Minden Hills sees the return of its popular Fire and Ice event, Feb. 19 with a few twists.

The town’s Cultural Centre Foundation is organizing the night out after being shelved since 2020 due to COVID-19.

Foundation member, Emily Stonehouse, recalled that event was “a sold-out success.” She said at the time, she was working for the cultural centre, and was looking forward to running it again.

In addition to being paused due to the pandemic, she said, “during that time, there was a shuffle-around with the foundation. There are now new foundation members, myself included, and we bring a unique variety of skills to the table, so I believe this event will be successful once again.”

One of the shifts, she added, was taking a step back from it being an exclusive Scotch tasting.

“We are opening up some opportunities for cocktails and mocktails, created and provided by Ommmh boutique.”

She added there will also be representatives from local restaurants providing “yummy” food. There will be food and drinks through the gallery, as well as bonfires outside.

“The whole event is designed to allow people to taste-test some local foods, and mix and mingle with good company,” Stonehouse said.

It is a 19-plus event, and a fundraiser for programming at the Cultural Centre. It is also done in collaboration with local businesses, “so that we can showcase the talent and variety that we have available in our community. It’s always been a great event, and a nice way to break up the winter blues a bit.”

The event goes 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $40, at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre, Up River (in Minden and Haliburton), Ommmh Boutique, Beauty Basics and Castle Antiques. For more information, email mindenhillsccfoundation@gmail.com.

Dorset Snowball

The Dorset Snowball winter carnival returns Feb. 17-18. $5 for a button gets the public in (children two and under do not pay). Festivities kick off Friday at 6 p.m. with a skating party at the Dorset ice palace with music, hot chocolate and a campfire. Saturday gets underway at 10 a.m. with the parade at 10:30 a.m., a lumber jack show, junk yard symphony, wildlife caller, archery, cardboard toboggan and snoe show races. See more at dorsetsnowball.com.

Plans are well underway for the establishment of a Community Garden at the Minden Fairgrounds this spring.

Sponsored by the Minden Community Food Centre and supported by the Minden Rotary Club, it will provide a minimum of 20, four-feet by 12-feet raised beds for planting by individuals.

Gary Stoner of the Food Centre said the project will provide fresh produce for food bank clients and the general public, many of whom do not have the physical space to create a garden on their own property, or who live in rented accommodation.

Dave Woodcroft, president of the Rotary Club of Minden, said his club supports the initiative “as a tremendous benefit to the community.” He, along with Lynda Litwin, also of Rotary, are encouraging other service clubs in Minden to hop on board with their support.

Litwin said, “many organizations have already indicated they are behind this most worthwhile project.”

Applications for a spot in the garden are already being accepted by contacting the Minden Community Food Centre at 705-286-6838 or by email mindencommunityfoodcentre@ gmail.com.

“The organizing committee would like to see more involvement from the community and lists the following opportunities for volunteers to get involved: garden co-ordinator, provision and erection of perimeter fencing, garden hoses, construction of a small garden shed, site preparation and top soil, plot construction, providing and putting up signs and financial help.

Further details will be provided at an upcoming meeting for anyone interested, Feb. 21 at the Dominion Hotel at 7 p.m.

Such was the rush when Hook, Line & Sinker “quietly” opened its doors Jan. 25, the restyled Haliburton eatery ran out of food after only four days of service.

Located on Highland Street in the spot that once housed Baked and Battered, the new restaurant has been a major hit with locals, say owners Veronica VanLeeuwen and Taylor Pridham. Since purchasing the site from Craig Gordon and Colby Marcellus in the fall of 2021, the mother-son duo has overseen a complete transformation of the space.

While key features such as the fireplace, outdoor patio and takeout window have been mainstained, there have been several additions. A new rectangular bar sits at the heart of the restaurant, while garage-style doors have been installed beside the front entrance, paving the way for indoor open-air eating come summer.

A stylish, bright interior gives off a welcoming vibe. A map of Haliburton County sprawls across one of the walls.

“We wanted to create a cozy feeling, somewhere people would feel comfortable and at home,” Van Leeuwen said. “The building has a lot of history for a lot of people, so we didn’t want to lose that. The idea was to keep the community feel of the space, while adding a bit of modern splash.”

“It’s been a big transformation,” Pridham added.

And that doesn’t just go for cosmetics. Behind the-scenes, the restaurant has gone from having two kitchens to one. The bakery is no more, paving the way for a new menu featuring some old favourites, as well as popular new additions.

Chef Doug Money was brought in to help facilitate the change. He has more than 20 years industry experience, the pas six in Haliburton County as a sous chef at Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride.

“We wanted to make sure there was a little something for everyone on our menu – we have the fish and chips, but we’ve also added a gluten-free option, which is something nobody else has (around here). We’ve got fish tacos, pasta dishes such as chicken alfredo, a new steak stack – good mood food that brings a smile to people’s faces.” Money said.

Living in the community permanently since 2021, after cottaging on a property on Little Redstone Lake for 15 years, the pair say they have fallen for Haliburton County hook, line and sinker – which was the inspiration behind the name.

The new restaurant is open five-days a week – from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information visit facebook.com/Thehookhaliburotn.

After a 40-plus year career in the arts, seasonal Haliburton resident David McClyment knows all too well the fine margins between making it as an artist, or not.

“Often times, it comes down to basic presentation – how can you separate yourself from the pack. There are far more artists than there are venues to show work. Galleries typically get hundreds, if not thousands of applications every year for a space that might not even exist. So, how do you capture their attention?” he asked.

After having his work featured across Ontario – at the Red Head Gallery and David Kaye Gallery in Toronto, and spaces in Sudbury, North Bay, and Sault St. Marie – McClyment is switching gears in his retirement, helping aspiring artists to chase their dreams. He recently published a book, So You Want to Be an Artist, a self-help resource that he says unpacks more than four decades’ worth of experience, breaking down how people can make their work stand out.

He will be presenting some of his ideas during a three-hour lecture at the Corner Gallery in Haliburton Feb. 18. It’ll be like a trip down memory lane for a man who once taught at Haliburton School of Art + Design and, more recently, Centennial College.

“Photography is the base step in how to present your portfolio… the first step for many places is not to look at your actual piece, but to look at photographs of your work. If the photo is any good, then you might have a chance of getting your foot in the door,” McClyment said.

The industry is much changed from the one he entered in the late 1970s. Then, there was more collaboration between artists – people seemed more willing to help one another, McClyment noted.

“It was a more positive time. If you wanted to get together with some friends to open a gallery, everyone would pitch in and make it happen… there’s not so much of that anymore. Now, Toronto has developed a reputation, its nickname is ‘Cold City’. If you don’t represent a step up the ladder, nobody is going to talk to you, or work with you,” he said. “That’s a problem for young artists, because there aren’t too many people out there willing to offer the kind of help they need to break through.”

He considers his new book and workshop series to be his way of giving back to an industry that has provided a nice life for him and his family, “sort of like paying it forward.” While there are copious materials out there detailing art styles and processes, there’s very little information on how to navigate the business.

Saturday’s lecture starts at 3 p.m. and is $20 to attend. There will be space for up to 30 people. An eight-person workshop will follow, costing another $20.

“The best piece of advice I can give people is ‘good enough is not’. What I mean by that is, when you’re looking at the photograph you just took of your baby that you sweated blood and tears over, and you think ‘yeah, that’s OK’ – let me tell you, it’s not,” McClyment said. “You need to make your case emphatically, so paying attention to things you might otherwise overlook is really critical.”

Tim Nicholson has worked in theatre in the Highlands for years. A staple with Highlands Summer Festival, and Highlands Little Theatre, Nicholson said one thing he noticed was that talented young people were not gracing stages enough in the County. So, he and Amy Leis set about doing something about that. The result is Ctrl-ART-Del, a new theatre company with an emphasis on youth.

They are in the middle of rehearsing for a play, Cherubs, they will present at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Paviliion March 31 and April 1.

A long-time actor, who has appeared in North Bay and Toronto, it will be Nicholson’s directorial debut.

“And, it’s my first time being part of a brand new theatre company,” he said in a recent interview.

He expands on his rationale, saying, “I’ve been working in Haliburton County for a number of years in theatre. I noticed that the majority of the young people, talented young people, in our community weren’t appearing on stage.

“Most of the younger people that were appearing on stage were from out of the County, and I know we have very talented people in the community. I wanted to give them an opportunity to work on stage if they wanted to.”

He added the new company is designed primarily to stage contemporary works, which means anything after 1990 and preferably after 2000, “that will get them interested in theatre in the community.

“That’s our main goal, to eventually put me out to pasture, and let the young people have a theatre company that they can run on their own and do works they’re interested in, and they can say to me, ‘Tim, thanks for your help, but go away’.”

He said their first show, Cherubs, was workshopped in the U.K. in 2021. He added Leis, who is one of their actors and co-operator of the group, did the workshop online during the pandemic and played a character she will replicate this spring.

Written by Toby McShane, it’s a “very dark comedy … visions of Martin McDonagh or the Quentin Tarantino Pulp Fiction era,” Nicholson said. “It’s quite amusing, it’s quite dark, and we’re very lucky to have the Canadian premiere of it.”

The cast has been picked, although the plan is for open auditions in future.

“We chose a play that would feature these actors rather than doing an open audition. We were hoping with a closed audition that we could find something that holds up, or people that would be interested in working in theatre, if they could see that ‘yes, there is the potential of doing exciting new theatre in the County for young people’.”

Nicholson is excited about what lies ahead.

“This is the first time, in a long time, that I’m very excited about theatre.” He added it is meaningful as he ages.

“Everybody comes to the point in their lives where they realize that the knowledge that they gained over the course of their experience, if it hasn’t been passed on, is going to die with the person. I ran into that when I retired from cabinet work and trim carpentry. I realized that I had this abundance of knowledge on how to do my trade really, really well and there was nobody to pass it on to.

“I realized the same thing was happening with theatre. I have a lot of experience in theatre. I’ve worked with professional actors and directors. I’ve learned a lot. And if I don’t pass this on, then that information, those skills for that craft, are going to die with me. That would be a shame. I’m hoping this new company gives me the opportunity to pass on the information and the skills that go with the craft to a younger, brighter, population that can take that information and make it their own and run with it. That’s really what I want out of this company. To stand on their own multiple feet and make this thing work and take the information I can give them and run with it.”

Cherubs will be performed at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion on March 31 at 7:30 p.m., and April 1 at 2 p.m. For more information about Ctrl-ART-Del, visit ctrlartdel.ca or visit their socials media.

Minden Community Food Centre chairman, Don Veno, asked Minden Hills council Feb. 9 for additional financial support, “as we prepare for a challenging 2023.”

In asking for a $10,000 grant, he said the centre provided food and necessities for more than 2,600 people in 2022. Of that, nearly 40 per cent were children under the age of 12 and more than 20 per cent were between the ages of 65 and 95.

He noted Food Bank Canada had reported an average 35 per cent increase in usage over the past two years.

Locally, “the total demand in need drastically increased in the fourth quarter of the year and we anticipate that increase to continue by approximately over 30 per cent into 2023,” Veno added. He said a decision by Loblaws to remove its price freeze on No Name products will impact shoppers at ValuMart in Minden, and Todd’s Independent in Haliburton. Veno added they are seeing food prices far greater than the advertised eight per cent rate of inflation, more like 15 per cent in 2022 with another 20 per cent jump expected for 2023.

“This is simply unmanageable,” Veno said.

Their Christmas hamper project, their 28th, was the most expensive and most subscribed to date. More than 500 people were serviced, 187 children, who also received toys. It cost the centre $24,000, with an even greater figure anticipated for this coming December. The 2021 program cost about $20,000.

“Families are unable to sustain the cost of food locally as well as the cost of living. Economists predict interest rates will continue to rise, as will inflation, through 2023 before levelling off. We are just now starting to feel the impact. And as families and especially our elderly community, are trying to sustain the rising costs, it’s simply nearly impossible to manage without assistance,” Veno said.

In the meantime, the organization has made costly investments, including new freezers and a new generator system, required to ensure the safety of the food supply, that could be upwards of $80,000. There was also an unexpected $8,000 cost for the lift. The food bank pays its landlord and will spend between $12,000 and $15,000 on its community garden project.

Coun. Lisa Schell asked what the township usually gives, and director of community services, Craig Belfry, said they waive rental of the community centre for the Christmas hamper program, equivalent to about $2,000. He said they traditionally also give the centre $3,000-a-year.

Schell said she’s been a councillor for 16 years and didn’t think the financial contribution had changed.

Coun. Pam Sayne acknowledged the need for food security, saying without it there is stress and an impact on mental health. She added if the township did increase its support, it did not mean the community should stop donating.

Coun. Shirley Johannessen said the food bank could investigate other revenue sources, as well, such as road tolls, collection boxes, contacting the lake associations, doing more bottle drives, soliciting media coverage and using social media.

Veno said, “it’s true we need to get out there a little more” and it was part of the board’s plan for this year.

The chair also invited councillors to come for a food bank day to see the operation. Mayor Bob Carter commented it was worth seeing, “how important an institution this is to our community.”

The food centre ask has been referred to ongoing budget discussions.

Horticulturalists want more money

Members of the Minden and District Horticultural Society (MDHS) – president Connie Walker, Karen Shirley and Carolyn Park – spoke to council’s Jan. 26 meeting, also seeking more money.

Walker asked council for $3,000 for 2023, up from $2,000. She said the MDHS spent nearly $3,000 last year on the town gardens and $2,000, “doesn’t cover current costs and we expect a significant shortfall next year.”

Walker outlined a number of other concerns. She said while summer students water plants, they often don’t start until June and leave before September. It means plants are dying when it would be nice to keep them until Thanksgiving weekend for tourists.

Walker added they would like to return the flower boxes to the bridge. She said the MDHS is committed to getting them, putting them in, and maintaining them, but need township permission. She said she knew there was a concern about blocking views to traffic but they could lower them.

Walker said they would like to freshen the gazebo in the village green and put up minilights. They want to know when the brick pavers will be fixed, since they are a safety risk with potential liability for the town. It is in the proposed 2023 budget. Walker added they would like to have trees pruned, benches or outside chairs, and an ashtray so cigarette butts are not strewn about. They have also found memorial plaques buried in garden beds. They have refreshed them and want to find a permanent home in the Village Green.

Sayne thanked the group for its volunteer hours and did not think they were “asking for the moon.” This item was also coming back.