Haliburton County came to a collective standstill last week as locals heard of the death of one of the community’s greatest champions: Dysart et al mayor Murray Fearrey.

The longtime municipal politician died May 28, aged 84. He passed peacefully, surrounded by his partner Donna McCallum and family. He had been in poor health after a recent fall at home.

Murray was one of the longest tenured politicians in Canadian history, with more than 50 years of service. He was first elected to Dysart council in 1971 before becoming reeve (mayor) in 1975 – a position he held for many terms. He served as warden of Haliburton County a dozen times.

He was acclaimed as Dysart’s head of council in 2022, spending the past threeand-a-half years progressing several projects he thought were pivotal to the community’s long-term future.

“Politics was Murray’s life… he loved Haliburton. He truly believed we could do anything as a community. He worked hard to make Haliburton a better place,” Donna told The Highlander in a June 1 interview.

“He was so proud to live in Haliburton. He spent his whole life here. He always talked about progress, wanting to see the community grow – and making sure we were prepared for that growth. I see his influence everywhere in this community.”

Dysart et al deputy mayor Walt McKechnie said Haliburton County lost a true community titan. He first met Murray in the 1970s when, as a National Hockey League player, he was helping out at a prominent local hockey school.

The pair stayed in touch and became friends, with Murray eventually serving as the launching pad for McKechnie’s political career 16 years ago.

“There weren’t many days since when I have not seen or talked to Murray. We were very close. He had his finger on the pulse always and was so committed to this place,” McKechnie said.

The deputy mayor said he found it difficult between 2018 and 2022 without his longtime friend. So much so, he admitted he was the one who made the call to initiate Fearrey’s return.

“He was the best man for the job – and looking at everything we’ve been able to accomplish as a council over the past threeand-a-half, I’d say it was the right call. Right up until the end, he was doing whatever he could to make Dysart and the County a better place,” McKechnie said.

Murray championed the $1.725 million purchase of 92 acres on County Road 21, deeming it the last available and suitable property for the town to grow. The township has invested ever since, with plans to launch a $3-million community bond program to pave the way for residential development. There is also land for a new long-term care facility and, potentially, an arena.

Beyond that, McKechnie said Murray had been instrumental in progressing the expansion of the township’s water treatment facility, bringing the Gardens of Haliburton retirement residence, and advocating for facilities such as J.D. Hodgson Elementary School, the Haliburton School of Art + Design, and the Haliburton hospital. He also played a key role in securing the land that today houses Head Lake Park from the Canadian National Railway Co.

“In a world of talkers, Murray was a doer. Just look around town, around this County. So many of the major things that we have, that have been done, he’s had a hand in. Murray Fearrey is oneof-a-kind. He lived and breathed Haliburton County, loved going into town to talk to people. There will never be another like him.”

Genuine

Murray was as genuine as a person could be, Donna said, noting he was the same at home as inside council chambers.

“He was a kind, humble and caring man. He liked to watch what was going on, take it all in, before reacting. And he had a great sense of humour. He could really see the absurdity in things,” Donna said.

The couple were together 35 years. Murray was a second father to Donna’s three children – Paul, Leigh and Heather, and affectionately known as “Gramps” by her three grandchildren. He also has a daughter, Brenda, from a previous relationship.

In his working life, Murray started out as a municipal assessor for Dysart before joining Ken Wilson as a partner in Haliburton Lumber – now Haliburton Timber Mart – in 1969. He worked there with Wilson until his retirement in 2007. Murray loved fishing and golfing and was a proud member of Haliburton Rotary and the North Entrance Masonic Lodge for many years.

Donna said the outpouring of support over the past week has been heartwarming. She’s heard many stories with the same message – that the Haliburton Murray helped create has encouraged others to build their lives and raise their own families here.

There have been many suggestions of ways to honour Murray, including renaming Head Lake Park or the Haliburton hospital in his honour. McKechnie wants to see the municipal building at 135 Maple Ave. named after his longtime mentor.

“I think it would be fitting to have his name on the building he spent so much time in over the past 50 years. Up until about six months ago, he was in there three or four times a week. In his earlier years, he was there every day,” McKechnie said. “When you turn that corner from Highland Street onto Maple Avenue, I want people to see his name at the end of the road in shining lights.

A visitation is being held at Haliburton Community Funeral Home June 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation to support the emergency department.

An official opening ceremony for the new green burial section of St. Stephen’s Cemetery was held this past Sunday (May 31).

Algonquin Highlands mayor Liz Danielsen said, “this is the first site of its kind in the County of Haliburton, and the township is pleased to be able to offer this form of burial to those seeking an environmentallysustainable alternative to traditional methods.”

A green burial is a method of laying a body to rest that strives to be as environmentally-gentle as possible. The body is placed directly into the earth in a biodegradable casket, without embalming fluids or synthetic materials. Burials are available year-round.

The project has been about seven years in the making, and Danielsen thanked the Haliburton Highlands Green Burial Society (HHGBS), the Algonquin Highlands green burial ad hoc committee, township staff, and community partners, “who have helped make this vision a reality.”

President of the HHGBS, Terry Moore, said, “to make this happen required a huge amount of energy and support on the part of AH councillors and staff, as well as the membership of the HHGBS.”

He first approached Algonquin Highlands council about the idea after the death of his son, Kyle, and his wife, Shirley, was the first person to be buried in the section.

Moore added, “today we celebrate the achievement of this wonderful, collective, first step in end-of-life practices in our own little piece of paradise. There’s so much more work to be done and we’re just getting started.”

Following speeches, Carolyn Langdon of the Haliburton County Master Gardeners planted a mountain ash tree between large stones, donated by Keith Thomas of Francis Thomas Contracting, and prepared by Darren Johnson of Haliburton Rock Quarry. Langdon was assisted by Moore’s grandchildren, Avreya and Kyle MooreWodham. Students of the Haliburton School of Art + Design constructed the gazebo under the direction of Glenn Diezel of Diezel Woodworks.

End-of-life doula, Adriane Weller, brought the afternoon’s proceedings to a close. St. Stephen’s Cemetery is located at 2072 Buckslide Rd.

Algonquin Highlands deputy mayor Jennifer Dailloux has called time on her eight-year political career, telling The Highlander she won’t be seeking re-election in the fall.

She said her choice was to either run for mayor, or not at all; a decision she has been pondering daily for the better part of a year.

Early on, she eliminated just running as a councillor, which potentially qualifies for deputy mayor, but said, “I don’t want to be one of the members of the peanut gallery, who points and says, ‘if I were the mayor.’ So, it was all or not.

Dailloux said she had a vision for the kind of changes she could make as head of council; such as deeper community partnerships and environmental stewardship. While “lofty,” she felt she could pull it off after “hard-earned pragmatism” garnered from eight years on council.

But, “at what cost?” she asked herself.

“Throwing my ‘everything’ towards that vision has been very tempting. And to be honest, I think I’d be good at it. I know I would bring a lot of heart to the work. But there would be significant drawbacks. My life is rich and full; my creative life and volunteer work are extremely important to me. The reality is, these would have to be swept aside for four years if I made it to that chair. Life is so short, so precious, and I am just not willing to let them go.”

Dailloux said she is at peace with her decision, but will miss the work come next fall.

“What helps is knowing there are a multitude of ways I can continue to contribute to my community, and in some respects, perhaps more directly than if I were to stay on council. I look forward to that. It’s a good decision. It’s the right one.”

Dailloux would like to stay on the board of Point in Time, saying she is a “huge fan. I want to do more with them if they’ll keep me.”

She’d like to remain on the board of the Haliburton County Public Library (HCPL), but is now a council appointee.

Dailloux is also passionate about continuing her role on the board of the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust. “I love the work the land trust is doing. I really want to be a more active participant in their work, and just haven’t had the time for it, now I will.”

She is also interested in Crown land issues that have impacted Algonquin Highlands, and other parts of the County and would like to contribute in areas of water and lake health.

One of her biggest accomplishments on council was being part of the partnerships that brought the green burial section to St. Stephen’s Cemetery in Algonquin Highlands, for which there was an official opening ceremony May 31.

She is also pleased with her involvement in returning a Dorset branch to the HCPL service. She said it is rare for a community to get a library back once it has closed.

Dailloux is also chuffed council has taken a more consultative approach to decisionmaking, using its Bang the Table platform to get public input on major projects.

The soon-to-be former councillor has another title to add to her resume; that of author. Dailloux said she is in the midst of writing a book. “It’s a really important part of what I’m doing now. I’ve always wanted to write and I’m about 70,000 words in. The idea of that slipping away for four years is unpalatable.”

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The library at Hal High became a living history museum when Second World War survivor Jim Neville spoke to students about living through the 1940 London Blitz.

The 87-year-old provided students a rare glimpse of what life was like for a child living during Nazi Germany’s bombing campaign, explaining that the reality of war was often found in “the little stuff” that wasn’t really detailed in history textbooks.

While the British government successfully evacuated about one million children from London in 1940, Neville’s family chose to stay behind. According to the Guelph, Ont., resident, many of the displaced children struggled to adapt, with the majority returning to the capital within a year due to friction with host families or a hatred for country life.

Neville explained that rural displacement was a major disruption for families living in the cities, recounting how his own grandparents openly detested being relocated to the edge of the countryside in Roehampton from where they lived for so long, opposite the Fulham Gas Works.

“They hated it there because, A, there was no pubs close by, and B, they didn’t have any gas smell,” Neville said.

To pass the evenings between air raids, Neville said his family relied on storytelling to keep spirits high. But the destructive reality of the Blitz was nearly impossible to escape, to the point where the sensory memories remain sharp to this day.

“The street behind us was completely destroyed,” Neville recalled. “Looking out the back door, I can still see those flames going into the sky and bits of debris that were being lifted by the hot air.”

Asked what the city smelled like, his answer was simple: “Smoke and fire.”

Neville explained that surviving the war meant finding routine amid chaos. He and his classmates continued to play during daylight hours.

“The kids I went to school with, we used to play in the street together, typical kids’ games,” he said.

A shift occurred late in the war with the arrival of American GIs, Neville said, explaining his neighbours befriended the soldiers, leading to a massive post-war care package from the United States.

“A couple of them sent us a great big parcel of marbles, chewing gum, candy,” he said. “Because you couldn’t get any of that stuff. Well, candy and sugar were rationed right up until 1953.”

Neville has been speaking with students for a few years now, after a casual dinner conversation with his grandson, Jake, sparked the idea to share his memories.

As firsthand accounts of the war become increasingly rare, Neville said he hopes that his stories inspire students to look beyond textbook facts.

“I just hope it makes them a little interested in learning more about the history of the war, and our country, and Britain,” he said. “And just to be a little bit more aware of what’s going on in the world as well… to form their own sort of opinions about it.” June 6 is D-Day, the anniversary of the Normandy landings.

Haliburton Rotary has relaunched its bike share program in Haliburton village for another season.

The bikes are free to use by anyone 18 and older and can be unlocked with a smart phone and credit card.

Volunteer Irv Handler noted cards will only be charged if bikes are lost, stolen or damaged.

There are six bikes available to rent for up to three hours, located in Head Lake Park in front of the bicycle caboose, which has also recently reopened.

The bikes can be signed out during daylight hours, currently between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The program will remain in place through to Thanksgiving.

Handler said this year the bike share is running as part of the Haliburton County Community Cooperative.

Bicycle caboose volunteer Pamela Marsales said the space is open on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. She said a program schedule, including activities for youth, will be released soon

SIRCH hosted its annual rally for rhubarb last week in Haliburton in support of the non-profit’s community kitchen programs.

County residents who may have had extra rhubarb growing in their gardens were asked to consider donating it to SIRCH during this year’s collection days.

While technically a vegetable, SIRCH said the donated rhubarb “will be transformed into homemade fruit servings and comforting desserts through SIRCH’s community kitchen program, helping provide thousands of nutritious meals to seniors, families, and individuals experiencing food insecurity across Haliburton County.”

A number of years ago, Susan Tromanhauser came across a website called Humans of New York (HONY).

HONY is a massively popular photoblog and storytelling platform created by photographer Brandon Stanton in 2010. What started as an attempt to photograph 10,000 random New Yorkers has evolved into a global phenomenon, featuring intimate portraits and deeply personal anecdotes from everyday people across the globe.

Tromanhauser loved how each post featured not only a candid street portrait, but quotes or short stories from the subjects, ranging from humorous and quirky to profoundly heartbreaking and inspiring.

“I thought it was fascinating because it was regular people telling their stories and everybody had a different story,” Tromanhauser told The Highlander in a recent interview.

The former freelance writer for regional magazines in the Niagara Region, who made the County her full-time home during COVID, thought, “I could do this here.”

She then began pondering where the stories might be published and sent an email to The Highlander, to see if the paper was interested in running a Humans of Haliburton Highlands column. It was. Fast forward to 2026, and Tromanhauser recently published a collection of those columns in book form. She will be launching it at Corner Gallery, at 123 Maple Ave., Haliburton on June 6.

She said another motivator for launching the column was that even though she had been coming to the family cottage in Algonquin Highlands for 30 years, she didn’t know a lot of locals.

“Saying that I have a column gave me permission to go up to people and ask them questions,” she quipped.

“Because everybody I meet does have a story.”

Tromanhauser is out and about and not afraid to approach complete strangers at events. She’ll strike up a conversation. When she gets a response, she’ll mention her column and ask if the person wouldn’t mind being interviewed. She said that 80 per cent of the time, the subject says ‘yes’, although inevitably “everybody says ‘I don’t have anything to say. I don’t have a story’.” However, they usually do. She has some standard questions, such as where people are from, and how they came to be in the Highlands, why they stay, anything they miss about elsewhere. “Somewhere in those questions, it goes in a different direction.”

She said writing the column gives her a sense of accomplishment. So has publishing her first-ever book. “Because I do like to write, and I like to have a purpose to write. So, it gives me a purpose and it gives me a deadline.”

She is also conscious of her subjects, saying, “I’m hoping when they read it in the paper, they feel a sense of accomplishment in what they’ve done. Because sometimes people are too busy living their lives, they don’t see it.”

She recalls how her love of writing came in Grade 2 when the students were introduced to new words. They were shown a photo and had to write a story using those words. Tromanhauser loved it. “I could not wait… since then, I’ve always wanted to write a book.”

She also takes part in a writers’ group organized by Sue Reynolds of Stone’s Throw Publications. Lots of authors were talking about publishing and she thought, “if they can do it, why not me?”

The launch will be from 1-3 p.m. There will be a Q and A with Tromanhauser followed by mingling and snacks.