After a late change to his nomination papers last week, Pat Casey will now contest Walt McKechnie for Dysart et al’s deputy mayor position in October’s municipal election.

Casey, the current acting deputy mayor, filed for mayor May 19. He was expected to challenge Greg Bishop and Andrew Nowell for the township’s top seat. However, last Thursday (Aug. 20), he withdrew from the mayoral race. He immediately filed to oppose McKechnie, who submitted his papers for a second term as deputy May 15.

Asked about the switch on Monday (Aug. 24), Casey said it was made with Dysart’s best interests in mind, although he didn’t get into specifics.

“I’m working towards the mayoral position, but this would give me another term to get closer to it, learn more and get up to speed. I feel like it’s kind of a graduated system,” Casey said. “There wasn’t so much a turning point, or a piece of information that made me go ‘holy jumpings, I’d better switch horses here’. I was just progressively thinking things through and thought about the team we could have.”

Casey said he had been contemplating a switch for weeks but solidified his decision Aug. 18. He said his first call was to McKechnie to give him a heads up.

While McKechnie, Dysart’s acting mayor, said he wasn’t counting his chickens over a second-straight acclamation, he admitted he was surprised and disappointed by Casey’s late switch.

McKechnie disappointed by decision

The first-term official, initially elected as Ward 1 councillor in 2022, had until Aug. 21 to make changes to his nomination.

“We spent about an hour-and-a-half together the day before and he didn’t mention anything, so I was definitely caught off-guard,” McKechnie said.

“I never assumed I had a free ride. I was in a lot of hockey games leading going into the last minute and ended up losing, so I never wanted to think I was automatically in again,” the former National Hockey League player said. “I’ve already been talking to people and am ready to hit the ground running with my campaign.”

Casey said his decision had nothing to do with Bishop and Nowell, or trying to project how the mayoral vote would land.

“I didn’t decide to do this because [I thought I was going to lose] – it would have been a good race between Greg and I. I think we’re equally capable of filling the position… but I feel, for Dysart and myself, it’s a better position for me to switch to deputy,” Casey said.

Key issues

Wrapping his fourth term, McKechnie said he’s proud of his service to the community, noting he wants one final run. If elected, the 2026-30 term will be his last.

After seeing the township make major progress with the sewage treatment plant expansion and future development of the 92-acre County Road 21 property, McKechnie wants to see those two projects through to completion.

“(They) are absolutely vital if this community is going to grow,” McKechnie said. With his council experience, McKechnie felt he would be a good support for the future mayor.

Casey wants a seat at the table next term when County council has some major decisions to make – such as the Eastern Ontario Regional Network’s affordability and governance review. It’s being recommended the County’s four lower-tiers amalgamate in some way, with a decision expected early in 2027.

Neither Casey nor McKechnie are convinced amalgamation is the answer, though. Casey said it’s too much, too fast. With such a big decision, he said they need to get it right as it cannot be reversed.

McKechnie is calling for some form of public vote or referendum before councils make a final decision. He said Haliburton County has a unique make-up and lacks industry. He thinks one-tier will lead to the loss of jobs, traditions and identity.

Advanced voting begins in Dysart Oct. 10, with voting day Oct. 26.

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dysart et al council is moving forward with its planned residential and community development on County Road 21, after endorsing a preferred concept and vision for the municipal lands.

Consultants from The Biglieri Group presented two updated layout options during a regular council meeting Tuesday (Aug. 25). Both concepts, 3A and 3B, addressed municipal requests, such as swapping locations of a planned long-term care facility and a multi-use recreational facility.

Staff recommended going with concept 3A, a single-road layout designed to maximize housing density and cost efficiency. According to a staff report, the concept would allow for a minimum of 119 residential units, while utilizing a single primary road layout crossing an environmental buffer, which planners noted provides “the biggest bang for your buck” in terms of infrastructure efficiency.

Council focused on whether to include a highway commercial block at the front of the planned subdivision. Consultants cautioned that adding commercial space at the property’s entrance complicates stormwater management.

“If the highway commercial block were to go in this area as requested… it essentially takes over the best location for a subdivision storm pond,” Biglieri Group’s Evan Sugden told council.

The project lead went on to note that a commercial zone would require multiple stormwater management solutions rather than a single unified solution.

“We felt it was better and more efficient for the municipality to keep a bigger multi-use block, a simpler stormwater management solution, and a cheaper stormwater management solution,” Sugden said.

Biglieri Group’s civil engineer, Jamie Dick, also recommended a single centralized pond.

“Ideally, one is the way to go here if it can function, work, and give the land the way you guys would like it to,” he told council.

Addressing the project’s priorities, coun. Nancy Wood-Roberts voiced a preference for housing over commercial space.

Council endorsed concept 3A. The Biglieri Group will move forward with preparing and submitting the required Planning Act applications.

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Many Canadians can remember exactly where they were on Aug. 20, 2016. A decade later, after The Tragically Hip walked off the stage for the last time in Kingston, Ont., Gord Downie’s voice can still be heard across the vast lakes of Haliburton County.

“In a lot of people’s minds, they’re Canada’s greatest band,” Haliburton’s MooseFM host Rick Lowes said.

On Aug. 20, MooseFM joined dozens of radio stations to mark the 10th anniversary of the band’s final show. The station dedicated a three-hour block to playing nothing but The Hip.

For Lowes, dedicating a massive chunk of afternoon airtime to the iconic Ontario rockers wasn’t a complex programming decision; it was simply common sense.

“Certainly, a lot of our listeners listen to The Hip… it just seemed like the logical move,” Lowes explained.

With the age-old debate about what is the country’s greatest band, the host points to the bond between The Hip and small-town audiences, especially in cottage country.

“The Hip have a special place in Canada’s heart, I think, because they made it huge in Canada, but they really didn’t pursue any kind of career outside of the country,” Lowes said. “So many of their songs are so relatable to every Canadian.”

The Hip’s legacy isn’t just felt across local airwaves; it’s alive on stages across the Highlands. For father-son duo VanHillert, The Hip represents pure Canadian rock, and a shared interest that spans generations.

The father reflected on seeing the band before they were a household name, during a summer gig at Wasaga Beach in July 1986.

“They were nobody,” Chris Hillert told The Highlander before a gig at Minden’s Boshkung Social.

“They played at the Dardanella, and downstairs was this little schlocky pool hall. The first impression was [Gord] had a piece of plywood that he used to stand on, stomping his feet around like Stompin’ Tom [Connors]. He kind of reminded me of Jim Morrison. That kind of stuck with me. If you were to define that sound, that Canadian rock sound, that’s The Hip.”

For Owen Hillert, drummer in VanHillert, the connection to the Kingston band was formed during that final night a decade ago. Nearly twelve million people tuned in to watch the final concert that was aired on the CBC.

“It was kind of sombre,” Chris said. “We all knew what was going on. We really absorbed it.”

Owen was just eight years old at the time.

“I watched that whole thing, and that’s what really got me into them. Now we play a bunch of their songs,” Owen said.

For local performers, Hip tracks aren’t just covers; they’re cottage country anthems. When VanHillert rips into songs like “Blow At High Dough,” the reaction in the room is instant.

“They pay attention more to The Hip than anything,” Owen said. “It’s a universal ring bell for their minds to just focus on.”

“Whenever we play it, it’s the biggest response of the night,” his father added. “I don’t know, it’s just a universal language up here.”

Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in December 2015. He died on Oct. 17, 2017, at the age of 53.

The Wilberforce FUNraising Group’s Barb Schofield said she’s a big believer in the annual education bursary volunteers award to a local youth set to pursue a postsecondary degree or diploma.

On Sunday (Aug. 23), the FUNraisers announced Marisol Hall was the recipient of this year’s $500 award, which she will put towards costs of the honours arts and English literature program she’s starting at Trent University in September.

The group has distributed $4,000 to local students since launching the bursary in 2017.

The money can be used to offset moving costs, go towards tuition, or to purchase expensive items such as course books and specialist computer programs.

Bob Lake’s Rock the Dock fundraiser celebrated its fifth year this summer – raising another $6,310 for the Minden Community Food Centre – bringing the overall total to just shy of $25,000.

Pamela England, a member of the Bob Lake Association (BLA), said “while we fell just a little short of our record-breaking fourth year, we were absolutely thrilled with the results, especially given the weather.

The enthusiasm and generosity of everyone who came out made the day a huge success.”

England said the raffle, introduced in 2024, continues to be a huge hit and an important part of the fundraiser.

She also thanked business supporters.

Food centre manager, Tracey Gilbert, said they “could not be more grateful for the partnership and ongoing support we have received from the Bob Lake Association and everyone who comes together each year to make Rock the Dock such a success.”

She added funds help them provide food and support to individuals and families in the community who need it most.