The verdict is in, says County director of public works, Sylvin Cloutier, with a six-year analysis finding speed radar message boards are working.

The County’s been using the device – which displays speed to oncoming motorists in the hopes they’ll slow down – since 2018.

Cloutier said they’d evolved, to display messages that can change based on the actual speed in relation to the posted limit. So, they’ll turn red and tell drivers to slow down, or turn green and thank them for doing the limit. He added the latest models can collect speed and vehicle count data.

“This data can be analyzed to provide speed characteristics along road sections to identify strategic implementation of speed zones and time periods for selective speed enforcement,” the director noted.

Cloutier said the County board had collected “a tremendous” amount of data at 34 locations in those six years.

“The locations tend to be near built-up areas, where residents have concerns of vehicle speeds. Residents have indicated they notice a change in driver behaviour when the (board) is in operation.”

He said they used to keep the monitor in place for extended periods of time, but recently have been moving it every two weeks to ensure more widespread coverage.

He explained that when moved to a new location the unit is set up in stealth, or non display, mode for a week. Speed data is recorded but not displayed. After one week, it’s switched to display mode where it shows operating speeds to oncoming motorists. Speeds continue to be collected from vehicles travelling in the non-display direction.

To understand the impact, he said staff had analyzed all data collected from all locations since 2018.

It was found that displaying speed to motorists reduced overall speeds by up to 10 per cent on average. It was also found that speed was not affected for vehicles travelling in the non-display direction.

For example, he said the unit was used on CR 2/Devil’s Lake area July 13-27. It is a 50 km/hr zone. In stealth mode, 87 per cent of drivers were found to be over the speed limit, averaging about 70 km/hr. When speed was displayed, 51 per cent of drivers were going too fast, averaging 65 km/hr.

He cited another example of CR648/the Wilberforce Road area. In stealth mode from Sept. 20-27, with a posted speed limit of 70 km/hr, 76 per cent of vehicles were speeding, averaging 89 km/hr. With the board on the next week, it dropped to 60 per cent of speeding vehicles, at about 86 km/hr.

He noted the speed data time stamps vehicle speeds allowing staff to identify peak periods of vehicle speeding. “Staff are working to provide this information to the local OPP detachment to help with selective speed enforcement,” Cloutier said.

“Staff believe this program provides a positive impact resulting in safer driving conditions for all road users.”

Coun. Cec Ryall asked if it made sense to have them set up permanently in one or two trouble spots. However, Cloutier responded that if left too long, they blend in and drivers don’t pay attention. “In our experience, moving it around is very effective.”

Coun. Bob Carter said they tested them in Minden and have budgeted to purchase more. He said it had made a noticeable difference in people’s speed, particularly around Archie Stouffer Elementary School, the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena and along Water Street. “We think these are very effective.”

Warden Liz Danielsen said Algonquin Highlands has two that have “really been quite successful.” She said Cloutier’s report was “very helpful information” but “it does indicate that there’s still a lot of people who don’t pay any attention at all.”

Algonquin Highlands mayor Liz Danielsen said the township is “trying to do the right thing” after becoming embroiled in a disagreement with property owners along North Shore Road over an access point to Maple Lake.

The municipality issued a press release Feb. 1 stating the land, located near the intersection of North Shore and Dawson roads, has been used by the public for decades to access the water.

Danielsen said this was in response to a group of homeowners who have made repeated claims the property is privately owned, noting frequent attempts have been made to prevent people from using the spot to access the lake.

“To be abundantly clear, the property in question is municipally owned… no claims of private ownership have been substantiated through any credible documentation or otherwise,” the release states.

Kythe Baldwin, president of the Haliburton County Landowners’ Association, told The Highlander he is one of the property owners taking exception to what he believes is “blatant overreaching” by the township.

“They’re trying to steal people’s property and we’re not going to let that happen… Algonquin Highland thinks they own [that parcel], they think they own North Shore Road – they do own the road, they own the pavement, but they don’t own the land underneath it,” Baldwin claims, citing Crown land patents issued in the late 1800s suggest ownership lies with the individual property owners.

Baldwin says he has a patent for his property, at 1805 North Shore Road, dating back to 1863, which he claims is the oldest known document for land surrounding Maple Lake. He said the land that houses the access point is covered by another Crown patent, held by one of his neighbours, that has been in place since 1883.

“We’ve gone through every historical document for [our properties] and the Crown land patent has never been opened, it’s never been amended, it’s never been changed, it’s never been cancelled,” Baldwin said.

Danielsen is adamant Algonquin Highlands owns the land, noting the township has received confirmation from its legal counsel. Baldwin says he’s not been presented with any physical documentation proving that, despite repeated requests.

“I’ve asked for almost 10 years now – show us what rights you have,” Baldwin said. “The only thing I can rely on is the 1913 act that downloaded shore road allowances from the province to the township. There’s nothing else. If they had anything, they would have had to purchase the property from the family, which there’s no record of, or they would have had to open the Crown land patent, which they haven’t done,” Baldwin said.

Algonquin Highlands planner Sean O’Callaghan did not respond to The Highlander’s request for comment and clarification.

Danielsen said no trespass orders were issued in January, with those cautioned immediately issuing no trespass orders of their own to the township. She noted further action was taken in mid-February, though didn’t elaborate.

The mayor advised anyone trying to use the access point who is “bullied or hassled” to report the issue to the OPP.

“That’s about all we can do right now,” Danielsen said.

Licensing root of issue

Baldwin indicated this issue is far bigger than a disagreement over a single parcel – he’s questioning the legality of the township’s license of occupation policy, which was passed in December.

“When [Maple Lake] was surveyed in 1860, the shore road allowance [they allocated] is now about 120 feet off the shore. It’s buried under water,” he said, believing that, years after the lake was flooded for the Trent Severn Waterway project, the township moved the allowance to the top of North Shore Road.

“Those shorelands, if a patent is held, are private property,” Baldwin added.

Stefanos Karatopis, a governor with the Ontario Landowners Association, says in cases where private property owners hold Crown patents for lands a municipality wants, it would have to be expropriated. He says this is covered in the federal Public Documents Act.

“They’re set in stone, the patents say ‘forever to their heirs’ and forever hasn’t happened yet. There’s no way for those patents to be cancelled, deleted, anything,” he said. “[Algonquin Highlands] would have to come up with documentation showing the municipality owns this land… or they’d have to buy it.”

Tributes have been pouring in for the late Norma Goodger, who died Feb. 6.

Former Algonquin Highlands mayor Carol Moffatt served with Norma on the Stanhope Museum committee, which is “heavyhearted” by the news, she wrote.

Moffatt said Nomra’s roots were in cottaging, her parents having bought on Kushog in 1952.

“Norma always said her heart was here, she just had to work in the city.”

When she retired, she moved to the cottage “and forged a remarkable life in the Haliburton Highlands.” In addition to the Kushog Lake Property Owners Association, Moffatt noted Norma was keenly involved in the Highlands Festival Singers, the Highlands Concert Band, and Minden Pride.

In addition, “she loved ATVing, snowmobiling and tooting around the lake on her pontoon boat.”

Moffatt said she served on a number of municipal projects and committees, including the museum.

“Norma volunteered with Stanhope Museum for… well, forever. She was a dedicated contributor who remembered everything, kept immaculate records and, never one to waste words or time, had no problem chiding us when we wandered off in discussion.

“She was our go-to gal for anything that needed organizing, and was a natural fit as our longtime treasurer, always chasing that last dime to make sure it was in the right place.”

She served as the coordinator of Heritage Day for several years and was famous for “volun-tolding” friends to help out, Moffatt said.

Moffatt added Nomra was instrumental in the growth of the online heritage mapping project, spending hundreds of hours painstakingly adding information to the database.

“Norma was a steady, reliable presence who was smart, funny, and a wee bit saucy. She wasn’t just a committee member, she was family, and we will miss her beyond words.”

The lake association said Norma “loved Kushog Lake and devoted many years to the lake association.” Indeed, she was a founding member, past president and served on the board for its entirety.

“Norma will be missed by friends and family and as a devoted preserver of the health and beauty of Kushog Lake,” the association added. Minden Pride chair Allan Guinan said Norma’s death “is such a profound shock to all of us at Minden Pride. “For many years, Norma has been our number one volunteer and our biggest cheerleader. Norma was passionate about Minden Pride and all that it represents. She firmly believed that by being highly visible around the County we were helping to spread the positive message of acceptance towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

“There was not a farmers market, County fair, open house, Canada Day, Midnight Madness or Santa Claus parade where Norma was not there leading the team and promoting Minden Pride. “Each year during Pride Week festival, Norma was always the first, hours ahead of time, to set up and ensure everything was organized. She has been the strong and smiling matriarch of our group for so long, it is difficult to imagine continuing on without her.”

Glen Carter conducted Norma with the Highlands Concert Band. She played tenor sax. He said she had been with the band for more than 15 years. “Last Friday (Feb. 2), she was there and she was looking good and having a really enjoyable time playing,” he said. “She was an enthusiastic and conscientious member of the band.”

Melissa Stephens and Beth Kipping, on behalf of the Highlands Festival Singers, said Norma joined them in 2008 and had been a faithful member of the tenor section. In addition, just before COVID, she became the group’s treasurer.

“From the time Norma joined she was so friendly and personable and made everyone comfortable around her,” they said.

“Her involvement in the community was amazing. She truly was an outstanding citizen. No matter how busy she was, Norma always had time for you. She would look at you with her infectious smile and tell you everything was taken care of, and you knew it would be.

“Norma worked and played hard, she had a zest for life, a great sense of humour, and lived each day to its fullest. Norma’s dedication to every group and board she belonged to was outstanding.

“We have suffered a great loss with the sudden passing of Norma, but we are honoured to have had her in our lives. She will always remain in our hearts and memories.”