Bram Lebo and Highlander Editor Lisa Gervais discuss a group effort in Haliburton County to get more candidates running for local office and other news happening in the County this week.
Getting public into politics
Sean Pennylegion doesn’t want to see history repeat itself during next year’s municipal elections in Haliburton County, so he’s helped launch a new movement meant to drum up political interest ahead of the Oct. 26, 2026 vote.
The Haliburton Highlands Healthy Democracy Project (HHHDP) is a homegrown initiative that Pennylegion says will educate people about the importance of civic engagement.
Lower-tier elections in Algonquin Highlands, Dysart et al, Highlands East and Minden Hills broke records for all the wrong reasons in 2022 – setting new benchmarks for acclamations and voter turnout.
Dysart et al saw 31.47 per cent of its population cast a ballot – the highest among the County’s four townships. Algonquin Highlands was next at 28.9 per cent, with Minden Hills at 24.76 per cent, and Highlands East at 21.26 per cent. Countywide, the average turnout was 26.59 per cent.
Twelve politicians were given seats on council after running unopposed, including the mayor and deputy in both Dysart and Minden Hills and eight councillors – three in Highlands East, two each in Algonquin Highlands and Dysart, and one in Minden Hills.
“We need to somehow do something to motivate people to become more involved,” Pennylegion said. “That last election is, by far, the least amount of participation I’ve seen at the local level. Which is a shame, because our closest contact with government is municipal.
“When you look out your window, most of what you see and the services we have are controlled by the municipality. People don’t understand what kind of effect they can have on their future, on how their town is run just by speaking up or registering a vote,” he added.
Joining Pennylegion on HHHDP’s steering committee are Jessica Slade, Lauren Hunter, Barrie Martin and former Algonquin Highlands mayor and coun. Carol Moffatt.
The initiative is being run in partnership with the Haliburton County Community Cooperative and is supported by the Haliburton County Development Corporation and Telling Our Stories Speaker Series, which has contributed $5,000 to program development.
Teaching people how system works
Learn, meet and mingle
The group’s first step has been to organize a four-part ‘Voices and Votes’ series that Pennylegion says will inform people about the ins and outs of municipal governance.
The first session ‘partnership in action: community and council’ is being held Sept. 16, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Haliburton Legion. There, Slade, who works as a civics consultant, will talk folks through how they can contribute to community development by working alongside local government.
“It will include some success stories that have happened, things that regular people have done, working alongside council, in each of our four municipalities,” Pennylegion said.
The second talk will feature former MPs Barry Devolin (Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock) and Maryam Monsef (Peterborough-Kawartha) discussing why people should get involved by running for office, supporting a political campaign, or being an informed community member. It will take place Oct. 7 at the Lloyd Watson Community Centre in Wilberforce.
The final two events will take place in spring 2026 and will focus on what it’s like to run for office and serve as a municipal representative, featuring stories from past politicians. There will also be details about what a successful campaign looks like – for a candidate, supporter or voter.
We all play a role
After serving 16 years on Algonquin Highlands council from 2006-2022, one term as a councillor and three as mayor, Moffatt knows what she’s talking about when discussing municipal politics. She discussed being a panelist in one of the sessions with Martin and Hunter late last year, but after learning more about HHHDP decided she wanted to be more involved.
“My years on council showed me that local government is widely felt to be confusing and inaccessible to the average person. They don’t know the agendas are public, that meetings as open and now streamed online, they don’t know they’re supposed to have a relationship with their councillors.
“This is an opportunity to teach folks how the system works so that they can participate. It has felt to me, for years, that people have things to say, ideas to share and perspectives to put forward, but they don’t know what door to knock on to get there,” Moffatt said.
Inspiring the next generation of leaders is just as important – almost every elected official in the Highlands is at least 40, with the average age of County council, made up of mayors and deputies from the four townships, over 65.
Moffatt admitted life in the public spotlight can be difficult – abuse is a lot more common now than 20 years ago, thanks to social media, but said she feels the good drastically outweighs the bad.
“You get to have a say in shaping the future of your community – there aren’t many things [more fulfilling] than that,” Moffatt said.
She and Pennylegion say HHHDP will also talk about the importance of volunteering – whether with a municipal committee or event, or another community organization. In recent years, groups like Haliburton Highlands Health Services, area food banks, churches and legions, Pride in the Highlands and more have seen a marked drop-off in volunteer numbers.
“One of the things that needs to be brought to the fore is that when you have a lot of volunteer-run organizations that have come to provide anchor services in a community, and they’re run by people who are getting older; and you have a younger cohort that is disengaged and perhaps not overly interested, then the burden to continue to provide those services will fall to a municipality,” Moffatt said. “Then taxes go up and people get angry.
“We’re getting close to a breaking point here… we need to find ways to connect with people so they know they are needed, they do play a role in helping make our community run,” she added.
Minden Hills faces deluge of maintenance projects
Things are moving at the Minden Hills library and cultural centre – but it’s not the kind of movement staff or council are embracing.
Chief building official, Eric Guay, told council Aug. 28 that the retaining wall that supports the accessibility ramp is moving away from the building.
He said they had checked six points and the wall has moved half-an-inch to three-quarters-of-an-inch in some areas.
“The frost heave that we are seeing in the wintertime is causing significant issues. As well, the posts holding up the gable entry structure have not been put below frost levels,” he told council. He added when the ramp moves, the structural posts are moving with it.
He said the municipality has received some Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program funding to put towards various accessibility projects at the library and cultural centre, Lochlin Community Centre, Irondale Community Centre and Minden Curling Club. The federal government pays 40 per cent ($358,800), the province 33.33 per cent ($298,970.10) and the township 26.67 per cent ($239,229.90) for a total of $897,000. Expenses must be as of March 31, 2027.
Guay noted the township’s accessibility priorities had changed since 2021 when they got the grant and they are reviewing curling club and Irondale community centre needs. The township is also looking for someone to demolish the Lochlin community centre, and replace it with a pre-fabricated structure.
“Staff intend to follow up with the grant approval authorities to discuss the potential to reallocate remaining grant funds,” Guay said.
He recommended contracting Tatham Engineering to do engineering work for the accessibility ramp and retaining wall, at a cost of $20,300 plus HST; followed by using grant funding for the retaining wall and ramp.
Mayor Bob Carter asked about timelines, and Guay said engineering work first, then construction next year. “It is not an imminent danger, but it is a situation that will develop and get worse over time.”
Coun. Pam Sayne supported the ask, but said there were long-standing problems with the library and cultural centre, not just the ramp and retaining wall, but roofs. She questioned the need “for a different engineer or better designs. We have other things that have been pressing much longer that require money as well.”
Coun. Tammy McKelvey said they’d hired Tatham for engineering work for the curling club roof, and library and cultural centre roofs for $27,500 and were looking at another $20,300 for the retaining wall and ramp job.
“Would we not have been better to put all these together? We needed to get this a little better organized.” She added there will be more work coming with staff entrances at the administration building.
She said they have to make sure the funding can go to the retaining wall and ramp project.
CAO Cynthia Fletcher agreed, “I think we need get a lot more coordinated” when it comes to facilities. However, she said they wanted to start using grant money they have received.
The County of Haliburton is looking at hiring an engineer as part of the service delivery review. Mayor Bob Carter said it could be a resource his township can use.
McKelvey and Sayne also asked about progress on the curling club, cultural centre and library roofs.
“This is an emergency, practically,” Sayne said of the cultural centre roof.
Guay said Tatham was close to completing engineering work for the curling club roof “and then we’ll look at the cultural centre as the next step as well.” However, he pointed out this funding has to do with accessibility, not facility upgrades.
Council approved Guay’s ask for using the grant money for the retaining wall and ramp.
Habitat and Places join up
On Sept. 7, representatives of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region and Places for People erected a sign just off of Peninsula Road in Haliburton announcing a partnership to build affordable condos at the site.
It’s part of Paul Wilson’s Harburn Holdings project, following Wilson’s promise to donate some of the land for affordable housing.
The two housing providers revealed their official collaboration last week, and will hold an information session Sept. 18 for contractors, potential homeowners, renters, and the public from 3-7 p.m. at the Haliburton Legion.
Zambonin was reluctant to discuss the Peninsula Road project in detail, saying more would be revealed next week.
However, she did say, “this partnership will allow Habitat to do affordable home ownership and it will allow Places for People to do affordable rentals. It will be the first time that Habitat has worked with a non-profit to provide affordable rentals.”
Zambonin added, “that’s new for us. Normally, we’re just trying to sell all of our units. And it doesn’t help someone whose income may be a little bit lower and Places for People is only renting, so that doesn’t help somebody who wants to get equity. So, this is a really good partnership in that respect.”
Tromanhauser said the collaboration is ideal for Places for People. “We’re excited to work with Habitat because they have so much experience in building new builds and their reputation is pristine. Working together just makes sense because we’re both trying to solve the affordable housing problem; them through home ownership and us through rentals.”
Zambonin said that about four or five months ago, they made a presentation to the Haliburton County Home Builders Association and said, “this is what we’re planning to do. We’re looking for local trades, local suppliers because we have a whole network, but it’s in Peterborough and Lindsay. We’ve said ‘sure, we can bring people here, but that’s not what we want’. We’re looking for new partnerships, we’re looking for local suppliers.” She said in Peterborough, they get cost plus a bit as it is affordable housing.
“We want to take our model and just bring it to Haliburton and make new friends, essentially.”
Zambonin was asked about challenges in Haliburton County. She said she didn’t think there was anything different from Lindsay or Peterborough. “There is NIMBYism (not in my backyard), ‘those people’ that are going to be purchasing our homes. Well, ‘those people’ are your neighbours that are renting, and have solid jobs, and just can’t find a house they can afford that is worth buying and get a down payment.”
She added, “for us, it’s really trying to get people to understand how our program works. Because the average person would say ‘if builders can’t do this, how can you do it – that it’s going to be affordable?’ We have to explain our mortgage model for our homeowners; and how we are able to build for the price that we are able to build, which is our partnerships in the community. We know we are not going to get donations to build this. We need help with the cost to build and when our homeowners buy, that’s how we pay for it. We don’t walk away with all kinds of debt.”
Tromanhauser said Places for People brings local knowledge to the partnership and “can help Susan and her team meet the right people and get the message out and explain how Habitat works, and how it’s going to work in Haliburton.”
The two said once the community sees how it works, they hope it can kick off other affordable housing builds, such as at the Wee Care property in Haliburton.
The event is Thursday, Sept. 18 from 3-7 p.m. at the Haliburton Legion at 719 Mountain St., Haliburton.
Hiker identified, laid to rest after 40 years
Human remains discovered in Algonquin Park in 1980 have now been identified through the use of investigative genetic genealogy (IGG).
The OPPs Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) said on Sept. 4 that the 40-plus year case has now been solved.
On April 19, 1980, a hiker found the remains near the Hardwood Lookout Trail in the park and members of the Whitney OPP, under the OPP CIB, began an extensive search with the assistance of the Ministry of Natural Resources. Over several days, a boot, a leather wallet, clothing, a sleeping bag, camping gear and additional remains were located and examined by the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OFPS).
It was determined the deceased was a white male between 18 and 21 at the time of his death. Foul play was not suspected.
It was initially estimated the male had died between July 1, 1971, and spring 1978. Further investigation narrowed the estimated time of death to approximately two years before the remains were discovered. Despite comparing the remains to several missing persons reports and issuing public appeals, the case remained unsolved.
On March 23, 1995, additional remains were discovered along the trail. A jawbone was examined by the OFPS and confirmed to belong to the human remains found in 1980. Although further searches were conducted, no additional remains or items were found.
In 2017, the OPP unveiled a threedimensional clay facial reconstruction created by their forensic artist. This generated dozens of tips, but none led to a confirmed identity.
The investigation continued and, in April 2022, the male’s DNA was submitted to the DNA Doe Project for IGG analysis in an attempt to determine his identity through family members. By September 2023, the presumptive identity was verified and used by CIB detectives to locate living family members. DNA from family members was used to confirm the male’s identity and the family was notified.
After more than four decades, the deceased has finally been identified as Eric (Ricky) Singer of Cleveland, Ohio. Singer had last been seen at his parents’ residence in Berea, Ohio, on Oct. 4, 1973.
The CIB said that this summer, Ricky’s sisters travelled from the U.S. to walk the trail with investigators and visit the place where their brother spent his final days. Ricky’s youngest sister, Merry Singer, said, “up until this time, I never felt sad because it has been such a long time and you get numb to it. This cuts through. I’m honoured, I’m humbled, I’m grateful. He was eventually found. He was identified and we were able to put him to rest and put ourselves to rest.”
It offered closure to investigators as well.
Detective sergeant Philip Holmes, OPP lead investigator, said “Eric Singer’s remains were found before I was even born. The fact that I’m involved in supporting his family in understanding what happened to him feels a little surreal. This case demonstrates the incredible results that are possible when modern investigative tools, such as investigative genetic genealogy, are used to resolve historic cases and provide long-awaited answers to families. This was one of the most rewarding investigations of my career.”
All is revealed
You could have cut the tension with a palette knife as four artists took part in Corner Gallery’s Reveal 2 Sept. 6.
Actually, it wasn’t very tense at all as curator David Partridge revealed a black and white image and the artists went to work in their separate corners creating their own interpretations of the mystery photo.
While a reporter would also like to work in that it was like watching paint dry – it was anything but.
Members of the public dropped in and out of the gallery to watch the process unfold. One sauntered over to Harvey Walker with a casual “how are you?” to be told “I’m having fun. I have a paintbrush in my hand. It’s my happy place.”
Walker, David Rolfe, Kelly Whyte and Zoey Zoric all accepted the challenge of taking part in the activity. The first Reveal featured Marissa Sweet, Holly Hutchison, James Brown and Barbara Hart on Aug. 9.
Partridge had heard about similar events but found them more competitive. He wanted the artists to use their own styles, with no limitations. The first time around, he provided the twist of a black and white photo, and did so again for Reveal 2.
“They have to paint in colour and they are not allowed to look at each other’s works. So, they all come out very different. I think that’s cool.” He added if people looked at the image closer, it was interesting when placed upside down. One of the artists did the flip.
Partridge added it wasn’t easy finding images because he didn’t want the paintings to be boring.
Joan Hawley and Alex Isbister came to watch. Hawley said it was slow when the artists were just starting, “but once they get going, they get the idea, then they just seem to take off.” She finds it interesting how each artist approaches the process differently.
Isbister said he doesn’t care much about art when it is on the wall, “but I care a lot about the moment of production. I care a lot about the courage, the creativity…”
Whyte had never done anything like this before and was excited. She brought a lot of art supplies in preparation. She shared she was thinking of scrapping the Muskoka chairs on a dock in the image, but instead making leaves on the trees the focus and going with an Autumn theme. She also planned to spend time on reflections in the water. “We’ll see as we go along what happens. It may change, you just never know.”
Partridge said the Reveal series is going well. He got emails after the first one with people saying, “it was so cool to see the process. I know for artists, sometimes you do something like this and all it is are other artists coming to learn … but we’re seeing genuine curiousity from the public.”
He’s thinking of now doing a quarterly Reveal, with another one in the new year. He has lots of ideas. “Next time, it might be I’m going to show them the image for a half-a-second and say ‘go for it’.” He added there could be other media. For example, George Hall, a stone carver, has already signed up for the next one.
That’s a wrap
Brooksong Retreat and Cancer Support Centre wrapped up its sixth annual Haliburton Highlands Challenge with a celebration at Haliburton Highlands Brewing Sept. 6.
Executive director Barb Smith-Morrison said they had raised more than $100,000 over the summer, which she called a “wonderful accomplishment.”
She dubbed it a peer-to-peer fundraiser. “It’s actually people who have come to a program; people who have come to a retreat, board members, many volunteers who have gone out and chosen a way to get moving in their community and then invited others to donate to support the work we do.”
Smith-Morrison said they had more than 200 people on their waitlist for a cancer support retreat.
She added they were one-of-a kind in Canada; “people are really getting to know the work that we do.” She noted they offer the retreats at no cost to participants “because when you are in the midst of a cancer experience, we know that we need to make sure the kind of support we offer is really accessible to you.”
The executive director added when people arrive, they are well cared for, build community with other people living with cancer, offered evidence-base practices that help with stress, PTSD, anxiety, body pain, difficulty sleeping … “wellness practices that you can take into your life.” She said they also invite the caregiver, or key support person, to lend support to them.
Smith-Morrison said one of the special things about this summer has been the way the local community “has come shoulder to shoulder” with us. She noted a number of people living locally with cancer had reached out to them. There were two corporate challenge teams, Hudson Henderson Insurance and Willow Organics. There were Brooksong days; at Glecoff’s Family Store, Hook, Line and Sinker, Sweat Social, the Bonnie View Inn, and an upcoming one at Heat-Line. She said it’s gifted Brooksong community awareness and support.
The total was $102,820, with people still able to donate until the end of the month. Smith-Morrison said that would move “a number of people” off their waitlist; enfold more locals living with cancer in a ‘warm hug from the Highlands’ quilt; and continue to build support and community.
“Our hope is that we continue to grow and fill such an important gap in cancer care.”
A surprise party for 650 people
Tegan Legge, general manager of tourism and recreation at Haliburton Forest, said they got a call from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s people about two weeks before the Haliburton Trail Race – saying Carney and his wife, Diana Fox-Carney, wanted to compete in the 26km race, Sept 6.
However, she said the planning didn’t take a lot of Forest time. She said his detail came for a couple of visits to check out the trails. She toured them around, showing them the aid stations.
“And that was it. They were very noninvasive. They wanted him to just be able to go out and be Mark Carney (and Diana FoxCarney), not the prime minister that day.”
One of the Forest team members was on hand to make sure the Carneys knew where they were going, otherwise, she said without the black Suburban’s being everywhere, nobody would have had a clue.
Legge said it was “incredible, super slick.” She said she was giving her briefing to 120 runners, knowing he was coming, but nobody else did. About half way through, people started noticing the Carneys were there and stated taking selfies with him. “But everybody was respectful. Nobody stopped anything. And they all hit the trail.
“It was like planning a surprise party, but for 650 people.”
Legge has been co-organizing the 30-yearold-plus race with Cameron Ferguson for about five years, but she said this one was the most memorable for her.
“For multiple reasons. It’s great the prime minister was there, but it’s the largest one we’ve ever had. We were sold out at 650 runners. The most we’ve ever had is 600. Pre-us taking it over, they might get 350400 so it’s pretty incredible.”
She said the weather was ideal for running. For the 100-milers, they typically see 15-20 of 50 finish. This year, they had 35-40 finishers out of 80.
Legge added in previous years, there were hardly any Haliburton County racers, “but in the last two or three years, a lot of locals are coming out to support the event, which is nice.”
Huskies win season-opener
Specialty teams proved the difference as the Haliburton County Huskies bit the Cobourg Cougars 4-3 in their season opener Sept. 6 in Minden – sending 465 fans home happy.
It was a tight 2-2 game into the middle of the third period. However, Cobourg’s Lincoln Edwards took back-to-back penalties; one at 10:42 for hooking, and another at 15:03 for tripping.
The Huskies powerplay went to work: Alex Rossi scored at 11:51 to give the Huskies a 3-2 lead, with assists to Oliver Tang and Cristian Giancola. Then, Giancola bulged the twine at 16:31, from Carter Petrie and Connor Hollebek (his third helper of the game) to put the home team over the edge.
A Cobourg marker at 19:29 with an extra attacker on the ice made it look close on the scoreboard. The Huskies penalty killers also held Cobourg at bay for six minutes of the game.
Coach Jordan Bailey said “specialty teams were huge. Any time you can score two powerplay goals and not get scored against on a PK, it’s going to give you a really good chance to win.”
It was Petrie who scored the first goal of the season for the blue and white, at 7:46 of the first, from Hollebek and Curtis Allen.
Cobourg answered at 1:50 of the second, as Wyatt Gregory found the back of the net behind Stephen Totl.
Daniel Vasic gave the Huskies the lead back when he scored at 8:09, from Rossi and Hollebek going into the second intermission.
Early in the third, Cobourg tied it at twos, on an Edwards goal at 1:10 before his two trips to the sin bin that potentially cost his team the game.
Totl was solid between the pipes, turning aside 22 of 25 shots.
Bailey said, “I thought for the most part, with a new group and a lot of new players, we did well. I think there’s always things to work on early in the season, especially with a younger team, but I thought we did what we had to do to win a hockey game which was the big thing.”
In preparing for North York Sept. 13, Bailey said they are a young team, too, so “focus on our systems and what we need to do.”
Next up: The Huskies host the North York Rangers Sept. 13 at S.G Nesbitt Memorial Arena. Puck drop is slated for 4 p.m.
Sisters in crime coming to Minden
Authors Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti say it’s a no brainer coming to talk about their Quill and Packet cozy mystery series in a place like Minden Hills.
Blue Heron Books and The Arts Council – Haliburton Highlands is presenting Books & Bites: Cottage Mysteries with Hilton and Renzetti at the Dominion Hotel in Minden Sept. 14.
“It was important to us to do some events in that part of the province because I think that’s what we’re imagining when we write the books and we really hope that the people who live in that part of the province feel like we do it justice.”
The two have co-authored Widows and Orphans and Bury the Lead, and are in the midst of editing their third book, Put it to Bed.
Asked why the series is resonating with readers, Renzetti said partially that it’s funny, warm-hearted, and the main character is relatable.
“She’s definitely not perfect.” She added the world is chaotic and a giant mess “and I think people are looking to … reconnect with this basic idea of community and goodness, and people searching for truth, which is what Cat does.”
The main character is small-town journalist Cat Conway – a middle-aged woman who is divorced, struggling with her kid, and own mother, and in the aftermath of a career that had a lot of promise but she’s not where she wants to be now. She investigates high-profile death in the cozy murder mystery series.
Quill and Packet is taken from The Orillia Packet and Times newspaper name. It is based in the fictional town of Port Ellis. Renzetti is a journalist, so draws on that experience in the writing. Hilton is a writer and a psychotherapist.
Hilton said she has a “deep and abiding interest in what makes people tick and I hope that shows up in the characters on the page. That’s what I think I bring to it; a lot of thought about why people are the way they are, and do the things they do, and trying to bring a lot of empathy even to characters who are comic figures, or more villainous.”
She also likes to see how Cat struggles but grows.
Renzetti notes the character is a crusader in a time of a “crisis of lying.”
Asked about the collaborative process, Renzetti said because they are now editing, they are texting and talking a lot. When it comes to the genesis of a book, Hilton said they are usually fairly united on themes. They spend a lot of time together on outlines. Then they work more independently, often alternating writing chapters.
Renzetti said they share similar senses of humour and political sensibilities. “If we can nail Cat’s voice, then we’re off to the races.” When they have differing opinions about other characters, settings and plots, she said they talk it out. She said there is less ego, and writing as two can bring less pressure. There is a high degree of trust to make the writing seamless.
As for coming to the Highlands, Hilton said she went to Camp Gay Venture, a girls’ summer camp in the Haliburton Highlands, near Lochlin, for years. She knows of the Molou theatre. Renzetti has been to the region.
Hilton said she has learned to write faster, and Renzetti to relinquish some control.
The two said it’s a joyful collaboration. “It really is so much fun to do,” Hilton said. “An unexpected gift, really,” adds Renzetti, finishing her writing partner’s sentence.
Fundraiser
Mysteries in Cottage Country is an Arts Council literary fundraiser. It is at 1 p.m. Local editor Emily Stonehouse will interview the authors, followed by audience questions. There will also be a chance to chat during book signings.
Tickets are $60 and include a selection of sweet treats, coffee or tea, a donation to the Arts Council and a choice of either of the two cozy mystery books. Online tickets are available through the Blue Heron Books website https://blueheronbooks.com/ events/3194220250914