, Phil Esposito, Wayne Cashman, Dennis Hull, Frank and Peter Mahovlich, Brad Park, Red Berenson and Yvon Cournoyer were some of the Canadians reunited with the likes of Vladislav Tretiak, Alexander Gusev, Alexander Maltsev, Alexander Yakushev, Vladimir Shadrin, Vyacheslav Anisin, Yevgeny Zimmin and Yuri Blinov at the three-day Summit Series commemoration sponsored by the Russian Sports Federation.

Parker did not get to meet Putin in person but said the most memorable part of the trip was when she was told she could get on a bus and do interviews with some of the Russian legends. They were en route to meet up with the Canadian veterans before boarding a plane to a function being hosted by Putin.

“Very poignant, very interesting, they were very excited to meet the Canadian players,” Parker recalled in an interview with The Highlander.

At one point, she had to leave her camera behind as she was given a tour of Moscow Dynamo’s VTB Arena. The Dynamo are equivalent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Canada.

Parker said the project only recently got the green light from the broadcasters. Principal production begins in a couple of weeks.

She said the summit has been a subject of many stories over the years so Ice Breaker will be “more a look at Canada, who we are and how we’ve evolved and where people were at those iconic moments.”

As an additional director, she will be steering the post production crew through all of the footage that she took and how it will be woven into the story.

“Nobody else has interviewed those Russian players – so that was amazing,” she said.

She recalled taking a crash course in Russian two weeks leading up to going. A few players spoke a bit of English, equivalent to her Russian. For the remainder, they had to use a translator.

Upon landing, the former Canadian ambassador to Russia, Gary Smith, pushed her first through customs, saying if the Aussie could get through, then they should be alright. Parker was born in Australia. Then she and her small crew of one other person, a sound recordist, waited in their hotel room for a call. She said she was in the hotel gym when that call came. She quickly cleaned herself up, grabbed her equipment and jumped on that bus.

Other highlights included the affection between the players with Park mentioned most by the Russians.

A touching moment saw Stapleton apologising at the sports museum for not shaking hands on the ice after game one and Yakushev shaking hands with him.

She said the players revisited Luznhiki stadium and for many it was their first time back.

“Blinov mentioned the Canadian fan blowing the trumpet. The Canadian fans were nothing like the Soviets had ever seen. Walking through the stadium corridors it was emotional for the Canadian players recounting the scene of 30,000 fan telegrams from Canada that lined the walls. That lifted their spirits in the last game in 72. I asked Pat Stapleton if he felt proud to be back. He said, “I carry pride whereever I go. I don’t have to be here to feel it.”

Parker said Stapleton, who has since passed away, wanted the documentary to be shown in schools and around the nation.

“Now that’s what will happen.” ‘

Feature film, doco series in fall 2022

White Pine Pictures and Adobe Productions International announced July 12 that the Department of Canadian Heritage is participating in the funding of Ice Breaker. In a joint press release, they said the film and series will be available at high profile community screenings, in schools and on television and streaming services.

Minister of Canadian Heritage, Steven Guilbeault, said, “The Summit Series of 1972 was eight games between Canadian professionals and Soviet elite players that not only changed hockey but also became a defining moment in Canadian culture.”

White Point Pictures’ president, Peter Raymont, added, “Sport can be an extraordinary catalyst for national unity and offers an important sense of belonging for new Canadians.”

Arcadia Lodge marks a milestone

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 6, 2021

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Arcadia Masonic Lodge in Minden has reached the grand old age of 125 and members are hoping to celebrate the anniversary this fall.

Arcadia historian Gareth Kellett, a Past Master and Past District Deputy Grand Master, has written a short history of the Lodge. He notes that many of the men who settled in the area in the 1800s were Masons. The closest lodge was Spry Lodge in Fenelon Falls and it was difficult to attend the meetings due to the lack of roads.

“In 1896, eight brethren from The Spry Lodge, approached Grand Lodge with a petition to institute a lodge in Minden,” wrote Kellett.

“The request was granted and in August 1896, a new lodge was instituted in Minden as the Algonquin Lodge U.D. [under dispensation]. Very shortly it became Arcadia Lodge.”

Meetings were held over Donald Hartles’ general store at the corner of today’s Water and Main streets. Most men in Minden and the surrounding area were Masons and by 1928 Arcadia had outgrown its space. The lodge built a two-storey building beside the Rockcliffe Hotel. By 1947 it was time to expand again, this time to the old parish hall for St. Paul’s Anglican Church.

In 2005 it was becoming apparent that the lodge foundation needed work and Arcadia learned the Minden Food Bank was looking for more space. The lodge and the food bank agreed to join forces.

“The end result is the building that we have today which houses the Masonic Lodge, the Minden Food Bank and Community Kitchen” on Newcastle Street. Community Kitchen is a food bank initiative that makes prepared foods available for those in need.

Along the way Arcadia was responsible for starting a new Masonic Lodge in Haliburton in 1903 and another in Kinmount in 1905.

In an interview with The Highlander, Kellett spoke of the Lodge’s community contributions beyond support for the food bank, such as bursaries and awards for students at the elementary school level.

As for marking the anniversary, “we’ve been holding off, waiting until we were able to have meetings again, but we are planning to have a celebration towards the end of September as far as we’re aware of at the moment,” said Kellett.

“I would expect in the very near future that they [Grand Lodge] will be sending out word that we’re going to be able to meet in person again.”

Live opera returns to the Highlands

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 6, 2021

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Highlands Opera Studio (HOS) will do four live performances in Haliburton County between Aug. 12 and 20.

In an Aug. 2 press release, Valerie Kuinka and Richard Margison said performances will take place under the big tent at Abbey Gardens with a bonus concert on Mountain Lake.

‘Opera to Broadway’ will be presented Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. under the Abbey Gardens’ tent.

“Enjoy an evening of vocal favourites from opera and musical theatre sung by some of the best and brightest young Canadian professional singers, participants of HOS 2021, accompanied by HOS music director, Stephane Mayer, and Haliburton’s own, Melissa Stephens,” Kuinka and Margison said. The cost is $25 with an approximate running time of 90 minutes including one 15-minute intermission.

The bonus concert, ‘Music on the Beach,’ at Fairfield Bay on Mountain Lake, is scheduled for Aug. 14, at 5 p.m.

“Launch your boat on Mountain Lake and anchor in Fairfield Bay, to enjoy favourite pop, folk, and musical theatre music featuring Lauren Margison and River Guard on vocals, and Stephane Mayer on keyboard,” organizers said. The concert is free and will run about 60 minutes. Online donations would be appreciated.

An opera ‘The Leporello Diaries: an Unsolved Mystery’, will be presented Aug, 19 and 20, at Abbey Gardens at 7 p.m.

“After discovering the long-lost diary of his great-great-great Uncle Leporello (the man servant of the mysterious philanderer, Baron Giovanni), join Charles (spoken role played by Richard Margison) as he searches for inspiration for his new book in the pages of his relative’s diary. Was the mysterious disappearance of Baron Giovanni all folklore? Or was this supernatural legend from the previous century anchored in truth?” the press release asks.

The opera is based on, and features music from Mozart’s opera, ‘Don Giovanni’. The English text was written by Lauren Margison. The cost $25. For information on the cast and creative team, go to highlandsoperastudio.com This will be presented in English and Italian. The approximate running time is two hours with one, 15-minute intermission.

“After two successful summers of offering online professional training to our talented young professionals, as well as presenting our online 13-concert series, ‘Reflections & Expressions’ we are overjoyed to be bringing the beauty of the unamplified human voice back to Haliburton County with a shortened live season,” Kuinka and Margison said.

See more at highlandsoperastudio.com

To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit: highlandsoperastudio.com

Saucey chef brings the bacon to Kennisis

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 6, 2021

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The owner of a little-known Highlands dining establishment is quietly working to serve up great food and perhaps change the way we see fine dining.

Parked at the Kennisis Lake Marina in Haliburton is a hot pink food truck, home to the Saucey Pig. From there Wade Stamp – self-styled “owner, operator, CEO and head chef” – prepares primarily pork-based takeout meals with a secret barbeque sauce and a side of humour.

Diners can dive into dishes ranging from smoked pulled pork sandwiches, chicken Caesar wraps and the Saucey Caesar salad to a full roast pork dinner. Poutine lovers can enjoy the aptly renamed “Pigtine” and “Bacontine,” the latter topped with a perky ‘pig snout’ garnish.

Stamp’s sense of fun is also evident in his approach to marketing: “Nosing around, looking for the best meal …?”, “Feeling a bit pigheaded this week …?” and “Dig the Pig.”

But while Stamp may play with quirky quips and piggy puns, when it comes to cooking, he’s completely serious. In fact, he refers to the Saucey Pig experience as fine dining.

“I’ve had a passion for cooking all my life and I take great pride in providing delicious food experiences for my friends, family, and customers,” said Stamp.

He pointed out that Saucey Pig dishes are made in-house with the “freshest and finest” ingredients and prepared only when ordered. The root-beer-basted, fennelseasoned, spice-encrusted pulled pork, smoked with Stamp’s own mix of wood pellets, and the special barbeque sauce, cheese buns, baked beans and more are all based on Stamp’s unique recipes developed through years of experience.

“This distinguishes the Saucey Pig from other food trucks, and the only difference between this fine dining experience and an expensive fine dining restaurant is the delivery method,” said Stamp.

”Not everyone can afford to go to an expensive restaurant, but the Saucey Pig has excellent food that is reasonably priced and accessible to everyone.”

A former Highlands resident, Stamp started the Saucey Pig in Wasaga Beach in 2010 and had the opportunity to relocate to Kennisis Lake last year.

“I have had a lifelong friendship with one of the owners of the marina,” said Stamp. “[Moving here] meant being a business owner in my home town and sharing my food with great friends, which has always been my dream … I am very pleased and thankful to bring my business home and begin a new and exciting chapter.”

The Saucey Pig is located at Kennisis Lake Marina, 1076 Wilkinson Rd., Haliburton. It’s open through the summer season on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from noon to 7:00 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

More information is available at facebook. com/the-Saucey-Pig and on Instagram @ sauceypig.

Parents get some answers on return to school

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 6, 2021

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The Trillium Lakelands District Board (TLDSB) has written to families about the Ministry of Education’s guide to reopening schools, announced earlier this week.

It said, “staff are reviewing the detailed document, which focuses on health, safety, and operational guidance for schools, to update plans for a safe return to school in September.”

It highlighted some of the information released by the ministry and added that many of the strategies and protocols in place in the past school year will continue in the upcoming school year.

Students will return to in-person learning daily for the full school day. Elementary school students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 will remain in one cohort for the full day and secondary school students will follow the quadmester system, at least for the full first semester of the school year.

All staff and students will be required to self-screen every day before attending school and wear wear masks while indoors and on student transportation. Masks will not be required outdoors.

Students do not need to stay within their cohort during recess and breaks outdoors, but distancing is to be encouraged between cohorts as much as possible. Physical distancing measures are to be layered with other public health measures, such as screening, hand hygiene, cohorting, enhanced cleaning, and masking.

The province said extra-curricular and inter-school sport activities will be permitted with some modifications.

Other measures included that ventilation systems in all schools are to be inspected and in good working order prior to the start of the school year. School boards are to work with local public health units to promote vaccination prior to school starting in September. Shared homerooms, libraries (for group and individual use, for example, drop-in study time, etc.) and computer/ technology labs, are permitted and use of lockers/cubbies is permitted.

Prior to the school year, all TLDSB families will receive a link to an updated Return to School 2021-2022 Plan, providing further details about a healthy and safe return to school for our students in September.

All COVID-19 information and updates can be found at HYPERLINK “https:// www.tldsb.ca/covid19/” tldsb.ca/covid19/.