Artist doing the ‘Chamba Chamba’

September 5, 2024

When life gives Highlands artist Veronica Abrenica lemons, she tosses them into a proverbial pot of ‘Chamba Chamba’ – a favourite saying of her Filipino uncle growing up that means ‘come what may’ – and continues to smile.

“It took a long time for me to teach myself that, no matter what happens, no matter the challenges, we can persevere. Come what may, approach it with a good attitude,” Abrenica said.

A COVID-19 transplant from Vaughan, Abrenica said she loves life in Haliburton County. She remembers visiting as a child, her parents venturing north for summer vacations at the Wigamog Inn, where they had a timeshare. Wanting to be closer to nature more permanently, Abrenica sought an escape.

She found a studio apartment in Minden that “spoke” to her artistic soul, moving here permanently in 2021.

With a penchant for art, Abrenica feels like she hit the jackpot relocating to the community relatively sight unseen, without knowing how deep the Highlands’ artistic roots run. One of her first discoveries was Fay Wilkinson’s art therapy classes in Minden.

“They were exactly what I needed to reinvigorate my creative spirit,” Abrenica said.

Bits and pieces she picked up from Fay, as well as her 11 years as a professional artist, will be on display this weekend at The Space in Haliburton as Abrenica prepares for her first solo art exhibit. Fittingly, she’s called it ‘Chamba Chamba’.

“My uncle would always say this while cooking – it basically means whatever resource you have, you put it in the pot and hope that it tastes good,” Abrenica said. “You have to activate the sweetness, sourness, bitterness – all the taste buds. So this show will be about activating the senses, peeling back the onion to show what makes someone human, sharing the soul.”

Her uncle passed away in 2021, so she’s using the exhibit to commemorate and honour his memory.

Describing herself as a performance artist, Abrenica said there will be various mediums showcased when the three-day exhibit opens Sept. 5. She will be leading in-person live performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m., while also displaying multimedia, mixed media, and collage works on the gallery walls.

Abrenica considers the entire display a “living exhibit” that she’s encouraging all attendees to contribute to or move around, whether you’re an artist or not.

“The act of making art is beautiful – I love when people are in the moment. I love the mistakes, the quirkiness that comes out, because it’s authentic,” Abrenica said. “I’ve lived most of my life through my authenticity. The way everything is constructed in life, you feel like you have to fit in somewhere in this realm. But art allows you to go beyond that.

“We forget sometimes we’re human, we’re not robots. We’re meant to exist together, share one another’s stories. This is going to be my story, and I hope others will tell theirs too,” she added.

The dates are extra significant to Abrenica, as it’s the anniversary of her mother moving to Canada. She said the art will cover her mother’s story, too.

“It navigates the story of belonging. Everyone has their own journey, but I’m realizing more my Filipino upbringing is very tied into how I move through space, how I live my life,” Abrenica said.

The Space is open Sept. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. and Sept. 6/7 from noon to 5 p.m., with performances at 6 p.m. Friday’s performance will take place at Blue Sky Yoga Studio.

Hurry, hard for Minden’s 75th anniversary

Lisa Gervais

September 5, 2024

Michele and Jamie Walker were frustrated snowmobilers when they decided to register for curling in Minden in 2019. The long-time cottagers had recently permanently moved to the County.

Jamie said they had time and Michele said snowmobiling was unreliable so “winters were really boring until we joined the curling club.”

Jamie recalls asking if there was a social element on registration night; if people had a drink after playing. He was assured they would have one or two, as they sat with their teammates and competitors for after-game playful teasing and camaraderie. “We have found it to be very much that way. It’s a social club with curling, but of course it’s curling and the social aspect of it is huge. We’ve me a ton of people.”

Michele adds many of their friendships have spilled over into full-time, not just the curling season.

“The social aspect is strong and very beneficial to anybody at all, especially if you are new to town,” Jamie says.

The club is holding its’ registration event Thursday Sept. 12, 4-8 p.m., as its 75th season continues. Curlers will take to the ice the Tuesday after Thanksgiving [Oct. 15], and the four-week Learn-to-Curl begins the following Sunday, Oct. 20.

President Dwight Thomas said he began curling in high school before joining the Minden Curling Club. His foster parents shared their love of the sport with him. At the time, he said Glee club was number one, and curling number two among teens. It was a simpler time, with “less attractions” he recalls while seated in the club lounge.

The current club was built in 1980 thanks to a matching Wintario grant. He said the club remains proud that it did not cost taxpayers anything. The original building was a Quonset hut that the Minden Agricultural Society purchased from CFB Trenton, and rented out to the curlers. It was opened in 1949.

Thomas pulls out a prized original copy of the program for the opening of that first Minden rink 75 years ago.

“There was enthusiasm obviously. When this was built, curlers in those days had to buy their own rocks.”

He recalled a big moment in the late 1950s when the club borrowed $400 to buy curling stones from the Bobcaygeon Curling Club. At the time, there were 44 members. He said it was a time when people celebrated “the roaring game” due to the stones and “slap, slap” of straw brooms.

He also has fond memories of jam can curling at the Minden winter carnival. Large cans of jam were emptied into bellies and then filled with cement and handles for Saturday morning’s 8 a.m. throw across the ice. Public school kids were drawn to the sport. “If it fell over, it didn’t count. It was fun.”

Thomas said there had been too many highlights to recall all of them, but pointed to the 50th anniversary when the club hosted the Ontario Curling Association junior championships. Looking at the program, names such as Jenn Hanna, Julie Reddick [now Tippin] and John Morriss all appear – long before they went on to provincial, national and world curling competitions. “It was a big deal,” Thomas recalls, with 180 seated for a meal next door at the community centre. There were men’s and ladies intermediate, bantam mixed, and Timbits elementary school championships.

As club president for the twelfth or thirteenth time, he’s lost track, he said he is proud to see the club turn 75.

“For me, the first thing is the curling club. This is home. It’s a community thing. It seems to have involved everybody in the community over the years.”

Owning team on Wilson’s bucket list

Mike Baker

September 5, 2024

Haliburton County Huskies owner Paul Wilson said, aside from bringing a Jr. A hockey championship to Haliburton County, his primary goal with the Huskies is to set the franchise up for the long haul in the Highlands.

The club will kick off its fourth Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) season in Minden this weekend, with a Saturday afternoon tilt with the Leamington Flyers. As has become customary, Wilson expects there to be a full house at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena cheering the team on.

“We have the best fans in the league – the support we’ve seen over the past four years, that’s what’s kept us going,” Wilson said.

His short-term focus will be developing a business plan that guides the Huskies franchise into the black. Despite having some of the best season ticket sales (over 300 this season) and sponsorship numbers in the league, the team is operating at a loss.

Wilson has invested north of $1 million since purchasing the then Whitby Fury in 2019. That includes $150,000 for the Huskies state-of-the-art locker room at the Minden arena, another few thousand to install the standing rails in the rink and covering hefty transportation costs for the past three seasons.

It’s a sizeable commitment, but one Wilson is prepared to stand behind. Especially when he looks back on the fruits of his, and general manager and head coach Ryan Ramsay’s, years of labour.

“I’m proud of the fact I’m able to bring a major hockey franchise to Haliburton County. No other community like this could support a Jr. A hockey team, in my opinion. It’s a very, very rare thing,” Wilson said.

While Wilson and Ramsay tried to make a go of things in Whitby, and first considered moves to Uxbridge and Port Perry once it became clear relocation was necessary, they’re delighted to have landed in Haliburton County.

In fact, Wilson said it was something of a dream for him re-establishing a Huskies program in the Highlands.

“I grew up in Haliburton. I’ve lived here my whole life. I played for the Huskies in the 60s when they were a Jr. D team. This is bucket list type stuff,” Wilson said.

There were offers to sell and relocate the franchise this summer, but Wilson said that was a non-starter. Instead, he’s spent the past few months working with Ramsay to sell new recruits on winter living in cottage country.

Getting players to commit has, historically, been a challenge. Some of the Huskies’ best players in recent years, former captains Patrick Saini, Christian Stevens and Nathan Porter, and stars like Oliver Tarr and Lucas Stevenson, got their start with the franchise when it was in Whitby.

“When players come, they love it. But we do have trouble getting younger players, finding all the billets we need to house them,” Wilson said.

At least until this season.

The Huskies are a much younger outfit this year, Wilson notes, with eight 17-yearolds making the squad. As under agers, they will attend Haliburton Highlands Secondary School.

“I remember one year we didn’t have anybody going to high school, so it’s a big change,” Wilson said.

With the addition of centreman Nathan Poole, who spent three seasons playing in the Ontario Hockey League with the Kingston Frontenacs, and 20-year-old veteran netminder Corbin Votary, the Huskies have some serious talent in key positions.

They will, however, be without 17-yearold defenceman Lukas Moore, who had committed to the Huskies and was expected to play a key role on the blueline, only to crack the Frontenacs roster out of training camp this week. Two other recruits the Huskies hoped to count on this year also earned OHL gigs.

That’s bittersweet for Wilson.

“We are seen as a really good operation – good coaching, good fans, good everything. Players want to come here now, but the downside to that is we’re sometimes waiting on and competing with [OHL teams] for players,” Wilson said.

Some players, like winger Alex Smeeton, opt for Jr. A instead so they can try their luck playing college hockey in the U.S. The NCAA, which regulates collegiate competition south of the border, doesn’t accept OHL alumni.

While still a few moves short of boasting a team capable of competing for a championship, Wilson said that will always be the goal while he remains owner.

“To have a little town like this win an OJHL title would be amazing. It would just be a dream come true for me, and it would put us on the map for hockey all over Canada,” Wilson said.

What do we want to be?

September 4, 2024

At last week’s County council meeting, there was a discussion about the municipality developing a strategic plan.

I was surprised to hear that the County has never had one. Without a plan, how can staff and councillors know what to prioritize?

They have been able to do so – somewhat – for example, focusing on lake health via a shoreline preservation bylaw adopted by three councils, and soon licensing and regulating short-term rentals.

However, without a to-do list, some things have fallen by the wayside. Other shiny things have come up, and councillors and staff can become distracted. It’s easy to lose focus in a fast-changing world.

So, I applaud the creation of a strategic plan.

I am also pleased the council has decided not to hire a consultant to do this work. It has been the practice of most councils to hire outside firms. For the most part, I have not been impressed with the results. It will be interesting to see how the in-house approach to this file will pan out. Some, such as warden Liz Danielsen, would like a more hands-off approach, believing outsiders may see things staff would not. However, the majority of councillors are happy to give staff a crack at it, for a lot less money for taxpayers.

We welcome the working group’s plan to consult with residents. I believe that is a crucial part of the process. We need to be asked what we think council’s priorities should be over the next five years.

Coun. Jennifer Dailloux did query how the parameters of that feedback would be managed, since County council is responsible for certain things, such as roads, planning, community safety, economic development and tourism, human resources, physician recruitment, land ambulances and community paramedicine, as well as sitting on numerous external boards.

Not every resident is going to get a kitten or pony, as former coun. Carol Moffatt used to joke.

However, as raised by coun. Bob Carter – there is value in trying to garner a vision for the future of the County – and that goes beyond a five-year window.

In the face of rapid growth, now is the time to have that discussion – if not too late.

What do we want Haliburton County to look like in five, 10, 15, 20, 25 years? Do we want to continue down the road of looking like Muskoka or do we want to reclaim Haliburton County? Do we want continued growth or are we maxed out? Is it time to say enough is enough? As coun. Murray Fearrey said, we simply don’t have the infrastructure to accommodate current growth rates.

The question of what we want to be has never been as important as it is now, in my opinion. But to get solid answers, we need to be engaged. We need to lift our game. Just as the last municipal election was appalling – not enough people running for office and too many acclamations – we need to get involved. Because if we don’t, we are going to have seven councillors set our agenda going forward and if we don’t like it – we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves.

Celebrating our history

Mike Baker

September 4, 2024

Two iconic Haliburton County landmarks are in the news this week.

The first is Sunday’s 100th birthday celebration at the Bonnie View Inn on Lake Kashagawigamog.

The second is the Ecclestone family purchasing Minden’s former Rockcliffe Tavern.

It seems fitting that both stories coincide with the Labour Day weekend. It is always a rite of passage in the Highlands – as cottagers and visitors turn from carefree summer days and begin to think about returning to the city and getting their kids ready for school.

While they will dribble in and out until Thanksgiving weekend – and a hardy few will visit in winter – the exodus marks another turning of the wheel.

At one time, from about 1940 to 1969, resorts were a big business in Haliburton County. There were 17 alone on Kashagawigamog and Canning lakes. People would come for long stretches of time, weeks. Today, folks come for a few days. Times have changed.

Lakefront homes and cottages have replaced many of them, though there are still lodges and summer camps for kids.

So, for Bonnie View to be marking 100 years is nothing short of remarkable. But it’s taken the blood, sweat and tears of Andrea Hagarty. While no longer the owner, she has helped out until present day. The lodge’s success has to do with pivoting with the times. For example, it is now a well-established Highlands wedding venue. They also bank on nostalgia, people coming as adults who came as kids.

Jim Ecclestone, whose kids have purchased the Rockcliffe in Minden, talks about boating up the Gull River and mooring in town. Trips to the Beaver Theatre, stopping at the tavern, going into the general store for back-to-school supplies. The grown adults remember it too. It’s part of the reason they made the purchase – to see if they can breathe life into the old place.

It’s early days. They don’t even know if the building, which has been sitting empty for years, can be saved. If it can – and that is a big ‘if’ – they’ll then begin to think about what to do with it. There is no guarantee it will ever be a tavern again. However, for now, it is already looking better than the eyesore it has been for years. It may have to be demolished one day. Only time will tell. However, at least the Ecclestone family care enough about its history to have a crack at it. We are inspired by what they are trying to do.

Can’t say enough about the Bonnie View, either. It exudes Haliburton County history. We applaud Andrea and the new owners for keeping that legacy alive.

So, we encourage folks to drop into the Bonnie View this Sunday from 1-6 p.m. to share stories of their experiences with the place. And, we encourage anyone making their way into downtown Minden to give Jim and Shane Gallagher and their workers a thumbs up as they continue work at the corner of Bobcaygeon Road and Newcastle Street.

The resort and the tavern are important parts of our history – and they deserve to be celebrated.

Police seek help in fatal crash

Lisa Gervais

September 2, 2024

The Haliburton Highlands detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is seeking assistance in relation to a fatal collision involving an ATV and passenger vehicle in Minden Hills.

On Aug. 31, at approximately 2:30 p.m., OPP Detachment received a report of a collision involving an ATV and a vehicle on Hunter Creek Road. The ATV driver was transported to a local hospital, where they were pronounced deceased.

Hunter Creek Road was closed until approximately 11 a.m. on Sept. 1, while the OPP Traffic Incident Management Enforcement (TIME) team processed the scene.

Members of the OPP Haliburton Highlands are continuing the investigation with assistance from OPP City of Kawartha Lakes Crime Unit, in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner.

The investigation is ongoing, and the OPP is requesting that if anyone was in the area during the timeframe of the incident and has any information, dash cam or surveillance footage that may assist investigators, to contact Haliburton Highlands OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.khcrimestoppers.com.

Gull Lake family buys Minden’s Rockcliffe

Lisa Gervais

August 30, 2024

Gull Lake’s Jim Ecclestone recalls visits to the Rockcliffe when he was in his late teens and early 20s. His children, twin daughters, Laura and Jamie, and son, Matthew, also raised a glass or two at the iconic Minden tavern in the day.

Jim Ecclestone said seeing Minden’s downtown Rockcliffe in its current rundown state was bothering him.

A friend of The Rockcliffe – Moore Falls owners’ Mark and Lise Dracup, and Dan Gosselin and Kirsty Goodearle, they all got to talking one day.

The Dracups, Gosselin and Goodearle purchased the Minden Rockcliffe in 2021 – hoping to reinvigorate it as a small hotel, restaurant and tavern. However, their plans fell through and they announced in August 2023 they were looking to sell.

“I said, ‘I’ll take it off your hands’,” Ecclestone told the two couples. He said Laura, Jamie and Matthew technically own the property now, but he is helping out while the three work for the family business, Calstone, based out of Scarborough.

“They actually own it and dad’s doing all this early work on it,” he said during an interview with The Highlander Aug. 27.

County residents would have noticed work on the exterior of the building the last couple of weeks, including a new paint job and plants. Contractor Shane Gallagher is leading the charge.

Jim Ecclestone said, “we just wanted to fix it for the town – clean it up, plant some flowers, paint it, and make it look nice. This is only week two, and we’ve already done a lot. By the end of this week, we’ll probably be finished with what we’re going to do on the outside, temporarily, and then we move inside.”

With a dumpster slowly filling outside, Ecclestone said the inside of the building “is a disaster.”

He said they will be ripping up floors in certain areas to see if structurally, the building is worth saving.

Family wants to give back to community

“Because we don’t even know that yet. So, the worst case is it ends up looking better than it has forever… and somewhere down the line my kids will decide what they are going to do with it. If we can save it, then they’ll start to develop a business plan for it. We have no business plan for it right now.”

He said they would liaise with the Township of Minden Hills, and mayor Bob Carter, throughout the process.

Carter told The Highlander Ecclestone told him his family were fifth generation cottagers with a soft spot for Minden. He’s thrilled at the prospect of what might happen.

“They want to do something to make downtown Minden look nice and we encourage that as much as possible,” the mayor said. “In terms of business improvement and economic development, we’ll give them all the help that we can.”

Ecclestone said it would probably be a month before they know what they are dealing with. A crew of friends and professionals from the Gull Lake area is helping him out. He said Gallagher is committed to two-to-three years of work “if everything goes well.” For now, Gallagher said, “we’re going to assess the damage.”

Ecclestone said they are both excited about the project, and the prospect of saving the 130-year-old building. “We’re hopeful that we can save it.”

Ecclestone said people have been coming by as the work progresses, “and the smiles on their faces – that gives us inspiration, too…everyone is stopping and waving, excited about it.”

He added it is way too premature to say if it would even return as a tavern. If they do something with the existing property, it could be three years away.

Gallagher chimes in, “it will be a hundred times better than what it was… no matter what we do.”

Adds Ecclestone, “we’re very fortunate our company has done very well and we can give back to the community and make a difference. That’s what it’s all about.”

Bonnie View celebrates 100th

Mike Baker

August 30, 2024

When Andrea Hagarty handed in her resume at the Bonnie View Inn in summer 1991, she planned to wait tables for a season before moving on to her next adventure.

“That was 33 years ago,” Hagarty told The Highlander last week. “I guess the adventure I was looking for was here all along.”

The iconic lodge overlooking Lake Kashagawigamog turns 100 this year. An anniversary celebration is taking place Sept. 1, with Hagarty, who still works at the inn part-time, and on-site owners Ryan and Stephanie Yates, inviting the community to help mark the milestone. It will be a “festival-type day” Hagarty said, with live music, performed by County band The Ya Babys.

Reflecting on the centennial, Hagarty said Bonnie View has endured much over the years. The site was established in 1924, with two cabins on the water.

Hagarty said people would come to Haliburton County via train from the city, then have to navigate a horse and buggy through winding country roads to get to the inn.

Kash resort a generational attraction

The Moody family took over in 1935, building a main lodge and adding several new cabins. They steered the resort through the latter stages of the Great Depression and the Second World War, before selling to Jack and Gisele Young in 1950. The Youngs owned Bonnie View until 1970.

Hagarty isn’t sure who bought the inn from the Youngs, with the ownership trail picking up again in 1982, when Ted and Joyce Waffle bought it. They ran it for five summers, ceasing operations in 1987. Bonnie View sat empty for two years, save for the wildlife which had taken refuge. Hagarty was working at nearby Birch Point Lodge by this time.

“The inn was left with the tables still set. Raccoons were living inside, teens saw it as a good party spot,” said Hagarty, a teenager herself then. “I may have been a teen partyer.”

In 1989, the Bikowski family bought the inn and, alongside Peter Mavroukas, revitalized the space. Hagarty joined two years later. While born and raised in Mississauga, she had been visiting Haliburton County, and specifically Lake Kashagawigamog, since she was a small child. To her, it was home.

Hagarty influence

Hagarty maintained her job at Bonnie View and waited tables at McKecks and at the Pinestone for a couple of years, before Mavroukas completely took over in 1994. Shortly after, the inn’s manager suddenly quit, leaving Hagarty to temporarily fill in. She was in her early 20s at the time.

“I didn’t know what I was doing – I was running the place by myself,” Hagarty said. The gig turned into a permanent one, Hagarty bought a cottage down the road, and slowly built her team.

While Bonnie View has shaped almost the entirety of her professional life, it was the catalyst for her home life, too. She met Monte Miscio, the inn’s chef, in the mid 90s and the two quickly became an item. Together they had two children, Paydon and Macy, who both grew up at the resort.

Macy, 20, works as a waitress on the patio overlooking the lake in the summer. She’ll be there this weekend, doubling as a reporter – gathering stories from guests for a documentary she’s compiling on Bonnie View’s history.

She told The Highlander about countless memories she made there.

“There used to be an old telephone booth just outside the resort. I would have friends over and we would dress up in funky outfits, call the resort from the phone and ‘book’ a room. Then we would come into the lobby and pretend to check in as different characters,” Macy said. “One of our favourites was getting on each other’s shoulders and wearing a trench coat. My mom and staff made it very fun for us.”

Oink oink

Hagarty and Miscio bought the inn in 2005, using savings, proceeds from the sale of Hagarty’s cottage, a bank loan, and small personal loans from longtime guests Jim and Kathy McLeod and Dianne and Arie Vanderboom – who wanted to see the pair succeed.

By this time, Bonnie View was becoming famous thanks to one very special guest – a domesticated house-trained pig named Penelope.

“I had always wanted a pet pig when I was a kid, so I got myself one. Penelope sat in the front lobby and greeted people for years. It got to the point where repeat guests would bring some kind of pig-themed gift for me to put up,” Hagarty said, estimating, at one point, there were around 3,000 items on display.

Penelope passed in 2008, but Hagarty went out and got another, naming it Daisy. The pig lived at Bonnie View until 2020. It now lives at Killara Station and has undergone a necessary name change.

“It turns out Daisy is actually a Duke,” Hagarty laughed.

The stories

Hagarty said she feels blessed to have played a major role in thousands of people’s important milestones.

She’s now seeing the generational impacts – the kids who used to run riot around the property when she first started have now grown up and are bringing their own little ones.

“Coming to Bonnie View is a family tradition for many. We had guests here just last week who said their grandparents came here all the time, then their parents, and now they’re picking up the baton,” Hagarty said.

Victoria Harding was the production manager of the two Camp Rock movies that were filmed in Haliburton County in the late 2000s. She and around 100 members of the management team stayed at Bonnie View for the duration.

“Andrea and her team were troopers and figured out how to accommodate our needs – the toughest part was having to leave and come back to the city every weekend as the resort was generally sold out,” Harding said.

She has returned with her family on several occasions in the years since and plans to attend this weekend’s milestone celebration.

“We just love it there – the suites are very accommodating. We were treated so well. The property is fun and well-equipped. It’s always a favourite,” Harding said.

Yates said he’s fully acclimatized to northern living now. He moved with his family from Oakville in 2020. He was familiar with the area, having cottaged on Little Boshkung Lake for most of his youth. Yates said he’s always wanted to give his four kids “the full cottage experience.”

As of June 30, Hagarty has no stake in the property – a scary proposition for Yates, who said he’s leaned on the former owner heavily through the transition. Hagarty said she feels comfortable taking another step back knowing general manager, Bonnie Warren, is around to help.

Weddings are back on the agenda this fall, with nine booked. There are also plans to launch a new weekday dinner service for locals, Monday through Thursday. It’ll begin Sept. 3 and run to Thanksgiving.

Yates admitted there’s pressure guiding the business into its 101st year but is confident in Bonnie View’s innate ability to weather the bad times and thrive during the good.

“The goal is to keep this place around for another 100 years. I can’t imagine the lake without this place,” he said.

The anniversary celebration runs from 1 to 6 p.m.

County marks Overdose Awareness Day

Mike Baker

August 30, 2024

With International Overdose Awareness Day right around the corner, Jack Veitch of the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge, is reminding the public that drug and mental health services are available to those seeking them.

While there aren’t any public events in the County this year to mark the occasion, recognized worldwide Aug. 31, Veitch said CMHA is continuing to promote education around drug use through its mobile mental health clinic, which visits the community every other week.

Intake has been strong since the program launched in December 2021 – with Veitch claiming both the number and complexity of cases CMHA is seeing has significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re starting to see the impact that isolation and disconnection had on the mental health and wellness of so many. I think the unfortunate repercussions [of increased drug use] are starting to play out,” Veitch said.

“Numbers are up, but so is the complexity of need. You think of a community like Haliburton County… people are more isolated and remote. Transportation can be an issue, cost of living can be an issue, accessibility to care can be an issue. Compound that with the housing situation and it’s no wonder things are getting worse,” Veitch added.

“What we’re seeing in the last two-to-three years is so different from what we were seeing five years ago.”

Talking to someone – whether a friend, family member, or professional – is the best first step towards healing, Veitch said.

“The first thing I always say is you’re not alone and you don’t have to do this alone. It can be an isolating feeling, almost like you’re the only person that’s ever been here – you feel irredeemable, but in truth it’s the exact opposite. Many others have struggled with similar situations, and there are resources available that can help,” he said.

The local CMHA chapter was one of 45 national providers chosen to pilot a new 9-8-8 suicide crisis helpline last year, while it tripled the number of on-the-ground mental health workers in its communities from four to 12. A new ‘Safe Beds’ program opened in Peterborough, providing short-term temporary housing for anyone going through a mental health crisis – including people from Haliburton County.

Dane Record, chair of the Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland Drug Strategy (HKLN), said the best way to reach people who are struggling, especially those with drug dependency issues, is to connect them with others who have lived experience.

“They’re the ones who have the information right at the beginning. The subject experts in this case are not the medical professionals, it’s the people who have used before, or are still using now. We need their input so we have evidence-based information, as opposed to anecdotes from [professionals] that go nowhere,” Record said.

A new Narcotics Anonymous group launched in the County over the summer, with the first meeting happening July 18. They meet every Thursday at The Link in Haliburton village, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The lead organizer, who requested anonymity, said the only requirement to attend is a desire to stop using.

“I have seen the devastation of this disease, especially in the last 17 years since I have been in recovery,” he said. “Meetings are free and there’s nothing to lose and much to gain. Having a community of like-minded people who have walked a mile in your shoes is a huge help in the process of getting clean.”

Drug use in the County is rampant, according to Tom Regehr, who spent over a year running weekly meetings designed to bring people together to share their personal stories of struggle. He noted in an interview last year Class A substances like methamphetamine and heroin are a favourite of local users. Opioids such as fentanyl are also popular.

Record said opioids are popular because of their strength and accessibility.

“If generics can be easily manufactured and put out there, that’s just what happens,” Record said.

The Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Pine Ridge district health unit (HKPR) is publicly sharing statistics regarding opioid-related overdoses through a new portal on its website. The health unit estimates there have been 224 hospitalizations due to opioid overdose in 2024, with 36 suspected deaths. That number already eclipses the total from 2022, when there were 34 deaths, and is more than half way towards last year’s total of 65 deaths.

The local John Howard Society branch, has been working with County residents since January 2023 through the Mapping a Plan program. Cathleen Meenan, a harm reduction and crisis counsellor, said over 62 people have accessed the program since September, 2023.

“The need in this community is great and we’re here to support those in need,” Meenan said.

Koshlong Lake bridge rebuild in doubt

Mike Baker

August 30, 2024

Dysart et al council and public works staff are going back to the drawing board after learning the planned replacement of the Koshlong Lake bridge came in more than $4 million over budget.

Rob Camelon, public works director, told council Aug. 27 the township received a lone bid, from Four Brothers Construction in Orillia, who said they could complete the work for just over $5.25 million. Dysart had budgeted $1.1 million for the project.

“Still stinging on this one,” Camelon said. “We didn’t see it coming. Needless to say, we’re not recommending awarding this. We’re going to come back with a few different options.”

Another bid, submitted by HugoMB Contracting Inc., was submitted after the tender deadline and wasn’t considered.

Issues with the bridge were first identified in December 2022, when Camelon asked council to approve new legislation limiting the weight of vehicles crossing the bridge. Engineering firm Tulloch completed a study of the 60-plus-year-old bridge in fall 2022, finding it was not up to modern safety standards and needs replacing. It was built in 1960.

Council opted to lower the allowable weight limit to 16 tons for single-unit vehicles, 29 tons for two-unit vehicles, and 42 tons for three-unit vehicles until 2027 – though the decision was heavily criticized by homeowners in the area.

Residents Ken and Frances Hill, and Laurie Bruce, representing the Koshlong Lake Association, said the bridge was the only access point to properties for at least 147 residences in Dysart and Highlands East. They said the weight limits prevented emergency services, such as fire and EMS, from crossing.

In January 2023, council approved the purchase of a temporary bridge for $188,533. It was installed in February, with all weight limits removed. Camelon noted this project was for a permanent replacement.

The public works director suggested putting the project out for tender again in the new year – possibly at the same time as the bridge crossing Redstone Brook.

He told council staff had investigated possible detours – but the only workable option would see people travelling an additional 27 kilometres, with a four-to-five kilometre stretch of that traversing private property.

“So that brings its own challenges,” Camelon said, noting the detour would also cross into Crown land.

Mayor Murray Fearrey said the township may have no option but to abandon the project if it doesn’t receive any lower bids during the next round.

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