Haliburton’s Kate Campbell is proud of the work she has done to bring the television series Trailbazing Talks with Dini Petty to screens beginning Oct. 13.

“I’m so excited to have this out in the world and to be leading the way with her. It’s a perfect synergy,” Campbell said in a phone interview from Niagara on the Lake Oct. 2.

Campbell was introduced to Petty through a mutual friend in 2018 or 2019. She was keen to meet her as Petty had been a pilot flying out of Buttonville Airport “in the day.” Campbell’s grandmother was also a pilot. Campbell invited Petty to be a part of her short film, Boundless, released in 2021.

“Dini has been a huge source of inspiration to me over the years – not only as a pioneering broadcaster and a pilot, but as a woman unafraid to speak the truth,” said Campbell, who is creator, showrunner and executive producer. She added, “to collaborate with her on Trailblazing Talks is a full-circle moment, and I feel honoured to help carry forward her legacy and bring her voice and presence back to audiences in a new way.”

It’s been intense working on the premiere and the series. She likens it to a masterclass and jokes her brain is fried from the things that she has learned; such as negotiating contracts.

“I had those skills before, but this is like on steroids, which is great. It’s required levelling up. You’re throwing yourself in the fire and going ‘ok, I really want this to happen and I want to learn and grow through this and I believe in it, so how are we going to find solutions to all of the many problems?’ It was a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”

Though only 44, Campbell talks about her legacy, and leaving the world a better place than when she arrived. She thinks the new series contributes to that.

“I created this for an older person to host. I want to see more older women in the mainstream.”

She added the majority of feedback they are getting is that it is comforting for people to have Petty back on television “with the craziness that is going on in the world.”

“Having a woman from their past sharing her perspective in a public way and being visible again makes people feel safe and comfortable.”

She added when they filmed in a St. Catharines studio at night the audience was “captivated by interesting conversation.”

Petty said, “at this point in my life, I am drawn to deeper conversations about resilience, courage, and the true cost of leadership. Trailblazing Talks is about honouring those who dared to lead and reminding us that it is never too late to step forward with purpose”

When the show airs Thanksgiving night, Campbell said they will hold a viewing party.

“It’s the first hour of TV I’ve been a director and show runner of … with more episodes to come.”

Petty had nothing but praise for Campbell.

“Kate is one of the most creative, energetic, brilliant women I’ve met in a long time. She is tireless. She’s been going 24/7 for I don’t know how long on this project. She just doesn’t stop. Meeting Kate has been one of the pieces of good fortune in my life.”

The one-hour television event airs Monday, Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. on The News Forum network and on thenewsforum.ca. It features Tonya Williams, and Olympic gold medalist and Senator Marnie McBean. Channel numbers are different for each TV provider, so the fastest way to find them is by checking your on-screen guide. Featured channels: Bell Satellite: Channel 506; Rogers: Channel 107; Shaw Direct: Channel 253 and Telus: Channel 842

Dysart et al council put on a united front last week, unanimously denying support for an application from a Toronto-based development firm to amend the township’s Official Plan, which could have paved the way for a new 25-unit subdivision on Elephant Lake.

Project details were poured over for hours during a public meeting Sept. 23, with council following municipal staff’s recommendation to deny the proposal. Since Dysart is not the approving authority for OP amendment applications, the file can still be taken to County council for a final decision.

Led by NF 95 Developments, the ‘Algonquin Gardens’ project is split into two phases – northern and southern. Council spent the bulk of last week’s meeting deliberating over the northern application, which sought to redesignate 97.6 acres east of Elephant Lake from rural area to site-specific waterfront residential.

While not directly on the water, the applicant claims the lots “will have access to waterfront through a common access block located on the southern phase.” Kris Orsan, Dysart’s manager of planning, disputed this claim.

“Re-designating the lots would be inconsistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) because the lots do not function as waterfront and their approval would represent an expansion of waterfront policies to lands that are distinctly rural in nature,” Orsan said.

He noted the northern phase does not directly front onto Elephant or nearby Benoir lakes, which are separated by a public road – Benoir Lake Road – and other intervening lands.

Orsan said the lots do not functionally or physically relate to the shoreline and that designating them as waterfront would “artificially extend the scope of shoreline development beyond the actual shoreline, without the direct relationship to the lake that the PPS policies are intended to regulate and protect.”

He said the lots identified in the northern phase meet the definition of backlots per Dysart’s OP.

“Allowing backlots to be reclassified as waterfront… would undermine the intent of the municipality’s OP policies for waterfront development,” Orsan added. “Such an approach would create a precedent where backlots across the municipality seek reclassification to waterfront lots through artificial linkages, effectively eroding the protective policies intended to manage shoreline capacity, environmental impacts, and land-use compatibility.”

The planner further claimed that many of the lots are too small or narrow to meet the standards normally required in rural areas, while some are affected by wetlands, floodplain and steep slopes.

In his report, Orsan opined that 14 of the 25 lots may not be developable at all.

“The proposed subdivision plan appears to overestimate the number of realistically developable lots. Many of [them] do not appear capable of accommodating appropriate building envelopes that would support compliant and functional development,” Orsan said.

Jeff Iles, Dysart’s director of planning, said rural properties are required to have a front lot line setback of 30 metres, though many of the lots included in the application propose a 7.5 metre setback.

Council received 32 submissions from the public opposing the application, with 12 people speaking at the meeting. Catherine Webber, has been a property owner on Benoir Lake for over 30 years. She delivered a petition containing more than 1,000 signatures to council.

“We feel this developer has clearly disregarded the rules,” Webber said, claiming some work has already been done, without approval. Tony Wang, a consultant representing the developer, said a road network originally installed in the 1980s has been recently upgraded to allow for improved access to the site.

Many of the residents expressed concern over the possible environmental impacts, including habitat loss for native wildlife; issues removing important wetlands could have on drainage in the area, as well as water quality; and the size and suitability of the proposed development.

Mayor Murray Fearrey said the file had been with the township for some time and had put “tremendous pressure on staff… the goalposts keep moving all the time.”

After staff said council could consider deferring the application to have several reports submitted by the applicant peerreviewed, deputy mayor Walt McKechnie and councillors Pat Casey and Nancy Wood-Roberts said they had no intention of supporting the proposal. Coun. Barry Boice also commented, “I’m not against development. But we have to protect the environment. I don’t think we need to defer, I think we need to deny.”

Orsan noted the southern phase of development is for 38 residential lots. Because that land is already designated waterfront residential, there’s no required change to the township’s OP. Instead, the application is to approve the subdivision and condominium plans as presented.

The planner again noted that many of the lots appear to be constrained by natural heritage features, including provincially significant wetlands and floodplain areas. He also noted the road meant to service the lots, connecting to Benoir Lake Road “appears to cross areas prone to flooding.”

Orsan also called the application’s lot dimensions into question, saying several have frontages near minimum standards. He added numerous lots show non-compliance with rear yard setbacks for dwellings and septic systems, with others not laying out where accessory structures or wells would be installed.

“Many of the lots appear to have littleto-no viable building envelopes due to environmental constraints,” Orsan said, recommending the township get all submitted studies and reports peer reviewed before making a final decision.

Council agreed to defer the applications to allow for a “comprehensive review.”