When that first splash of colour starts to push through in the spring after a long, cold winter, Carnarvon’s Larry Parsons is one of many locals just itching to bring their toys out to play.

There’s another 1947 Ford Coupe, this one a two-door sedan, which Parsons fixed up for his son. His wife, Cheryl, has two cars – a 1964 Checker Wagon and a 1947 Ford convertible. He also has a fully rebuilt 1937 Willys Jeep and is in the process of restoring a 1947 Studebaker.

“I just love old cars, the really classic ones,” Parsons told The Highlander.

He does all the work himself, from fixing the body to replacing the mechanical components. He does all the paint jobs, too.

“Lots of trial and error – if you break something, you just keep doing it until it comes out right,” he said when asked how he had learned.

His pride and joy is his stunning blue Coupe. While most people clamoured for a Camaro or a Mustang back in the 1960s, Parsons wanted something a little different. He stumbled upon the Ford while out in Whitby. It had been abandoned in a field, but the then-teen saw its potential.

“I was pulling in and there was this guy behind me trying to flag me down, so I got out and asked him ‘what’s up?’ He said he had a car just like that when he was younger. At the time, I had 1962 Volkswagen taillights on there, and a Studebaker hawk dash. He took a closer look and decided this didn’t just look like his car, it was his car,” Parsons said.

Before taking any of his cars out onto the road, Parsons has a spring-cleaning checklist he likes to run through to ensure optimal performance.

The first step, he said, is to check the dip stick to make sure the oil level is where it should be. Top up if necessary. While there, he suggested a quick trick to make sure antifreeze hadn’t gotten into the motor.

“If antifreeze gets into your oil and you try to run the car, it can destroy your engine, Parsons said. “Take a wrench and just crack the oil plug underneath the motor. Give it a turn and wait a minute. If there’s any antifreeze in there, it’s the first thing that comes out. If it starts dripping oil a little bit, then perfect, you’re all good.”

He suggested charging the battery, checking the master cylinder to make sure everything is OK – during the winter rodents and small animals looking for somewhere to hibernate may take up shop there, Parsons said he’s had to replace several hoses and belt lines that have been chewed through.

Old wiring can become brittle, break or corrode and become a fire hazard, so Parsons suggests giving everything under the hood a once over. Check all fuel lines and hoses leading from the tank to the carburetor or throttle body. Look for leaks, corrosion and dry rotting. Make sure the throttle linkage is moving freely and not binding up.

Ensure your tires are in good shape and have enough air in them. Lube the chassis, check for play in the steering wheel, and move the front wheel by hand back and forth to see if there’s any play in the wheel bearings or tie rods. Finally, make sure all lug nuts are torqued to spec.

Parsons also suggested giving any aluminum intake a once over with a wrench, making sure they’re snug. After that, fire the car up and take it for a test drive.

The Time Travellers will gather for its first meet of the season June 8 in Minden. The group runs shows weekly on Thursday evenings, alternating between Minden and Haliburton. The club has grown to more than 100 members in recent years, with Parsons saying anyone is welcome. Membership is $25 per year.

For club updates, visit facebook.com/ haliburton-highlands-time-travellers.

Authors Marie Gage, Kathy Purc, Janet Trull and Brenda Peddigrew joined Kathy Stouffer in celebrating Canadian Independent Bookstore Day April 29 in Haliburton.

It is an annual day when readers, writers, illustrators and publishers come together to celebrate indie bookstores across Canada.

“In Haliburton, we are lucky to have Master’s Bookstore, owned and operated by Kathy Stouffer for over 30 years,” Trull said. “Her extensive inventory is stacked to the ceiling with international best-sellers, Canadian literature, and children’s books. Kathy maintains this welcoming space for readers, and she generously supports authors and poets by featuring their novels, memoirs and poetry collections.”

There was a snack table, a chance to meet and learn from the authors, and prizes.

“Over the years, Kathy has been carrying books that reflect our Highlands spirit,” Trull added. “This was our chance to show our appreciation.”

People came in to browse, have a snack, select their summer reading material, and meet with the authors.

“It was a time to exchange reading suggestions with other book lovers, chat about their favourite authors, connect with readers and writers, and say thank you for this important service in our community,” Trull said.

Remembrance was front and centre on a special night at the Haliburton Legion April 28.

The local branch welcomed around 50 people for its 2023 student awards celebration, commemorating the 68 youth who participated in this year’s Remembrance Day literary and poster contests.

The tradition has been running for more than 20 years, encouraging students from Stuart Baker and J.D. Hodgson elementary schools and Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (HHSS) to honour the sacrifices of Canadian veterans through personalized works.

Legion member Carolyn Millard organized this year’s event – the first the Legion has run since 2019.

“There’s so many ways that we can remember those who served our country… the students’ participation helps make sure we never forget the sacrifices that have been made to keep our Canada strong and free,” she told the crowd.

“Sometimes, it can be easy to think the war was long ago, but there’s always a way to link the present to the past,” she added.

Millard shared the story of her father, Jim, who served in the Navy during the Second World War. After enlisting in Hamilton, he completed basic training in ‘Hammertown’ and was assigned to be a submarine detector. He shipped out to Parry Sound and was eventually deployed to Europe.

Millard said her father spent years overseas and documented his service in a series of memoirs.

“My dad was a very humble man. He said he didn’t do too much in the war – I guess being a submarine detector was not as dangerous as some other roles. But it’s because of people like him that we have [the life we have] today. It’s stories like this that remind us why it’s so important for us to remember,” she said.

HHSS student Sophie Longo won first place in both the zone and district competitions for her entry in the poem contest. Millard noted Longo’s submission was now being judged at the provincial level. Results were unavailable as of press time.

Alivia Brown, a student at JDH, won first place in the local intermediate poetry category, for those in Grades 7 to 9, with classmates Azarra Steward and Brianna Vanderstarre finishing second and third. Brown also finished third in the zone competition.

JDH student Annika Gervais placed first locally and third at zone in the intermediate essay contest, with Macie Bielis finishing second and Alivia Brown third. Brooklyn Bielis won locally in the junior category, for Grades 4 to 6, while also placing first at zone and third at district.

Brown won first locally and at zone in the intermediate colour poster contest, with Gervais coming second and Dineke Verstegelsa third. Jordyn Braun placed first locally in the junior category, with Mia McCarty coming second. Stuart Baker student Luna Scuhr Marziali secured first in the primary category, for Grades 1 to 3, and second in the zone competition, with Campbell Adlam coming second locally and Mikayla Keller third.

HHSS student Isabel Hill placed first locally and at zone in the senior black and white poster contest, also finishing third at district. Brown won the intermediate category, with Mazey Robinson coming second and Connor Iles third. Claire Lynch won the junior category, with Anika Suke placing second and Claire Hamilton third. The primary category saw Melcolm Lynch finish first and Everly Cox second.

Student athletes Emmerson Wilson and Avery Horner will fly the Hal High flag at OFSAA next week, continuing the school’s long history of success in badminton.

The Grade 12ers will travel to Port Hope for the four-day competition May 10. They will compete in the senior pairs bracket against the best up-and-coming talent in the province. Fresh off a silver medal at COSSA – the regional championships – last week, the two are excited to hit the court and test their mettle against their fellow shuttlecock enthusiasts.

“This is my first full year of playing badminton – I’ve loved it. It’s been a really exciting season for us. When we first started, we were just hoping to make it to the Kawartha championships. But we meshed well, started to find our groove as a team and then the belief kicked in,” Wilson said. “It’s so amazing to make it to OFSAA.”

Given this is the duo’s first year playing together, The Highlander asked about their secret to success.

“It probably helps that we’re best friends, so working together on the court hasn’t been a problem,” Horner said. “We’re able to play to one another’s strengths really well and help and encourage each other when we’re out there.”

The girls won three of their four games at COSSA, at St. Peter’s Catholic School in Peterborough April 27. They secured a silver medal with a hard-fought win over a rival school from Belleville.

Wilson said the pressure was on heading into the final set, with a place at provincials on the line.

“That’s when I perform at my best, though. I love the pressure, the big moments. I was excited for us to show what we could do,” she said. “I didn’t let myself overthink it, we just focused on the basics, playing our game, and seeing where that took us. It was probably our strongest performance [of the season].”

The pair have been coached this season by Mike Gaffney and Bob Schmidt, with Jason Morissette assisting. Morissette said he was proud of the girls for achieving something they didn’t think possible at the beginning of the season.

He noted qualifying for the provincial championships sets a good example to the school’s younger players.

“It’s huge for the junior group, seeing what’s possible if you really put in the work. Emmerson and Avery have been excellent students of the game. They’ve put in the time during practices, and we’re seeing that pay off now. I couldn’t be happier for them.”

While securing another medal, this time at the provincial level, would be the stuff of dreams for the pair, Horner said they’re just savouring the moment and putting any ideas of winning to the back of their minds.

“I just want to see how we stack up, if we’re able to compete,” she said. “At OFSAA, we won’t be playing against other schools our size, we’re playing against the best players from the best schools. It’s going to be a great challenge.”

“I just want to see how we stack up, if we’re able to compete,” she said. “At OFSAA, we won’t be playing against other schools our size, we’re playing against the best players from the best schools. It’s going to be a great challenge.”

OFSAA kicks off in Port Hope May 11, hosted by the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association. For more information, visit ofsaa.on.ca/championship/ badminton.

Some councillors expressed concern as the hired guns paid $50,000 to prepare the County’s economic development strategy presented their report to County councillors April 12 – endorsing the final document April 26.

Strexer Harrop Consulting Group (SHCG) did the work for director of economic development Scott Ovell and the County. They paid $42,300 plus HST from Safe Restart Funds.

After SHCG’s Tonya Kraan presented her firm’s work, Coun. Murray Fearrey commented while it was a “very extensive report … I don’t think there’s hardly anything there that any of us around this table didn’t already know.”

Some of the highlights in the report included recurring themes, such as employers having a hard time finding workers, succession planning, the need for all four municipalities to standardize policies and procedures, a call for public transit and support for businesses and entrepreneurs.

Kraan said when it comes to residents, there is a demand for more apartments, year-round recreational opportunities, such as an indoor swimming pool, increased business hours in the Highlands, and educating employers about the need to pay a living wage as well as a shift to a greener economy.

This sparked Coun. Bob Carter to comment that it costs more to live in the Highlands than cities. Yet, “it seems an awful lot of asks from the businesses. Get us apartments so we can hire more staff … what are the businesses willing to do? Are the businesses willing to pay more than minimum wage?” He added if paying minimum wage and offering seasonal jobs, how can employers expect employees to afford apartments and the cost of living in the County.

Kraan said as part of their work, they have put together information on what other employers across the broader region are paying their workers. She said the plan will be for Ovell to attend AGMs of various employer groups and share data on average wages, “not to shame anyone, but show there is room for improvement.” She said pay for agricultural and tourism jobs, in particular, are well below average in the Highlands.

Fearrey said he would like someone to talk to high school graduates about going into the trades. “I think that’s a huge opportunity locally. It hasn’t been done and I don’t know why it’s not being done, but I’m looking to our staff to initiate that.”

He also took exception to some of the suggestions, such as businesses expanding hours, when they have already said they don’t have enough staff.

“These things are easy to talk about, but they’re not easy to solve…same as transportation. We know about it and we’re trying to figure out how to do it but we just haven’t found it yet.”

Ovell told council, “we tried to tie the strategy and the timelines to your term in council so we can make this economic development journey together.” He added there were key performance indicators towards an action plan “to ensure this isn’t a document that sits on a shelf.”

Coun. Jennifer Dailloux also noted a mix of low-hanging fruit and big-ticket items and sought direction.

Kraan said one “big quick hit” would be convincing County residents it is okay to have basement apartments. She said people hear horror stories, but not positive stories, of good tenants, such as nurses and lab technicians, leasing apartments.

“We want to do those quick wins. Some of those communications tactics are quick wins. Big ticket items need to be invested in, but we don’t want you to sit on your thumbs.”

Ovell added he and director of tourism, Tracie Bertrand now have a starting point and can work with council towards achieving its desired goals.

He added objectives in the next 18 months are to help employers fill current and future job vacancies by increasing housing availability. He said they will be able to do that through a number of marketing initiatives, including supporting the townships with their outreach to developers and looking to connect employers with the green economy, which is a strong driver for the younger workforce.

Other goals include bumping up communication, the need for secondary suites, and showcasing the Highlands as an environmental, social and governance leader.

Coun. Cec Ryall felt they had received consolidated direction across the County to make things happen.” He said the first step was hiring Ovell, and the second now having an economic development strategy.

You can see the entire plan on the April 12 County agenda.