A Haliburton County-based contractor has taken part in a pilot project that could now be used across the province.

The work involved a culvert replacement 1.3 kilometres north of Hwy. 35 on Hwy. 118.

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) hired Braithwaite Drilling Services for the roadworks and they were assisted by Francis Thomas Contracting (FTC) of Carnarvon.

Britt Thomas of FTC said, “it’s been cool to be a part of this, and it is a historic thing for both Carnarvon and our company.”

Matt Braithwaite, of Braithwaite Drilling Services, Peterborough, said they used equipment that has been employed in Europe, but is new to the province. Rather than having to dig up the highway above the culvert, they were able to bore through the side. Braithwaite said it is faster and cheaper.

“We used the Geonex (drill) to hammer in a 40-inch culvert through blast rock. We were able to avoid any auguring techniques – where you wouldn’t be able to do that in blast rock because it would fall in and you couldn’t hold the hole open.”

He said the special drill allows the casing to go in with the hammer. “You only have three quarters of an inch of open space at any given time while you’re drilling, and when you’re done, the casing becomes the product pipe. And in this case, it was a culvert.”

He noted the drill is worth about $2-3 million.

“It’s been used in Europe for the last 15 or so years, and certain parts of the United States where it’s applicable, like right now in New York, there’s numerous projects going on.” He said the technology has been used in western Canada, too.

“But Ontario’s never had one, so we’re a little bit behind, but we’re getting there. So, it was a pilot for Ontario, but not necessarily the technology itself.”

Braithwaite said his company had been working with the MTO for the past seven years on culvert replacements. He said there had been a bit of trial and error with other methods.

He said there is no doubt using the Geonex saved time and money, “because we learned after the fact that a temporary bridge would have had to have been created and installed in order to do that because of the volume of traffic on the road. So, we’re talking like 10 and 20-50 times the savings.”

An MTO spokesperson confirmed the pilot project was initiated to try out trenchless culvert installations in deep rock fills. She said the trial site consisted of a 12-metrehigh rock fill, and consisted of the trenchless installation of a culvert with a diameter of 1.2 metres and a length of 40 metres.

“Following the success of this pilot project, trenchless installation can now be considered as a culvert replacement option in rock fills,” she added. “The ministry will look for future suitable locations to utilize this specialized technology in an effort to reduce construction costs and impacts to the travelling public.”

Braithwaite said they could not have done it without FTC.

“They were fantastic. They brought in all the excavation and earth-moving equipment for us. They constructed a temporary road that allowed us to bring our equipment down. They provided all the support during the drilling, so all of the cuttings that were brought out of the hole, they were able to remove, either bringing them to their pit or just remove them on-site. And then they helped us load and unload, mobilize, demobilize, just provided fantastic support through the whole project.”

Braithwaite added, “it is exciting, and I know it’s exciting for the people up there to be part of.”

Thomas added it was a proud moment for the local company. “We’ve never been a part of anything of that sort before, so it’s been a learning experience in so many ways.”

Demand for service has increased so much at the Haliburton County Youth Wellness Hub over the past 18 months that Marg Cox, executive director of parent organization Point in Time, is looking for a new, upgraded space to house its expanding range of services.

The current facility, located on Dysart Avenue in Haliburton village, provides a “safe, welcoming space” to County-based youth between the ages of 12 and 25 looking for a place to unwind, make new friends, and connect with an array of mental health, substance use, and careers supports.

It’s been open since 2019 – one of six locations across Ontario selected for a pilot project supported by the provincial government, Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario, and the Graham Boeckh Foundation.

It’s been a tough few years for youth in the County, with many feeling isolated and alone – fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, but continuing since, Cox said. Many have found solace through the youth hub.

“We have been bursting at the seams – it’s been difficult operating because of the number of services we’ve introduced and the people we’re serving,” Cox said, noting the youth hub registered approximately 2,000 visits for drop-in and other skills and wellbeing activities between April 2023 and March 2024, with over 230 unique youth accessing formal or clinical services.

Cox said the most popular service has been health-related. The youth hub has a full-time nurse practitioner, who assists with referrals and prescriptions and offers advice for issues around mental, physical, and sexual health. There’s also virtual access to a psychiatrist.

“Because so many people don’t have access to primary care in Haliburton County, the demand is high,” Cox said, noting appointments can typically be booked a few days in advance.

Counselling is available for youth dealing with mental health and substance use issues, while two full-time employees juggle roles in peer support, programming, and transportation.

The hub’s ‘Lift’ service, launched in 2021, allows youth a chance to investigate possible career paths. Cox said there’s evidence to suggest working often has positive effects on mental health.

“Getting a good job that fits someone’s interests and their skills can really change the trajectory of their life,” Cox said.

Following the return to normal post-pandemic, Cox said many youth were presenting to the hub feeling “lost, helpless… someone said it to me recently, but it’s as if we forgot how to socialize during COVID. We need to re-learn how to make friends and interact, which can be a hard thing for people to overcome, especially if they’re introverted or dealing with other issues like anxiety.”

She wants to see the youth hub expanded to ensure nobody falls through the cracks.

Point in Time has secured COS Consulting to assist with the project – finding a site and getting a new facility built. Cox said it needs to be in Haliburton village, within walking distance of the high school. All Point in Time and youth hub services would be consolidated at the new location, with Cox estimating a cost between $6-8 million.

“Our big goal is to be able to provide the space that’s required to be able to support youth in keeping with the increased demand we’re seeing in the community,” she said. “It’ll be nice to be able to say we service all youth and cater to all demands – currently, we’ve got some youth who can’t handle the loud noise volume. Because we don’t have a quiet space or any alternative, these people sometimes choose not to come. We want to avoid that.”

While most of the project will be covered by government and foundation grants, Cox said Point in Time will likely have to fundraise around $500,000. To contribute, visit pointintime.ca.

Once a site is secure, there will be extensive engagement with the community.

“Our youth designed the last hub, we’ll be consulting with them again,” Cox said. “Since this space will be for the community, we feel it’s important they have a say in what it will do and what it will look like.”

“He’s always dancing, as you know,” said Paul Sisson, who’s known Cecil Bailey since they were young, and who is also a legion member.

Bailey celebrated his 100th birthday July 14 at the Haliburton Legion. The remarkable milestone attracted 107 guests, who came out to wish Bailey a happy birthday and to celebrate together.

Sisson called Bailey a “steady” member of the legion. Sisson and his wife would sometimes take him back to the Gardens of Haliburton after a social outing, instead of having Bailey call a taxi.

Bailey is a Second World War veteran, serving in Belgium, the Netherlands, England and Germany. He drove an airport crash tender and was almost shipped to Japan, but the Americans bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki first.

Before the war, Bailey was a Haliburtonian, driving a 1939 Chrysler Royal as a 15-yearold with his friends in the passenger seat. The Chrysler was an exotic car back in the day, and was probably the best car in the County at the time. Bailey’s father, W.O. Bailey, owned the sawmill in town, so the family was well off. Haliburton was known for its logging industry, similar to other places in the region.

Bailey didn’t care much for rules as a teenager. When his dad found out he had been taking the car out, he took the rotor out of the distributor on advice from a friend. Bailey wasn’t going to let that stop him, he took the rotor out of a similar car and put it in his dad’s car and off he went, hitting the roads again.

Carmen Peters, 96, met Bailey in 1936, when Peters was around eight years old. His father worked for W.O. Bailey. “He was helping me out when we were growing up. And then I worked with him, before he went into the army,” said Peters.

Peters also touched on how the Bailey family was instrumental in building up Haliburton and Eagle Lake.

Mike Waller, president of the Haliburton Legion, said he met Bailey 20 years ago at a music event in the clubroom. He recalled an older gentleman coming in, and changing his shoes, but he couldn’t figure out why he was doing it. Bailey was getting ready to dance, and he danced with all of the ladies in the room. He danced the night away, something he is known for.

Waller said, “Cec is just a great guy. Just to sit down and talk to him and listen to his stories about his life has been fantastic.”

Bailey was also instrumental in bringing the train to Haliburton Highlands Secondary School. He also built six houses in Haliburton, with the sixth house starting when he was 83. He had a triple by-pass that year but remarkably continued building the house. Bailey built houses and worked around the Haliburton area for his father.

Gord Kidd & Friends helped ring in the celebrations. The band dedicated a couple of songs to Bailey and addressed him in between numbers.

Deputy mayor for Dysart et al, Walt McKechnie, and MP for HaliburtonKawartha Lakes-Brock, Jamie Schmale, were on hand.

Always dancing, Bailey still had the energy to cut a rug with daughter, Pearl Wood, at the party.

Wood has fond memories of growing up with her dad, who called her his ‘baby doll’.

“Certainly, my dad built every single house we lived in with his hands, saws, hammers, whatever. We may have lived in a little huddle before we got into the house he built, but he built all of our houses,” Wood said.

She added, “he’s always active. My dad never quit. No matter what he did. He was always moving.”

When Angela Fearrey’s dad passed away in 2018, she wanted to create a living memorial.

Her dream was to incorporate some of his cremated ashes in her garden, but she found that, unfortunately, they killed plants due to their high acidity.

She began researching – and found scientists in the UK and U.S. had come up with a patented soil that will allow cremation ashes to encourage plant growth, “nurturing both our hearts and the environment,” she says.

Meanwhile, her partner, Simon Mainville, lost his father last fall. He said his dad wasn’t interested in expensive funeral practices, so some of his ashes are now resting in a cigar box he once owned, and in an antique camera he had collected. Mainville said his dad would have endorsed a living memorial, too.

Both fathers were avid gardeners.

The couple has launched Eternal Root, which offers living memorials for family members as well as beloved pets.

“When mixed appropriately with LYLG (Let Your Love Grow) soil, cremated ashes can contribute to the flourishing of plant life in your garden,” Fearrey says. “This natural cycle of growth and renewal helps us find healing and comfort as we cultivate beauty in honour of those we have lost, allowing their legacy to blossom in every leaf and petal.”

Some of their offerings include a memorial tree planting service, incorporating ashes into plant life, and offering do-ityourself kits. Fearrey and Mainville will source plants and trees and get LYLG soil from a Canadian distributor.

While not everyone owns a home or has a dedicated space, she said their living memorials can be placed in pots. There is one next to her as she speaks, a Hydrangea that contains the ashes of a beloved dog. She said Eternal Root can find a pot for someone living in a long-term care home, for example. They also do indoor plant memorials, so people can bring nature inside even in the dead of winter.

They are low maintenance, she points out. One day they may even expand to have a more public memorial garden. Maybe someone could get married under a tree that had grown with ashes from a loved one.

She added, “as much as Eternal Root is about gardening – honouring our loved ones with plants and flowers, we’re also here for grief. We’re going to be starting some grief programs as well in the community, and hopefully working with hospice. I’ve been speaking with Let Your Love Grow about coming up and doing some programs.”

With more than 20 years’ experience as a personal support worker and a registered practical nurse specializing in palliative and hospice care, Fearrey said she’s been “privileged to walk alongside families during their most tender moments.”

She also has lived experience with complicated grief. In addition to losing her dad, she has been divorced, uprooted from her home and garden, and had health setbacks that have disrupted work.

“My dad, after he passed away, would send me pictures. I’d see hearts and I think the hearts were just to tell me to stop listening to my head, listen to my heart. So, that’s why the name Eternal Root came about.”

When she hit rock bottom last fall, she said she was counseled to just get out in the garden. It was about then that Mainville’s dad passed away. She had an epiphany. “I wanted to start doing living memorials. I wanted to do memorial tributes for people.”

Mainville chimes in about seeing his mom deal with her grief process, how everything happened very quickly. “My mother didn’t get to grieve until after the funeral when everything finally quieted down and she got some alone time.”

Fearrey encourages everybody to have ‘the talk’ with their loved ones about death and their wishes.

“We need to have those difficult conversations. In a moment, in a second, everything can change. At some point, we’re all going to step into grief. It doesn’t ever go away, but you find ways to heal.”

Contact Eternal Root via eternalroot.ca, or on Facebook at Eternal Root Living Memorial or email info@eternalroot.ca.