With plans for another year of Jr. A hockey in the Highlands well underway, Haliburton County Huskies coach Ryan Ramsay said the team is looking for billet families who can house players for the upcoming season.

“We need several households to join the fold. If there are families willing to take multiple players, that would help – we need housing for 12 players,” Ramsay told The Highlander. “We have guys reporting here in early August, so that gives us two months to get things in place.”

For the past two seasons, the team has had around a dozen billets on its roster. Some have doubled up, taking at least two players, Ramsay said. To make the numbers work, older players have been put up in the ‘hockey house’ located in Haliburton, with the Huskies and players’ families taking care of the costs.

Billet families will receive a monthly stipend of $550 per player – up from $500 last year – and two complimentary season tickets at centre ice. Ramsay said hosts will also receive two ‘butcher boxes’ packed full of meat, provided by Haliburton Foodland, during the season.

It’s an approximate eight month commitment, with the family expected to provide players with a private bedroom and daily meals. Players will be responsible for their own transportation to and from the rink.

Ramsay said inviting a teenage hockey player into your home may seem daunting but can have many benefits.

“Players and their billets often make connections that can last a lifetime. I played five years in the OHL and lived with some awesome families – all of them were at my wedding. Most of them are friends that I still talk to today,” he said. “For families with children, welcoming a player into your home provides a great opportunity for mentorship. The player will be a role model your kids can look up to.”

The Huskies coach said for many players this will be their first time away from home, so it’s important to find a good fit. “It’s all about helping a kid who has probably worked since they were three years old to make it to the NHL. It’s about helping them as they chase their dream,” he said. “Away from the rink is just as important as at the rink. If the players are resting and comfortable in a good environment, it allows them to play better and succeed on the ice.”

Jess Jackson has managed the Huskies billet program for the past two seasons. In a previous interview with The Highlander, she said anyone could be considered for the role.

“There’s no perfect fit, no ideal scenario as to who can be a billet family. Anybody from a single working professional, to a family with children, to a retired senior can take a player in,” Jackson said. Ramsay noted players typically return home at least once a month and are gone for two weeks over the Christmas holidays, while the OJHL is on break.

Anyone interested in becoming a billet can contact Jackson at huskieshousing@hotmail. com.

Roster shaping up

Five familiar faces will return to Haliburton County for another season, with Ramsay confirming Patrick Saini, Lucas Stevenson, Jack Staniland, Lucas Marshall and Zack Morissette will all be back.

Three young players – 17-year-old forward Noah Lodoen, and 18-year-old blueliners Lucas Vacca and Hunter Martell – have signed with the Huskies for the 2023/24 season.

“We’re losing 16 guys from our roster last season, so that’s a big turnover. We want to be competitive again and will be icing a quality team,” Ramsay said, noting his goal is to make the playoffs for the third straight season.

There will be a key change behind the scenes this coming season. Assistant general manager and director of player relations, Brian MacKenzie, has left the team to take up a coaching role with a prep school in Toronto. Replacing him is Kevin Bloch, a longtime coach and scout who recently worked with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League. 

Allan Bickle says the “panhandle” of Algonquin Provincial Park, near his property in Harcourt, has been “like his backyard” for the past 15 years.

“I know it very well,” he says, while discussing his new business venture, Algonquin Yeti Paddling (AYP) South – Algonquin Park.

A self-proclaimed fan of the outdoors, Bickle started discovering the panhandle with his son when his sister bought a cottage in the area at the base of the park. Four years ago, he purchased 15 acres and started building his dream of a canoe guiding business.

“AYP has been in the works for a number of years, COVID hit, I had a fire in the shop which delayed my plans for two years,” he said.

However, his website is now up and running. Doors are open with a street presence, displaying his signs, paddle shack and rental canoes.

“So, it’s time to get some exposure and make it real,” he added.

AYP is just 12 kilometres from Algonquin Park’s South Gate. Bickle said AYP has 11 canoes. He added they are all 16 ft. and one 17-footer that a third seat can be added to. All canoes are Souris River which are ultralight Kevlar. They are as light as 39 lbs for portaging. AYP also offers canoe shuttles/drop-offs, outfitting and gear rentals.

However, the thing Bickle is most passionate about is guiding. He is offering guided group canoe trips; guided interior camping trips and organized local hikes and paddles. He is also getting into camping sites for those arriving late, and guided snowshoeing in winter.

“It’s the guiding side that I’m more interested in … taking people into the bush.” He wants people to leave the packing and food prep to him.

He is ORCKA certificated, as a canoe trip leader, with wilderness advanced First Aid training, and more than 30 years of tripping, camping/outdoor experience. This past winter, he did a one-week winter wilderness survival course with Lure of the North near Espanola.

“I want to take people out and let them enjoy the outdoors and teach them confidence skills, such as being bear wise, water safety, how to stabilize your canoe, proper paddling and bushcraft,” he said.

Being part of the local community is important to Bickle as well. He encouraged people to visit him at this year’s Wilberforce Fair to learn more about AYP and to get to know him.

Contact: Algonquin Yeti Paddling via 4025 Loop Rd., Harcourt, allan. bickle33@gmail.com 905-706-3978 or aypinfo.ca

Tran LaRue is building for the next generation at Minden Subaru.

Work on a new 6,200 sq. ft. service centre at the dealership, located on Hwy. 35, got underway late last month. It will see the facility grow to 12 service bays, from five, and expand its offerings for electric vehicle (EV) owners.

LaRue told The Highlander the $2 million redevelopment will include the purchase and installation of a specialty hoist, used to lift EV batteries, reinforced tables to store and work on the batteries, and three-stage hydro technology to properly charge and service them.

“We’re really excited about this project. That portion of the dealership was built in the 1960s – there have been some additions in the past, but we’ve run out of space there,” LaRue said. “What this does is set us up well for the future. It’s going to be a state-of-theart build. We’ll have plenty of new space to grow into.”

He said there’s been an increased demand for vehicle servicing in recent years, with business tripling since the onset of the pandemic. That’s not necessarily a surprise for LaRue, who said “you can definitely tell” there’s more people residing in, and visiting, the Highlands. Per the 2021 Census, the County’s population increased 14 per cent between December 2016 and January 2021.

The focus on EVs, he said, will help Minden Subaru stay ahead of the curve.

“The landscape has changed over the past few years. There’s a real push on EVs now. We want to make sure we’re compatible with that and providing services that all customers can access,” he said. “We’re still in the infancy of electrification, but we’ve seen in the past with other innovations – the changes will come around quickly.”

The new space will be more energy efficient too, LaRue notes. Instead of five garage doors, the service centre will feature one access point each at the front and rear of the building, as well as new heating and air conditioning systems.

LaRue is estimating an eight-month build, pegging completion for early 2024.

While he didn’t plan it this way, the project coincides with LaRue’s 10-year anniversary as owner of the local dealership.

“The time has flown by. It’s really quite a nice milestone. Our family has poured everything into this place over the past decade,” LaRue said, noting his wife, Tammy, son Chad, daughter Breana, and son-in-law Trevor, all work at the dealership. “I’m making plans for my kids to take this over one day, and hopefully their kids after them.

“I’m fourth generation in Haliburton County. My grandparents came here in the early 1900s and settled on South Lake in Minden. My grandfather, AJ, was a serial entrepreneur. I’d like to keep that spirit, that tradition of business alive in our family. That’s a big reason for us doing this project – building for the future.”

LaRue said the rebuild will create jobs, not just for contractors but for locals looking to break into the automotive industry.

“We will be looking for good quality technicians, but this also opens doors for students. We have a strong relationship with the high school – we see this as an opportunity to bring young workers in and expose them to a high-quality operation in a top notch space. That’s one of the most exciting things about this whole thing for me.”

For more information on Minden Subaru, visit minden-subaru.ca.

A member of Haliburton ‘royalty’, Diana Gomes is back in business after opening a new bakery on the ground floor of Stedmans Mall.

It’s been an emotional couple of months for Gomes, who opened The Portuguese Princess Bakery April 24. Opening the business with her son, Travis Carroll, Gomes told The Highlander this was the culmination of three decades of hard work, determination, and big dreams.

“It’s been a long journey getting here, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” said Gomes, a former nurse and one-time owner of the Head Lake Grill, which closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When a door gets closed, another window of opportunity opens. This is my amazing, wonderful opportunity.”

Baking is in Gomes’ blood, a passion since she was a young child when she used to watch her father, Francisco, in the kitchen of his family restaurant in the city.

“I come from a long line of cooks and chefs who made food for kings and queens in Portugal. I’m a first generation Canadian, but the Portuguese heritage was instilled in me very deeply,” Gomes said. “I learned a lot of these skills from my dad. I watched him make so many things from so little. It was like he was an artist… he’s definitely the inspiration behind all of this.”

Gomes has breathed new life into the unit located underneath Glecoff’s Family Store. The open concept space features an industrial fridge, prep area, and commercial baking oven. Customer facing, there’s a cooling counter that features a generous array of confectionery – Portuguese inspired puff pastries like pasteis de nata and pasteis de tentugal, and other favourites such as coconut tarts, lemon meringue, and chocolate puffs.

There are warm treats too – sausage rolls, mini quiches, pastries infused with beef and cheddar, or salmon.

“There’s almost always something new for customers to try. I really enjoy looking at a bunch of ingredients and making something out of nothing,” Gomes said. “The feedback has been amazing so far. I’ve loved getting to know so many new people, and seeing repeat customers come through the door. I always do whatever I can to make sure they leave with a smile on their face.”

A key feature for Gomes is the pricing. She said all items are available for between $2 and $10. She’s keen to ensure nobody is priced out of visiting her bakery.

“I’m doing what I can to try and fill a gap in this town and be here for the community. The first step in doing that is making sure anyone can afford to come in and buy something,” she said.

Gomes said she hopes the space will become a gathering spot for locals, particularly once she’s set up tables and chairs for dining in. That should help bring more eyes to what she’s calling her artist corner – featuring works from various local makers. Featured now is photographer June Krisko and Tracy Schell of Native Soul Creations. 

The bakery is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., though Gomes noted the hours will change after the busy summer season. For now, she’s just going to enjoy the ride.

“This is a dream come true for me. My heart and my soul are in this place. Food is my love language. I do this for the smiles and for the connections,” Gomes said. “I’m really excited about what this place can be for the people of this community.”

The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust (HHLT) held a reception at Queen’s Park June 7 to introduce the Highlands Corridor project to provincial politicians and their staff.

In addition to local MPP Laurie Scott, speakers included MPP John Yakabuski, the parliamentary assistant to the minister of the environment, conservation and parks, HHLT board members, Sheila Ziman, Jennifer Dailloux, who is also deputy mayor of Algonquin Highlands, Peter Kendall, executive director of the Schad Foundation, John Harbinson, HHLT partner in conservation, leader of the Ontario NDP party, Marit Stiles, and MPP Sandy Shaw, the critic for environment, conservation and parks.

The keynote speaker was Paul Heaven, senior wildlife biologist and consultant at Glenside Ecological Services Limited.

“Paul presented several maps of the Highlands Corridor and made the case that the extensive Crown land that sits in the corridor be designated by the Province of Ontario as a conservation reserve,” the Land Trust said in a press release.

Conservation reserves are a type of protected area intended to safeguard significant natural and cultural features. Conservation reserves are an important part of the protected area system in Ontario, covering 1.4 per cent of the province. There are currently 259 reserves in Ontario, including two in Haliburton County.

“Paul outlined four compelling reasons to name the Highlands Corridor as a conservation reserve,” the release said.

First and foremost is biodiversity. “Through species at risk investigations and habitat assessments, we have come to understand the Highlands Corridor is rich in biodiversity providing habitat for over 40 species at risk, 25 provincially significant species and 43 regionally rare species,” the Land Trust said.

Second is flood mitigation. “The Highlands Corridor is comprised of provincially significant wetlands, rocky barrens and forests, including old growth forests such as the Catchacoma Forest. Through wetland mapping, we know the area has exceptionally high wetland representation at 17.9 per cent. For an area that has been subjected to flooding in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2019, maintaining wetlands is a critical strategy to mitigating the impacts of flooding,” The Land Trust said.

Third, the Highlands Corridor significantly helps with long-term climate change resilience, the release added.

“The forests and wetlands sequester and store vast amounts of carbon. For wildlife communities, the Highlands Corridor maintains habitat connectivity, thereby allowing populations to move when faced with climate phenomena.”

Fourthly, they said the Highlands Corridor provides a significant opportunity to apply landscape conservation at a meaningful scale, with over 60,000 hectares of unceded Crown land extending between three provincial parks.

“Through raising the level of protection of the Crown land to conservation reserve, we can ensure these natural assets are not lost,” the Land Trust said.

The County of Haliburton will embark upon a month-long ‘fall in love with winter’ campaign next February as it looks to expand its Hike Haliburton winter edition.

Manager of tourism, Tracie Bertrand, made the recommendation at a June 14 council meeting and received support.

Bertrand said the campaign will take place the last three weekends of February 2024.

“This will help to capitalize on the increased visitation over Valentine’s Day and the Family Day weekend,” she said. She added in addition to Hike Haliburton, it would incorporate and promote other existing events, such as the Dorset Snowball winter carnival, Abbey Gardens’ cupid carnival, and any others that are taking place.

She said staff would use those existing offerings as “anchors” to encourage stakeholders to develop other products or special promotions the tourism department would help market as part of the ‘fall in love with winter’ campaign. She is also encouraging continued cross-promotion of events and experiences.

“Data results indicate a strong interest from the public on other events and happenings or experiences taking place around Hike Haliburton,” Bertrand noted in a written report. She said they were planning to leverage the Hike Haliburton brand all-year long, update the map and evergreen content, and continue with the added value signature picnic backpack program, to encourage people to stay overnight at accommodations in what is otherwise a very quiet time.

She said planning for the ‘fall in love with winter’ campaign will begin in October.

As for last year’s hike, Bertrand said there was a renewed interest among hike leaders in offering unique hikes, including a full-moon hike in -32C weather. There were also new hikes at Crane Lake and in the Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands provincial park.

She noted visits to the Hike Haliburton website increased 66 per cent from January 2020 to January 2023. As for attendees, about one-third came from outside of the County, including Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough, the GTA, Hastings, Barrie, Central Ontario and Guelph.

Resident Sentiment Survey

Bertrand also discussed results of a resident sediment survey (RSS), “to establish and benchmark local attitudes towards tourism growth, the visitor economy, and tourism development,” in the County for the next five years.

She said information collected through the annual process will be used to help guide her departments’ annual work plan “to ensure the opinions of residents are being considered when looking at the growth and development of tourism and the visitor economy in the County.”

She noted the RSS was in the County’s Destination Management Plan.

In analyzing results, Bertrand said they had 592 responses, including 74 per cent permanent, and 24 per cent seasonal residents. She said an average of 8.3 out of 10 said the Highlands was a “very attractive place to visit.” In addition:

• 68 per cent agree the County should invite more visitors throughout the year.

• 68 per cent do not rely on the visitor economy for their household income.

• 43 per cent of 18 to 44-year-olds do rely on it for one to 50 per cent of thei household income.

• 66 per cent agree the visitor economy is respectful of them and their community.

• 63 per cent agree tourism increased quality of life.

• 85 per cent agree the visitor economy supports local business;

• 65 per cent agree the visitor economy has a positive impact on the economy.

• The level of familiarity with the County’s tourism department was 4.6 out of 10.

Bertrand said there were “excellent” comments to open-ended questions, such as, “residents need to understand they are an important part of making Haliburton a destination. People make the place what it is; people make Haliburton.” Another was, “as a local business owner, I feel like all we hear is how tourism somehow damages Haliburton. I can tell you, that without tourism and seasonal residents, local businesses like ours would not survive.”

Algonquin Highlands unveiled a new municipal website June 20, with communications coordinator, Chad Ingram, saying the updated virtual space “is fresh, modern and ultimately allows the township to better serve the community.”

Council supported the project last fall, with the township contracting GHD Digital to carry out the work. Ingram pegged the total cost at just over $21,000.

“This has been a long project, a huge project… but we’re finally there,” Ingram said at a recent council meeting.

A revamped home page includes a customizable news and notices section, which Ingram says will allow visitors to choose what information they see. There is space to promote upcoming events, while popular tourist attractions such as the Dorset Tower, a myriad of trail systems, and the Dorset and Stanhope heritage museums also featured.

There are clickable buttons for information on council, recreation, waste and recycling, planning, property taxes, and public works.

Ingram said the main search bar is “enhanced by Google”, meaning individual searches on the new site will run through the tech giant’s virtual library.

“In theory, it should be easier to find our stuff,” Ingram said.

The new website also offers electronic forms and e-commerce capabilities, so residents can do more of their business with the township online. The e-commerce function will not be available immediately, Ingram says, but residents can complete a form to sign up for e-billing.

Ingram said a key feature is that the new website will “display well” on tablets and smartphones, which was a major complaint of the old website.

He noted staff had been able to access the site during beta demonstrations in recent months and that most feedback had been positive.

While the new site won’t directly house the township’s Bang the Table forum, released in 2021 to engage with residents on key issues online, links will be provided when discussions are live.

Some of the features, such as colour scheme, will remain the same, but Ingram said he has the capability to edit the website at any time. He noted this would be a big help when promoting upcoming events and timely news.

“I love what I’m seeing. I like all the different ways you can get into the guts of the township, what we’re offering and [making it easier to find] whatever you need to find,” said deputy mayor Jennifer Dailloux.

The site went live at 9 a.m. June 20. To visit, go to algonquinhighlands.ca.