Highlanders help in ‘apocalypse’ aftermath

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December 1, 2022

An Algonquin Highlands couple said travelling to Florida to aid in hurricane relief exposed them to the best of humanity amidst tragedy. When Yvonne and Cary Kreuzwiesner heard Hurricane Ian had ripped through the Florida community where her sister lived in early October, they immediately knew they wanted to help.

“We saw the disaster and we were planning to go anyway,” said Yvonne. “And I just said to Cary, we have to go now. We have to lend a helping hand.” They said their faith motivated them to go, too, and the couple received a blessing from their West Guilford church community before they left. She said it was a chance to put their faith into action.

“What do we come here (church) for? Just to meet and chat? Or is it real? Are we going to be real to people?” she asked. She temporarily closed her business, Skin Tech Face and Body Care, and after a 25-hour drive they arrived in Naples, Florida.

While the Kreuzwiesners got there more than a week after the storm had passed, they encountered scenes of devastation as they entered the coastal state. “It was like the apocalypse,” Yvonne said. According to NBC News, the late September storm resulted in at least 148 deaths, and left thousands without homes.

Rows of beach houses were entirely demolished, furniture and personal belongings strewn across the street. “We met people who were living in their porches,” Yvonne said.

“They didn’t want to leave.” They registered with the Patriot Volunteer Society, which coordinates civilian volunteer efforts in disaster zones around the U.S. and got to work.

Cary spent hours hauling debris from damaged homes, while Yvonne helped sort belongings outside.

Yvonne also served food to community members. It was on one of the food lines she realized she was next to a fellow Halls Lake resident. “It was not by coincidence at all. It was just for sure. She even said the same thing. I guess my parents and God brought us together.”

Yvonne said the trip was a watershed moment in her life.

“I look at materialism completely differently,” she said. Million-dollar homes were lost just as others lost one-bedroom “shacks,” she said. Yvonne and Cary also mentioned they saw “the best of humanity” exhibited in business owners devoting resources and staff to clean up, such as a brewery owner who traveled to Cape Coral and Fort Myers with a trailer of washing machines to wash and dry people’s clothes.

Canadians, Europeans and Americans from far-flung states had flown in to help, just like the Kreuzwiesners. “That’s what we saw – humanity coming together,” Yvonne said.

She said she saw Highlanders “step up” in times of need, such as the Minden floods, and encouraged anyone to assist when emergencies strike, no matter which country they may be in.

Mike Iles’ legacy to ‘live on’ in Haliburton

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Mike Baker

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December 1, 2022

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Haliburton’s Chris Iles lost more than just his dad this past weekend; he lost his best friend too. Surrounded by family at the Haliburton hospital, Dysart et al fire chief Mike Iles passed away Nov. 26 following a year-long battle with lung cancer. He was 61.

His death has reverberated around the community where he was born and raised. The township has lowered flags to half-mast at municipal facilities, and tributes have been pouring in, honouring a man many believe to have been one of Haliburton’s greatest champions. “It’s hard to accept he’s gone,” Chris told The Highlander.

“I’ve already thought lots this week about picking up the phone and calling or texting him when something comes up, or when I need the answer to something, but obviously I can’t do that anymore. It hurts, and I’m not sure if it’s something I’ll ever get used to.” Mike Iles’ fingerprints are all over the community.

He’s a graduate of Haliburton Highlands Secondary School and a former part-owner of Curry Chevrolet Buick GMC, where he spent decades as service manager.

He volunteered with several local service groups and was an avid hunter and angler, owning a small cabin in Haliburton Forest that he used for weekend and evening expeditions. Aside from his family – wife, Wendy, and daughter, Tessa – Iles’ true love was firefighting.

He had grown up around the downtown station where his father, Joe Iles, served as a firefighter for more than 40 years. He joined the ranks as a volunteer in 1993, becoming a captain in 2010.

After deciding to retire from Curry Motors, Iles pursued his “dream position” as Dysart’s fire chief, officially taking the title July 1, 2016. Township CAO Tamara Wilbee said Iles was, “extremely liked and well respected” by peers and co-workers, noting he led many positive changes within the department. “Mike is known for being a strong, yet fair leader. He was an excellent coach and role model and exuded a sense of calmness in tough situations, which always helped keep others focused on the job at hand,” Wilbee said.

Iles played a key role in leading Dysart through the early days of the COVID19 pandemic, sitting on the township’s emergency municipal control group. Dan Chumbley served as Iles’ deputy fire chief for several years.

He said he couldn’t have asked for a better mentor, with Iles going out of his way to ensure Chumbley was adequately prepared when he took over earlier this year. “Mike had this ability to instill everyone with confidence, no matter the situation.

He was always very positive with the way he ran this department and the encouragement he would give to me and all the other members,” Chumbley said. “Even when he got sick and was in poor health, he did not abandon the fire department.

He was always on top of getting back to me if I had questions, and popping in to check on us all, even right up until he went into hospital.” As good as he was at attacking blazes, Iles also specialized in putting out proverbial fires too.

Bob Bullock, general manager at Curry Motors, worked with him for several years and said he had a knack for problem-solving. “He was always very sharp when it came to dealing with General Motors and the larger corporation, he approached things in a unique way and wouldn’t give up on something because it was hard, or out of his department,” he said.

Bullock added Iles had a “stern, but courteous way of doing business” and knew how to keep his workers in line. Many of the technicians working at Curry’s today were brought in and trained by Iles, who was a mechanic. “He had a wealth of knowledge he was always more than happy to share, especially with younger people starting out. It’s been a hard week for many [in the shop] because Mike was held in such high regard and was so respected,” Bullock said.

Chris said his dad was a fighter. He survived a diagnosis of prostate cancer about a decade ago and refused to give up this time, even after doctors told him the cancer had metastasized to several other parts of his body and was inoperable.

Asked what he’ll remember most, Chris said, “he was an amazing father.

Growing up, he always had an open-door policy for me and my friends. He was close with a lot of those guys. Then it’s the little moments – the fishing trips in the spring, the long drives to complete training once he became chief and I became a captain. There are so many memories that I’ll hold close for the rest of my life. “He was just a big softy. He developed such a bond with my son, Joe. They were inseparable,” Iles said. “He was proud to be a firefighter, and he loved Haliburton. This place just won’t be the same without him.”

A small gathering will be held at the Haliburton Fire Hall Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a reception to follow at the A.J. LaRue Community Centre from 3 to 5 p.m.

Parts worth thousands stolen from Haliburton car dealership

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Sam Gillett

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November 30, 2022

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OPP said that on Nov. 29, they attended Haliburton Chrysler on Hwy. 118 in Haliburton for a report of several motor vehicles that had been damaged.

“Through investigation, it was learned that unknown suspect(s) had stolen catalytic converters from at least 11 motor vehicles,” OPP said. “This had occurred sometime over the previous 24-72 hours.”

The theft and resulting damage are estimated to be approximately $125,000.”

The investigation into this theft is ongoing. Haliburton Highlands OPP is requesting anyone with information about this or any other unlawful activity to call 1-888-310- 1122 or 705 286-1431.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a secure web-tip at khcrimestoppers.com, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward.

COVID-19 outbreak at Highland Wood declared over

By

Sam Gillett

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November 30, 2022

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JQ-HWood-5-web — The Highland Wood Long-Term Care home. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

A COVID-19 outbreak at Highland Wood Long-Term Care is over.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit issued the all-clear Nov. 29 after declaring an outbreak Nov. 20.

Two residents tested positive for COVID-19, with six residents in isolation at the time the outbreak was declared. During the outbreak outside guests, except essential caregivers, were not permitted at the home.

“It is a testament to the hard work and diligence of our staff, as well as the understanding and cooperation of residents and their family members, that this outbreak was brought to a swift end,” said Carolyn Plummer, President and CEO of HHHS in a Nov. 29 media release. “We appreciate everyone’s contributions and support.”
Visitors are now permitted back at the home.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures such as mandatory masking for staff in resident areas, mandatory vaccination of staff and essential caregivers, daily surveillance testing of all non-residents and COVID-19 screening before entry, as well as enhanced cleaning will all still be in place.

Missing child found in Wilberforce

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Sam Gillett

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November 25, 2022

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A child reported missing Nov. 24 has been found in Wilberforce.

The Haliburton Highlands Detachment reported that a local resident found the child, who was reported missing from a Wilberforce school shortly after 12 p.m. Thursday.

Officers from Bancroft, the Haliburton Highlands, OPP Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU), OPP Central Region Canine and the OPP Emergency Response Teams (ERT) searched the area after the child went missing.

“A short time later, police received information from an alert community member, who reported seeing the child. Thanks to the community effort, the child was returned safely to family,” reads a Nov. 25 OPP media release.

Storm make finals in silver stick tourney

By

Mike Baker

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November 24, 2022

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On Nov. 19 and 20, the U13 Cheryl Smith RE/MAX local league team took part in the 20th annual silver stick international tournament hosted in Haliburton.

Saturday was an action-packed day with the Storm playing three games.

Our first game was against the Apsley Flames and the Storm dominated the play, bringing home a 5-3 win.

Next, we played Huntsville with a 5-1 win and our last game was a 6-0 victory over Sturgeon.

Three wins took us to the ‘A’ semi-final game on Sunday morning, where we went head-to-head against the Storm’s U13 LL Minden Pharmasave team. Again, we pulled out a successful win with a 5-3 score in a great hometown match-up.

We are so proud of this team for making it all the way to the ‘A’ championship game against the Millbrook Stars. Unfortunately, Millbrook’s size got the best of us and we lost in a hard-fought battle 5-3, taking home the title of ‘A’ finalists.

This entire squad should be commended for coming together as a team the entire weekend. It’s a strong group of players who cheer each other on both on and off the ice.

With a total of only nine players, our goaltender, Colten Simms, played exceptional the entire weekend, keeping the puck out of the net.

Our offensive line saw Tyler Hughes dominate each and every game and light up the scoreboard with a total of eight goals and three assists.

Jacob Sutton skates fast and hard every time he hits the ice with five goals and three assists

Captain Lyla Degeer showed her size doesn’t matter in the final game versus Millbrook, going in against kids twice her size and coming out with the puck, adding three goals and three assists for the weekend.

Cruize Neave works hard to control the play and is very skilled at assisting defensively when in need. He added two goals and three assists.

Katie LeValle is showing improvement every time she hits the ice, adding four assists.

Landyn Simms gets himself positioned perfectly in front of the opponent’s net and brought in two goals and two assists.

Our defensive team had three players rotating through, with Levi Rowe proving his abilities in back checking consistently throughout every game and bringing in five assists.

Lucas Vale brings to our team size and grit as well as adding to the scoreboard with two goals and two assists.

Hunter Hamilton stands his line well keeping the puck in the offensive zone and taking scoring opportunities when he can, bringing home two goals and five assists.

Head coach Mike Hamilton, trainer Marcus Rowe and assistant coach Cory Simms do an amazing job keeping this team focused and competitive all while having fun.

A huge thank you to all teams for attending this past weekend and all the parents and fans for coming out and cheering us on.

Craig and Tammy Smith always do an amazing job organizing these silver stick tournaments and we are forever thankful.

Ponders on ice – again – for 2023 event

By

Lisa Gervais

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November 24, 2022

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Unable to secure a venue, organizers of the Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships have cancelled the event for 2023.

Owner John Teljeur publicly announced the news on the championship’s Facebook page Nov. 16.

They were last held at the Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre in the winter of 2020, but have been iced due to COVID the previous two years.

Teljeur told teams and volunteers via Facebook that, “our months of trying to engage venue management to discuss the 2023 event have failed and we no longer have time to put together a successful event.”

However, he vowed, “this is not the end. We are committed to running an event in 2024 and will have information regarding this in the next couple of months.”

In the meantime, Teljeur said they’d be reaching out to teams that have paid deposits to discuss options. They had rolled over about 80 teams from a planned event last January that they had to cancel because of COVID.

Teljeur bought the championships in 2016 to move the event from Hunstville to Haliburton.

However, he said it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep them in the Highlands without a suitable venue. He’s been looking at other options but cannot find a good fit.

“I need a host venue that is capable of holding 500 to 600 players at any one time for the stuff indoors. Plus, I need the convenience of having a water feature (a pond or lake) somewhere close by so the players don’t have to drive to get there,” he told The Highlander in a Nov 17 interview.

He said some players want more private accommodation, but the majority like being under one roof so they can socialize on the weekends. “The majority want to drop their keys on Friday and not pick them up until Sunday morning, so the challenge is we need rooms but also the means of having the pond. There’s a fine line of where all the things that you need converge in one spot.”

Teljeur said the Pinestone “is, ultimately, the greatest location for that, but you have to have a partner that is interested in getting involved.”

The Highlander asked owners of the Pinestone to comment, but did not receive a response as of press time.

Teljeur said while he brought the event to Head Lake in 2013, it was not ideal as they had to bus players to and from the Pinestone, which was expensive. The players, also, were not keen on that arrangement.

Teljeur said his back is somewhat up against the wall.

“It comes down to a clear choice. If Pinestone is not going to be involved going forward, it’s either one of two things for us. One is to cease operations altogether, which would be a shame, or to move it to another community, which is contrary to what I wanted to do.”

He said since making the announcement, his phone and email have been “blowing up” but there is nothing he can do about it.

He added it’s unfortunate since they had an uptick in interest, including potential teams from Scandinavian countries.

He added he loves the way the players have embraced the event, making it an annual get-together, many playing in costume. He said it is a lot of work but when organizers and volunteers see the players enjoying themselves so much, it’s worth it. And that’s why he is not giving up just yet.

“If something is worthwhile doing, you keep pushing until there’s just no other way to do it. I told the players and some of the volunteers I have been able to reach in the last 24 hours, we’re not quitting on this thing. I still believe that this thing can work but we need to have community engagement, especially from our accommodators and the venue.”

Ingram Wessell ‘loved talking with people’

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Lisa Gervais

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November 24, 2022

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The circle of life continues for Minden Hills’ Wessell family.

On the day patriarch, Ingram Wessell, passed away, his granddaughter, Courtney, gave birth to Kayce. That Nov. 14 arrival was the third great-grandchild for Ingram in a month.

“He loved the grandkids,” his son, Harold, told The Highlander Nov. 21. “He cared a lot for his family. He loved all his family.”

Ingram Wessell was a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, farmer, horseman, truck afficionado, businessman and politician over the span of his 92 years, before being felled by dementia and Parkinson’s Disease.

Anyone entering and exiting Minden Hills does so by passing the iconic red Wessell barn with its Belgian horses.

Harold, whom people say looks and talks like his dad and shares similar personality traits, worked with Ingram for more than 40 years.

“He was a hard-working man and accomplished a lot in his lifetime. He never backed down from a challenge. Everything he went and put his mind to, he did it.” Growing up, Harold said his dad taught he and siblings – Sherry, Tim and Mike – how to work from a young age. “I remember going to school. I had to get up at five o’clock in the morning and milk a cow.” He said they had large gardens that needed to be tended. “His thing was, nobody handed him anything … so he didn’t think anybody else should get handed anything. If you wanted something, you got out and worked for it.” He said Ingram’s parents didn’t have a lot of money. “His dad was the same. His dad worked. His two brothers were the same.”

Commenting on that iconic barn, Harold said his dad, “absolutely loved that barn. He just had it painted five years ago. He’d sit in his chair and every time he went in the house he’d ask, ‘what do you think of my barn? Doesn’t my barn look good?’” He also loved his horses, his son said. He added he would share his horse knowledge with his grandchildren. He gave his last horse to grandson, Cody.

He was also a man of God. Harold recalls being sent to Sunday school and going to church. He said his dad would pick up his grandkids and take them to worship.

Three ministers from three churches he attended over the years officiated at his Nov. 18 celebration of life.

“Every time the churches wanted to do something, he stood up and did it. He put additions on. He’d send the equipment for free and give them the material. He really stood behind the churches.”

Harold said the selflessness was just a part of his dad’s DNA. “If he met you for the first time, and you were down and out, he’d help you out. As long as you were willing to work, but if you were lazy and just looking for a hand-out, he had no use for that at all.” Harold said even when his dad’s health was failing, he would pick him up in the truck and take him trucking with him. In addition, “he just loved the business. He loved meeting people and talking with people. Most of the guys at the gravel pit here talk about him sitting in his chair at the scale house, talking away to them, and giving them advice.”

Harold “sees him everywhere” and has vowed he won’t sell his dad’s beloved international dump truck that he had painted John Deere green.

Political career

Ingram Wessell served as councillor of Lutterworth Township and reeve of Laxton, Digby and Longford Township.

Minden Hills coun. Pam Sayne once ran against him and said, despite that, she used to call him up and buy gravel for her driveway, “and tell him I’m helping him buy more campaign signs.”

She shared a story about when she and Wessell ran against Barb Reid. She was driving down the road and noticed someone had amalgamated her sign with his.

“I thought the sign was pretty funny. He was a good local farmer, and I was a newbie, and our thinking and our lifestyle was totally different, but we really had a respect and a bond. We were good neighbours. I called him and he said, ‘come on up, we’re (he and wife Isabel) just having lunch, can I make you a sandwich?’ and I said ‘sure’ and showed him the picture and we all had a good laugh and enjoyed a good lunch together. And that’s the kind of way we ran our campaigns then. We were friends.”

She added he was always helpful and, as a councillor, prioritized roads and tight budgets.

“The last time I saw him, at the beginning of the 2022 election campaign, I visited with him and Isabel. I was looking to say hello and seeing if I could get their support. Ingram’s eyes were bright, and he was with it. He knew who I was and it just felt so heartfelt.”

Sayne added, “he was a character. He’ll be really missed.”

Danielsen says plan to give mayors more power ‘frightening’

By

Mike Baker

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November 24, 2022

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Algonquin Highlands mayor Liz Danielsen has said she is not in favour of new proposed provincial legislation that she says would grant “extraordinary powers” to some municipal leaders in Ontario.

Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act 2022, was passed by a majority vote at the Ontario Legislature in September and came into effect Nov. 15. It grants unprecedented power to mayors in Ottawa and Toronto, giving them the authority to hire and fire top level municipal staff, singlehandedly set budget priorities and approve them, and even veto a prior decision made by council.

“To me, it simply destroys the democratic process,” Danielsen said. “It seems strange a mayor would be so opposed to this, but I just think it is a very frightening step to make… the bill gives extraordinary powers to one elected official.”

Addressing the rest of Algonquin Highlands council at its first regular meeting Nov. 17, Danielsen called on her colleagues to support writing a letter “in strong opposition” to Bill 3 and sending it to Queen’s Park.

Premier Doug Ford said the new legislation would help top brass in Ontario’s two major cities fast-track “much needed” housing developments. In a separate bill, the More Homes, Built Faster Act (Bill 23), introduced last month, Ford has called for the creation of 285,000 new homes in Toronto by 2031, and a further 161,000 new units in Ottawa.

Danielsen believes Bill 3 sets a dangerous precedent.

“It’s starting in Toronto and Ottawa, but then I’m sure it’s going to go to places like Kingston, London and Belleville next,” she said.

Deputy mayor Jennifer Dailloux said she likes the “checks and balances” system in place everywhere else in Ontario, and would be loath to revert to government structure like the one that exists in some places south of the border.

‘Problems’ with Bill 23

Planner Sean O’Callaghan told council there are several potentially problematic changes that will impact the township should Bill 23 be approved.

Aiming to bring 1.5 million new homes to Ontario by 2031, the proposed legislation would eliminate the need for public meetings on any draft plan application for a new subdivision, while developments of up to 10 residential units will be exempt from municipal site plan control. It would also block any third-party appeals looking to quash potential development. As well, previously required documents such as architectural details and landscape design aesthetics will be removed from the scope of site plan control.

O’Callaghan said a new program that would allow for wetland areas to be developed providing a “net positive impact is demonstrated” is also being considered.

“I definitely take exception to reducing protection on wetlands. It seems the province is moving in a direction that gives no consideration to the environment,” Danielsen said.

HE votes against ‘Band-Aid’ trail bridge

By

Sam Gillett

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November 24, 2022

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Snowmobilers are unlikely to be able to traverse the IB&O rail trail this season after Highlands East councillors voted against funding a temporary bridge that would allow access until a permanent structure is erected.

The stop-gap fix was estimated to cost $100,000 and would have allowed access over the creek near Farr Road until the permanent bridge is built.

Planmac Engineering Inc. estimated a new bridge would cost about $233,000. The previous bridge was deemed unsafe for use.

“This is a difficult decision and one where council is going to have to determine if you wish to proceed in this manner,” said CAO Shannon Hunter at a Nov. 22 meeting of council.

Hunter said the engineers said some of the materials used to construct a “BandAid fix” bridge could cheapen the cost of the final build, but Planmac did not provide assurances.

“If some geotechnical work was completed, possibly some shallow concrete base that the temporary bridge girders rest on, it could be used to support the permanent bridge. The granular fill required would also be salvaged,” states a staff report.

Coun. Cam McKenzie said he realized the bridge’s importance to snowmobiling, but said the cost was too great for a temporary fix.

“In good conscience, I can’t support the expenditure of $100,000 for a tenweek or maybe 12-week snowmobile season,” he said. He pointed out a tenweek snowmobile season would mean the temporary bridge would cost about $10,000 a month, but added that he would support the funding of a new permanent bridge.

Deputy mayor Cec Ryall said he agreed with McKenzie. “I really think that it would be important for us to spend whatever it takes to put a thing across,” he said, referring to the final bridge. But he added that other current closures on the trail due to landowner complaints add complications to the trail’s long-term usability.

“You can only go so far on [the rail trail] and it’s a dead end. I can’t see spending $233,000 to go to a cul-desac,” he said.

Mayor Dave Burton said he acknowledged the decision would “sting” in the community.

“It’s hard for me to spend that kind of money for what could be a short season as well,” he said.

Council voted to include the IB&O bridge and trail in a Highlands East trails master plan.

The township will also seek funding from user groups and grants as the plan is created.