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WWII vet shares his story

By
Mike Baker
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0

Remembrance Day is always a special occasion for Haliburton veteran Cec Bailey. The 98-year-old usually spends the day at the Legion, participating in the march to the Cenotaph on Highland Street.

 Above all else, though, he remembers the sacrifices of his many fallen brethren who didn’t make it home from Europe all those years ago. 

“It’s an important day,” Bailey said, proudly showing off a poppy stapled to the breast of his jacket. “It means quite a bit to me. To remember and pay my respects.” Bailey was just 15 when the Second World War began in 1939. 

He watched as his older brother, Merrill, and several of-age friends enlisted to join the war effort. He would pen letters to those overseas, eager to hear what life was like on the front lines. Four years later, he followed in his brother’s footsteps when signing up for the Royal Canadian Air Force. 

He completed basic training in eastern Canada, shipping out from Halifax, Nova Scotia in early 1943. He spent two weeks at sea before arriving in Scotland. From there, he made his way south to Bournemouth, England, where he underwent further training. He was assigned to be a truck driver, shuttling soldiers and equipment around at various airports and landing sites. “I drove a crash tender.

 It could be very stressful at times,” Bailey said. He saw action in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. He participated in the D-Day landings, June 6, 1944, in Normandy, an attack that helped turn the tide of the war in favour of the Allied forces. 

Bailey said he has a lot of memories from his time during the war, but he doesn’t like to talk about it. 

He became animated, though, when recounting Merrill’s experiences. A bomber pilot, Merrill flew in 19 missions before his plane was shot down by the Germans near the Dutch border in 1940. 

He was one of only three survivors, though was captured and sent to Poland by the Nazis as a prisoner of war. “My brother was a hero – he helped to save one of his crew following the crash. 

He endured a lot; he was a prisoner for five years.” He eventually escaped the camp, making his way back to northern France by foot. 

Cec had long believed his brother dead, so it was an emotional moment when the pair reunited shortly after the Nazis surrendered in May 1945. “We didn’t see each other at all while we were in Europe, but we later found out that we were both in Germany at the same time – me stationed at an airport, and him making his way back from Poland,” Bailey said. 

While Merrill was discharged and sent home to Canada, Cec still had some fight left in him. He volunteered for action in the Pacific arena and was preparing to ship out for Japan when the Americans dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese soon surrendered, bringing an official end to the war. 

Admitting it was nice to return home to Haliburton, Bailey took a job with his father’s lumber business – W. Bailey and Sons. He worked there until his retirement in the 80s. Today, he lives at the Gardens of Haliburton seniors’ residence, overlooking Head Lake. “This is home… I’m glad to be home,” Bailey said.

A cocktail of bugs and beauty at Minden exhibit

By
Sam Gillett
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0

Who would buy a painting of a bug next to a pimple? Bob ‘Omar’ Tunnoch wasn’t sure. “A dermatologist,” he mused.

Family feedback, however, convinced the artist to sand down the canvas and paint a decidedly more inviting scene, Metamorphosis Martini

Like most of the oil paintings in Tunnoch’s exhibit, ‘The Muse, under the thin Blue line,’ on display at the Agnes Jamieson Art Gallery in Minden, the painting mixes natural life with human motifs.

A vibrant green caterpillar crawls out of a martini glass across from a fluttering butterfly, all rendered in high realism on a rich red wallpaper background.

“I want to make people aware of what’s out there, and how the whole world is integrated,” Tunnoch said.

Whether it’s a fearsome Cassowary bird, a Belted Kingfisher or a Lion’s Mane Jellyfish, Tunnoch said he’s fascinated by weird and wonderful inhabitants of our natural world.

“A lot of times people will look at [my art] and say ‘how did you ever think to make that up?’ And I explain that no, no, that’s a real thing,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s spurring some interest in them to go further and look at these things.”

Tunnoch combines these creatures with vibrant and unexpected human environments, whether it’s a frog peering from a China cabinet or a satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko hanging above a microphone.

Much of his work also deals with the climate crisis that is posing an increasing threat to wildlife habitats and humans around the world.

“When you start eliminating things, you start eliminating your chances to be a part of this natural world too,” he told a standing-room-only crowd at the exhibit’s opening Nov. 5.

Some who view Tunnoch’s work, such as Minden Hills’ manager of cultural services, Shannon Kelly, who introduced him to the crowd, point out that his compositions seem to raise more questions than they answer. Tunnoch relishes viewers’ interpretations.

“I have an imagination but what people come up with is unbelievable,” he said.

For instance, in one painting, The Last Supper, Conflict of Interest, a Mottled Owl and Frog-Eating Bat swoop toward a RedEyed Tree Frog on a Hercules Beetle. Behind them on a wall hangs a painting reminiscent of da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Only Jesus sits at the table.

“I was at another show, and (visitors) were saying ‘wow’ where are the disciples? They must have left. Maybe it’s because church attendance is falling around the world, maybe that’s what he’s saying.’ No I was just too lazy to paint them” Tunnoch said.

He said he hopes these visual cues and enigmas encourage people to look around more and absorb the species that make earth special.

“Instead of looking at your phone or something, look at the square footage of ground in front of you. There’s more stuff going on there that there ever is in your phone.” he said.

‘The Muse, under the thin Blue line’ is on display at the Agnes Jamieson Gallery until Dec.20.

Societal change sparks smouldering story collection

By
Sam Gillett
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0

The strike of a match can change a lot. Sparks can transform houses into rubble, alter the course of life or devastate a community.

In West Guilford, author Janet Trull’s latest collection, Something’s Burning, 22 short stories deal with the past, present and society’s crackling changes. Each fictional story is organized into sections corresponding with a fire’s stages. From tinder – “You can’t start a story without an idea,” writes Trull – to a benevolent or malevolent inferno, to coals that smoulder and threaten to reignite.

Despite the name, the flames in question aren’t literal.

“It’s just an honest look at the way we are trying, right now, to understand the world,” Trull said. She added conversations with people spark ideas for her short stories. The spark leads her to follow the journeys of fictional characters such as Gerda, whose Holocaust experiences change how she views her family’s shifting priorities and fears.

“Her family had to hide under the floorboards when the Nazis came and so now when she looks at the struggles that her grandkids have, or think they have… she can’t really balance those things.”

While fire burns orange and yellow, the themes within Something’s Burning emerge painted in grey rather than black and white.

Gerda muses about whether starving to death because of a lack of food is better than starving to fit into ideals of beauty; Faye drives to Florida to find her dead friend’s lover, not expecting her role in the death to be re-examined; Carol, a teenager, lives with the aftershocks of a sexual assault and male violence, unearthing remnants of the traumatic event in the mud of her family’s farm.

A blaze can quickly turn devastating.

“The twenty-first century speeds ahead with fast-changing ideas about culture and identity,” reads Something’s Burning’s synopsis, “and a new choir of voices are telling their long-suppressed stories. Outdated belief systems are challenged. Society norms and hierarchies’ crumble. But fresh ideas cause tensions between generations, sexes, races and neighbours. The population is at odds about the revised script.”

Trull, who lived in Dunnville, Ontario before making West Guilford her home, has long written about life, culture and belonging in rural towns.

Trull said many of the themes in the book are seen every day in communities such as Haliburton

“I find it fascinating. You can have that barely suppressed anger once you go through town, but, you know, for the most part, people still work hard to be pleasant. And get along and help their neighbours and give gifts to the food bank.”

Something’s Burning, said Trull, often dives into one of life’s conundrums: how we balance joy and suffering.

“When I write essays for [The Haliburton Echo] on, say Thanksgiving, they’re heartwarming and we talk about making the turkey and the pumpkin pies and the grandkids running around,” she said. “But you know, every year there’s an empty seat at the table. So, there’s a sad side to all the stories. The food bank having a fundraiser but then the sad side is that people are hungry in this community. We have to have a food bank. I think there’s joy in life and sadness in life.”

Something’s Burning is published by At Bay Press and was released Nov. 1. It’s available online and in bookstores.

Trull will be hosting a book launch at The Rail’s End Gallery Nov. 12. From 2-4 p.m., speaking about the book at 3 p.m.

Roe honoured for work in long-term care

By
Mike Baker
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0

While she doesn’t do all that she does for awards, local seniors advocate Bonnie Roe admitted it was nice to be recognized by the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) last month

The long-time Haliburton resident was one of three recipients of the prestigious Orville Thacker Award, which honours exceptional commitment and contribution to improving quality public health care for the elderly in Ontario. It is awarded annually to a person or organization whose voluntary contributions support the fundamental principles in the Canada Health Act – fairness, equity and compassion.

After founding the Haliburton Highlands Long-Term Care Coalition (HHLTC) in 2020, Roe has spent the past two years fighting for improved care and supports for seniors living in retirement and nursing homes. In its awards package, the OHC described Roe as a “formidable force” in protecting public health care and lobbying against further privatization.

“Receiving this award tells me that our work is recognized locally and provincially, and for that I am extremely grateful,” Roe told The Highlander. “I feel beyond proud that the OHC chose me as a recipient. There are 40 to 50 health coalitions across the province, and so many equally deserving members.”

Roe dedicated her award to local HHLTC members Brigitte Gebauer, Terry Hartwick, Dorothy Owens and Lyn Ritchie.

The coalition recently hosted a public rally in Head Lake Park, calling on the Ontario government to stop privatization of health care. Members are also partnering with another non-profit, the Torontobased Re:Think Policy Change, on a project Roe said is centred on aging together as a community.

“We held three successful community meetings in June across the County and, as well, we are continuing to hold community discussions this fall and into 2023 to create a plan that reflects the views of all residents in Haliburton County about creative options for aging,” she said.

To learn more, visit ltcneedsyou.ca

CUPE calls off strike action, negotiations to resume

By
Mike Baker
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The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has called off a proposed strike action that would have pulled custodial staff, secretaries, EAs and other educational employees out of Ontario schools.

The news came Nov. 7 after premier Doug Ford promised to repeal Bill 28, legislation that imposed a contract on around 55,000 workers province-wide and banned them from striking, vowing to return to the negotiating table.

CUPE had previously given formal notice to the Ontario government that it intended to strike if a new contract isn’t agreed. Thousands of school workers picketed outside Queen’s Park and MPP offices across the province Nov. 4, forcing many districts to close schools. Trillium Lakelands District School Board said it could not safely operate without CUPE employees, closing all its schools, including in Haliburton County.

Negotiations between the province and CUPE have been ongoing for several months. The union is looking for annual salary increases of 11.7 per cent, while the government has so far offered raises of two per cent annually for workers making less than $40,000 and 1.25 per cent for all others.

Local CUPE 997 president William Campbell said he was encouraged by the Ford government’s U-turn Monday.

“It is a positive step forward for all education workers, students and citizens of Ontario,” Campbell said. “It is my hope that an agreement can be reached that respects the value of the work education workers do, to support students, and the workers who do that work.”

Campbell said CUPE had also tabled proposals to secure additional funding for school boards that could be used to hire additional staff to provide necessary supports to students.

Should negotiations falter, CUPE workers could still go on strike. Laura Walton, president of the CUPE Ontario School Board Council of Unions, told CBC Nov. 7 that a five-day notice would need to be served to the province

A date has not yet been set for the return to the bargaining table.

AH policy solves Bear Lake Road tussle

By
Mike Baker
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0

Algonquin Highlands council has firmed up a one-year trial policy to continue minor maintenance along Bear Lake Road next spring and summer.

At an Oct. 27 special meeting, councillors debated what should fall under the scope of minor maintenance in the new agreement. Adam Thorn, the public works supervisor, noted in a report that, between June 1 and Oct. 31 next year, staff would patrol the road once a month; grade it twice; clean culverts to ensure sufficient water flow; do ditching and brushing; and apply gravel in preparation for annual dust control.

The municipality has done seasonal work on the road for more than 50 years, believing it owned it. However, in July, mayor Carol Moffatt told council the road is owned by the Crown. This came after a monthslong dispute with the Bear Lake Winter Maintenance Association (BLWMA), which was lobbying council to do snow removal. The township had previously denied permission for the association to maintain the road itself, and closed a nearby parking area residents would use to store their vehicles.

The BLWMA got a legal opinion to see what more could be done, and their lawyer found documents the municipality had suggesting the former Sherbourne township assumed ownership of the road in 1971 were wrong. Moffatt apologized, acknowledging the road is not municipally-owned.

Since Algonquin Highlands had been servicing the road for decades, council agreed to work with the BLWMA to come up with a year-round maintenance plan, with the association taking care of winter plowing.

Coun. Jennifer Dailloux said she has discussed the new trial policy with residents who brought up some concerns.

“Is there some flexibility [with the dates] outlined? Some residents believe the road will clear faster in the spring having been plowed all winter; could treatment of Bear Lake Road be moved up, potentially, if that’s the case?” she asked.

Thorn told council staff will not treat seasonal roads before mid-May, as heavy equipment could get stuck in boggy conditions. Dailloux also wondered if staff would pave areas of the road to stave off erosion, as has been done in the past, or assist with any felled trees. Thorn said paving is a capital expense, so wouldn’t fall under the scope of minor maintenance, while Moffatt said any kind of extensive maintenance, such as tree removal, would be a “hard no.”

“I think this is a generous compromise. We’ve come so far to get here… this has not been a fun process. There’s been a lot of terrible things said, accusations levelled at staff, unkind words said about council. I’m not prepared to give an inch. I’m prepared to do what’s outlined here, and that’s it,” Moffatt said.

She noted staff will keep an itemized account of costs during the trial and report back late next year.

‘Rogue’ ATV riders threaten trail system

By
Sam Gillett
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0

Off-road riders say off-season trespassing in Haliburton County is an increasing issue that’s impacting trail networks

Both the Haliburton County Snowmobile Association (HCSA) and the Paudash Trailblazers have had to close or reroute sections of trail this year in response to landowner complaints.

A vital link between Minden and Haliburton village was cut off after off-season ATV use on the private trail prompted landowners to revoke access

“Minden was cut off,” said HCSA president John Enright. The club recently completed a reroute

“This one is a fairly easy fix. We were lucky,” Enright said

The Trailblazers announced in September a section of the 606 railbed trail near Gooderham was closed due to trespassing.

“This is the result of a few inconsiderate people using that section of the trail in the off-season who were causing damage, partying and [driving] recklessly past cabins…,” the Trailblazers stated in a Sept. 4 Facebook post. “Landowners in this area have told us that they have been subjected to harassment and threats and that they are concerned for their safety and that of their belongings and buildings in summer and in winter.”

Jon Cumming, Trailblazers club president, said “landowners are vital to the integrity of our system. It only takes one private parcel on the trail to make it work or not work.”

The HCSA shuts down its interactive trail map in the off-season to limit use. Trails may look public or accessible to summer riders, but Enright pointed out it is still private property.

“The land is totally dormant. It is always in the care of our landowner or shut down,” he said. “We don’t want off-season use, period.”

Though both Enright and Cumming point to summer trespassers as the issue, they insist organized ATV and dirt bike groups shouldn’t be blamed.

“None of this is about our very good friends at Haliburton ATV Association (HATVA),” Enright said. “They’re the solution, not the problem. It’s rogue ATV riders who trespass. We invite all ATV owners and Side by Side owners to join [HATVA] and ride an organized trail system.”

Joel Bocknek, HATVA president, said inconsiderate riders “feel everything is wide open for their use. They’ll go off trail into wetlands with protected species and that’s not where they’re supposed to ride.”

The association has invested time and money into putting up signs, posting educational content on its website and coordinating with landowners on its trail system

He said trespassers can negatively affect a community’s view of off-road riders in general.

“When people start abusing something, those privileges disappear. Ultimately it will affect everybody,” Bocknek said.

Both he and Enright said the issue of trespassing seems to be getting worse. Enright said the situation has become “more challenging” through the years as Haliburton County’s population increases

Bocknek said COVID contributed as well. “We’ve seen through COVID the number of people partaking in off-road vehicles has increased tremendously. That in itself is creating pressure with landowners, or other people, who go out and are walking the trails.”

The Haliburton Highlands OPP and the Central Region Snowmobile, ATV, and vessel enforcement (SAVE) team conducted 181 focused patrols and RIDE programs on Ontario snowmobile trails.

They conduct trail checks in the fall too. Haliburton OPP said no charges were laid this year.

“We are aware of the potential of some individuals to choose to trespass. As a proactive measure we target that audience through social media and count on important messaging such as this article to encourage them not to engage in trespassing,” said detachment commander Liane SpongHooyenga of the Haliburton Highlands OPP.

The OPP said landowners should note the license plate of trespassing vehicles and report the incident

As for Bocknek, he said educating off-road users will remain a priority.

“We feel we have an obligation to educate,” he said.

WWII vet shares his story

By
Mike Baker
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0

Remembrance Day is always a special occasion for Haliburton veteran Cec Bailey. The 98-year-old usually spends the day at the Legion, participating in the march to the Cenotaph on Highland Street.

 Above all else, though, he remembers the sacrifices of his many fallen brethren who didn’t make it home from Europe all those years ago. 

“It’s an important day,” Bailey said, proudly showing off a poppy stapled to the breast of his jacket. “It means quite a bit to me. To remember and pay my respects.” Bailey was just 15 when the Second World War began in 1939. 

He watched as his older brother, Merrill, and several of-age friends enlisted to join the war effort. He would pen letters to those overseas, eager to hear what life was like on the front lines. Four years later, he followed in his brother’s footsteps when signing up for the Royal Canadian Air Force. 

He completed basic training in eastern Canada, shipping out from Halifax, Nova Scotia in early 1943. He spent two weeks at sea before arriving in Scotland. From there, he made his way south to Bournemouth, England, where he underwent further training. He was assigned to be a truck driver, shuttling soldiers and equipment around at various airports and landing sites. “I drove a crash tender.

 It could be very stressful at times,” Bailey said. He saw action in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. He participated in the D-Day landings, June 6, 1944, in Normandy, an attack that helped turn the tide of the war in favour of the Allied forces. 

Bailey said he has a lot of memories from his time during the war, but he doesn’t like to talk about it. 

He became animated, though, when recounting Merrill’s experiences. A bomber pilot, Merrill flew in 19 missions before his plane was shot down by the Germans near the Dutch border in 1940. 

He was one of only three survivors, though was captured and sent to Poland by the Nazis as a prisoner of war. “My brother was a hero – he helped to save one of his crew following the crash. 

He endured a lot; he was a prisoner for five years.” He eventually escaped the camp, making his way back to northern France by foot. 

Cec had long believed his brother dead, so it was an emotional moment when the pair reunited shortly after the Nazis surrendered in May 1945. “We didn’t see each other at all while we were in Europe, but we later found out that we were both in Germany at the same time – me stationed at an airport, and him making his way back from Poland,” Bailey said. 

While Merrill was discharged and sent home to Canada, Cec still had some fight left in him. He volunteered for action in the Pacific arena and was preparing to ship out for Japan when the Americans dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese soon surrendered, bringing an official end to the war. 

Admitting it was nice to return home to Haliburton, Bailey took a job with his father’s lumber business – W. Bailey and Sons. He worked there until his retirement in the 80s. Today, he lives at the Gardens of Haliburton seniors’ residence, overlooking Head Lake. “This is home… I’m glad to be home,” Bailey said.

Artist and pet recovering after unprovoked attack

By
Lisa Gervais
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0

Mary Anne Barkhouse and her dog, Ty, sit in the afternoon sun as they continue to heal, both physically and mentally, from a dog attack at their home in Gelert.

On Oct. 30, Barkhouse, a sculptor, was working in her studio with the door open to the warm temperatures. Ty was outside enjoying the sunshine.

Barkhouse said she glanced up to see two dogs looking in the window. She’d seen them before, she said. “Suddenly and unprovoked,” she said one of the dogs attacked Ty, a white poodle. The other dog was not involved in the incident.

She does not know how long the attack lasted but, “at one point, I thought my dog was dead because he went limp in her jaws and was just lying there,” Barkhouse recalled. However, she said as the attacking dog continued the assault, she wrestled her off of Ty. In the process, her hand was injured. But it was enough for Ty to get away. She said one of the dog owners came up the driveway and got the attacking dog in their vehicle and then helped her look for Ty, but he was nowhere to be found.

That’s when Barkhouse’s friends posted the missing dog to social media, which was picked up by CanoeFM and MooseFM. Meanwhile, she went to hospital to have her hand stitched.

Barkhouse said the community response to her missing dog was heart-warming and she is forever grateful. People looked throughout the night, set up trail cams, and someone even used a drone to check forested areas. The next day, her mom and dad and brother came from Ottawa to support her.

Neighbours eventually located Ty a couple of days later. Barkhouse said, “he was in rough shape, bloody and full of brambles.” She took him to the vet to have his injuries treated. He has puncture wounds on the side of his neck and staples in his skull. She also went to the hospital to have her hand X-rayed. It is badly bruised, and she suspects soft tissue and muscle damage.

Barkhouse notified OPP of the incident. They issued a news release Nov. 3, saying they’d charged the dog owner under the Dog Owners’ Liability Act with fail to prevent dog from biting and attacking a person or domestic animal. Because it is not a criminal charge, police did not name the accused. The dog owner declined comment and the charges have not been proven in court.

Barkhouse said she is still in disbelief.

She thinks she will need to see a hand specialist. She won’t be making art for a while and will likely spend time with family in Ottawa healing.

The artist said she is telling her story because she does not want something similar to happen to anyone else.

“In the course of searching for Ty, I talked to numerous other people who had bad experiences … in terms of dangerous dogs roaming the County. It is definitely an important issue and more widespread than I had known.

I think we owe it as responsible guardians of domestic animals, whether livestock, or dogs, to keep our animals safe and our community safe.”

Trying to keep the doors open at the Rez

By
Mike Baker
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0

Nick Adams feels like he’s in a race against time to save the Rez in Haliburton village.

Located at 213 Highland St., the Rez provides housing to 15 vulnerable, at-risk people. Split into two sections, the space has two communal living areas, including kitchens, bathrooms and lounges, with 15 separate bedrooms. The building operated as a medical centre for years but was transformed into low-cost housing in 2009.

Adams has been involved in the operation since 2013. He started as part-time building manager, taking care of maintenance and helping residents whenever a problem arose. He became owner in 2017, serving as steward until November 2021, when he sold to a group of investors from Brampton, moving, with his family, to New Brunswick.

While Adams didn’t want to give up his stake, he felt he couldn’t effectively manage while out of province. He hoped to sell local, but interest was limited. After making the “difficult decision” to sell to someone from outside the community, he brought the buyers up to speed on how to run the place.

Things ran smoothly for the first couple of months, then Adams, who holds a second mortgage on the property, noticed the new owners started to default on some monthly bills.

‘There’s nobody in the community willing to step up’

“I knew things were amiss in February. I spoke to the pharmacist [at Haliburton Highland Pharmacy], who is the head of the condo corporation, and he let me know the owners hadn’t paid their condo fees,” Adams said.

Needing to cut costs, the condo corporation cut off power to the elevator that serves Rez residents. This caused a major problem for several with accessibility issues. Two months later, the owners started to default on the mortgage and were in arrears with Hydro One and the cable and internet provider.

The Highlander could not reach the existing owners for comment.

Adams returned to Haliburton in August, hoping to find someone willing to take on ownership and management. He moved into a spare bedroom and got to work righting many of the wrongs. He paid off a $16,000 debt with the condo corporation and settled all other arrears. All in, he estimates he put around $25,000 in, which he intended to recoup by adding onto his mortgage.

He couldn’t find a private investor so started to reach out to service providers in the community. Because of the way the building operates, as a cohabiting space, organizations such as Places for People and the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corporation felt it was impossible for them to get involved without making substantial changes, something Adams wasn’t comfortable with.

With nobody coming forward, Adams decided to re-buy. He negotiated a deal with the current owners to assume the remaining debt of $340,000, providing he could get a mortgage. He is planning to meet with the Haliburton County Development Corporation Nov. 16 to try and secure a loan.

“I never wanted to own it and live away. It makes it hard if something goes wrong… but at this point I don’t have any other choice,” Adams said. “I can’t just walk away.

“I had built a good community while I managed this place, where people are helping one another. I want to maintain that,” he added. “The Rez is a real success story. We’ve got people who have lived here for years. We provide housing to the homeless, to people recovering from addiction. If we disappear, there’s going to be nowhere for these people to go. They’re going to end up on the street.”

There’s another stumbling block. The primary lenders have set a date of Nov. 21 to have a deal wrapped up. If Adams fails to provide proof of funds by then, the lenders intend to go to power of sale, which will authorize the lender to serve eviction notices and put the place on the market.

Adams said he’s working to meet that deadline. He is still looking for someone in the community to partner with, who will take an active role in managing the property. He plans to address Dysart et al council Nov. 22 to see what, if any, assistance the municipality can provide.

“Somebody has to have a heart for, and understand, the plight of the poor. The people here need that support. And it’s not just financial, there’s trauma issues, systemic issues that need to be chipped away at,” Adams said. “For me, the mission is not over.”

Residents would be in ‘big trouble’

Kevin Hadley has lived at the Rez for about three years. Prior to that, he was living in a trailer on a friend’s property in Gooderham, as he couldn’t find anywhere affordable to rent in the County.

He said the past 12 months have been “a nightmare,” with a lack of leadership taking a toll on the building. He says minor issues, such as the building’s washing machine breaking down, haven’t been addressed, and the general atmosphere and sense of community among residents has declined.

If Adams is unsuccessful in buying back the property, and it goes to power of sale, Hadley said he’d be forced to leave the community. He’s already making tentative plans to go to Toronto.

“I think I’d be OK. I’d figure something out. But I don’t know what some of these people would do. We have one guy who has dementia – he hasn’t got anybody left to take him in, to take care of him. He’d be in real trouble,” Hadley said. “This isn’t the best place in the world, but Nick takes care of it. He knows what’s needed. It sucks that he’s the one having to come back to save the place, but there’s just nobody in the community willing to step up.”

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