Tourism a mixed bag so far this summer

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July 21, 2022

Members of Haliburton County’s tourism sector are reporting a mixed season so far for summer 2022.

Don Critchley of Cottage Care Rentals said that for them, “business is doing very well. We are back to what was normal prior to COVID.”

Critchley added they are back to a stream of steady bookings for the summer, but as was the pre-COVID norm, they tend to book the holes during June and July.

Critchley added they convinced cottage owners not to increase rental rates by a huge amount, especially as other travel options have reopened. He said they capped it at five to 10 per cent on average. He further noted that since July 1, 2021, they have had to charge HST on rent, so there was an automatic 13 per cent increase with an overall affect on guests of 18 to 23 per cent on average.

He said another reason they didn’t overinflate rates is they have 75 per cent return guests and didn’t want them to go somewhere else.

With the recent run up of mortgage rates, the local businessman said they have seen a spike in the last couple of weeks for requests to rent people’s cottages out. “We had anticipated this when the real estate market went ballistic, and it is now coming true,” he said.

Emily Stonehouse of Yours Outdoors and Haliburton Forest said that from their perspective, “it’s been a pretty slow summer so far. It’s a weird time. We can’t compare this summer to the past two years and it’s all totally different in the world.”

She said she thinks restaurants are seeing people coming out, but tour providers and accommodations are slow to start.

“We are noticing an influx of last-minute bookings though. Seems that people are waiting for COVID numbers, weather, and availability before joining last minute. We used to be booked weeks in advance, but just today, I took two bookings for the next two days. We can’t always accommodate those, and it’s hard to plan around,” she said.

Stonehouse added she has heard a lot of grumbling about gas prices and that may be keeping some people away.

“We’re also seeing a big shift back to international travel. People aren’t as worried about airports anymore. Before, they sought out escaping to our woods as a retreat, but now we’re back to the way travel was before.”

Stonehouse said the local industry “has to make more of an effort to emphasize the great things we have here, things beyond just being an escape and marketing the region as a multi-dimensional destination once again.”

Some having very busy seasons, but not all

Molly McInerney of Molly’s Bistro Bakery said they have been busy. “So many happy old faces we haven’t seen in a long while have returned and lots of new faces. It is so great to see people out and about enjoying life again,” she said.

And Katie Hinbest, one of the owners of Robinsons General Store in Dorset, said it’s been going well. “Our July long weekend was a record for the store. Hopefully we continue to see that throughout the summer.”

The County’s director of tourism, Tracie Bertrand, said she’s spoken to many in the industry and they are telling her the season so far is a very busy one. “Many travellers are comfortable with getting back out and resuming most of their activities.”

She noted festivals and events have returned, and people are dining out, and booking accommodation, some into 2024.

Like Stonehouse, though, she said it’s not consistently high and some people still aren’t comfortable travelling.

“Some data indicates that full recovery won’t take place until at least 2025,” Bertrand said.

She added the cost of living, including gas, “has most definitely had an impact on travel in 2022.”

She noted some business owners are still struggling with workforce shortages, which is impacting hours of operation, as well as increased costs due to inflation, added stress due to debt from COVID, and managing the visitor demand.

However, overall, she thinks the Highlands is doing “very well” this tourism season.

“It is busy, the downtowns are hopping, the restaurants are full, and many are attending the festivals and events.”

Unspooling division through arts & crafts

By

Sam Gillett

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July 21, 2022

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For years, Sandra Clarke drove her daughter from Mississauga to critical hospital appointments in downtown Toronto.

Protests at Queens Park often slowed down or stopped traffic.

“Even if I agreed with what the protestors were saying, I was frustrated by not being able to bring my daughter to the hospital. I thought there has got to be a better way.”

That’s when she started investigating craftivism, which uses crafts such as knitting to fight for political or social change or bring awareness to the climate crisis, for example.

“I wanted to have a quieter, gentler alternative to blocking traffic or keeping nurses from reaching the hospital,” Clarke – who divides her time between Toronto and Highlands East – said.

“It’s also a way of bringing people together.”

At the upcoming Haliburton Art and Craft Festival, Clarke invites attendees to help her create an earth loom, made by weaving recycled textiles or leaves, flowers and grass onto threads in between a wooden frame.

The point of an earth loom is to ponder our relationship to the natural environment and to bridge divides by creating it with others who may be different than you.

“You can have a Conservative and a Green Party member working side-by-side on this loom. You don’t have to discuss your politics but you at least see each other on a human level,” Clarke said.

She added that especially throughout COVID-19, people with differing views couldn’t come together.

“It’s really hard in this world of digital confrontations to come face-to-face with somebody who is totally opposite to you. When you’re working on something important with them together, that’s going to influence you,” she said.

That’s not to say Clarke doesn’t share her opinions, or dispute views she disagrees with.

However, she said conversations between strangers who might not otherwise speak can be a powerful thing to witness. “I know a lot of people; we might have done demonstrations and sit-ins in the past. We’re done yelling, it’s exhausting. We’re done using a traditional method of protesting and not seeing things change,” she said.

Clarke has hosted multiple craftivism sessions at Patio Tuesdays outside Rails End Gallery this summer and will be constructing an earth loom with community help July 22-24 inside the Haliburton Art and Craft Festival at the Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre tent.

Haliburton Art and Craft Festival returns to Head Lake Park

By

Sam Gillett

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July 21, 2022

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Seventy-five artisans, live music and even gigantic colourful birds will descend on Head Lake Park for the return of Haliburton County’s largest arts celebration July 22-24.

The Haliburton Art and Craft Festival, running annually for 59 years, is back after a two-year pandemic hiatus. “It’s a friendly and inspiring festival,” said Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre director Laurie Jones, who has been preparing for the weekend alongside a crew of 30 volunteers.

“When I talk to our volunteers, I say our job here is to inspire people to want to learn more about art in general.”

There are vendors from all over the art world, including sculptors, painters, woodworkers, jewellers and more.

“We want it to be accessible. People who come to our festival will find something in their affordability scale,” Jones said.

There will be a range of art for sale from thousand-dollar ornate carvings to handcrafted greeting cards. There will be live music and performances by Les Chasseurs de Rêves, a performance troupe that performs dances on stilts emulating colourful birds.

The festival draws hundreds of visitors from outside of Haliburton County each year. Jones recommends festival-goers consider getting dropped off to avoid the difficulty of finding parking around Haliburton.

There will be a designated drop-off parking spot in front of the gallery on York Street, with public parking available around Haliburton and at the A.J. LaRue Arena.

There are three entrances to the festival: York Street, the bridge beside the Head Lake bandshell, and the boardwalk near the Head Lake Welcome Centre.

Admission is by donation, with a tap option to donate with credit or debit cards.

Plenty of washrooms will be available, including all the stalls at the welcome centre and additional portable washrooms. Jones suggests people check out the Rails End Gallery website, which lists the artists exhibiting and profiles their work.

“They can see who is new, who is returning,” Jones said. The festival runs noon to 5 p.m. July 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 23 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 24. To find out more, visit railsendgallery.com/ haliburton-art-and-craft.

Saying goodbye to the little white church on the corner

By

Lisa Gervais

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July 21, 2022

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As I sat in Maple Lake United Church for the closing service July 17, I felt somewhat out of place.

Despite having been to numerous church dinners or bake sales, I had never sat in a pew in the 121-year-old little white church on the corner of Hwy. 118 and Stanhope Airport Road. However, as I looked at the congregation around me, I could empathize with the swirl of emotions they were feeling. Many had been baptized there, celebrated their communion, gone to Sunday school, services, watched loved ones buried, and been married.

Others were involved with the United Church Women, a force that had nurtured both bellies and brought the women laughter, discussion and friendship.

I could only imagine how organist of 60 years, Kathleen Owens, must have been feeling.

She’s been with the church for nearly half of its life. And I could sense the countless hours that men and women had put into keeping the little building maintained. While this was not my church, it was my lived experience.

It was on Sept. 28, 1986 that St. Michael’s Church in my hometown of Creighton Mine, near Sudbury, was shuttered for the last time. Liturgical ceremonies were held over three days. Four priests and Sisters from the parish were there.

The choirs even learned new hymns for a series of special masses. The local Knights of Columbus, of which my dad was one, wore full regalia. That Sunday after service the church was literally emptied.

The large statues were laboriously carried down the steps to waiting trucks. From there, they were slowly transported to the nearest Catholic Church, about two miles away, where they were carefully unloaded and carried into that church. It was a sad but memorable procession going down the highway.

The church’s bell was also transported to the new church. St. Michael’s had stood for 70 years. The parishioners of Maple Lake United honoured the symbols of their faith worship and many spoke of fond memories.

The two little girls who sat in the back pew and held hands and giggled before their moms shot them that stare that only mothers can. Sunday schools that required two leaders, one for the older kids and one for the younger ones. So many funerals. So many weddings. If only the walls could talk.

But they sort of did on Sunday. After years of dwindling attendance and COVID-19, they surely breathed deeply to hold a full congregation and to hear song.

The National Trust for Canada estimated in 2019 that a third of Canada’s Christian architecture – some 9,000 churches – will close in the next 10 years. At the time, there were approximately 27,000 places of worship across the country with one third destined to be sold, demolished or abandoned over the decade.

In places such as the Diocese of Toronto, it’s not all bad news. Thanks to a large immigrant population engaged in their faith locally, they have actually built nearly a church a year since the turn of the century.

That isn’t the story in rural and small-town Ontario. Some of the challenges include a declining number of parishioners, or their ability to pay for the repairs and maintenance an old church requires.

There’s also a dwindling number of priests. It has become impossible to maintain the number of churches designed for a different era. We hope the little white church on the corner finds a new incarnation that can still bring community together. We hope those who attended Sunday still strive to find community, whether at Highlands Hills United Church in Minden or elsewhere.

Fearrey feels ‘responsibility’ to run in Dysart et al election

By

Mike Baker

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July 21, 2022

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Murray Fearrey believes he has unfinished business in Haliburton County.

One of the most experienced municipal politicians in the country, having spent almost 40 years as mayor of Dysart from the late 1970s to 2018, Fearrey has decided to run for office once again this fall.

Seeking a return to the mayor’s chair, he officially submitted his papers July 12.

After losing out to Andrea Roberts four years ago, Fearrey said he thought his time serving the community had come to an end.

However, after watching some of Dysart’s biggest issues worsen over the past term, and noticing that several veteran politicians across the County, including Roberts, have announced they aren’t seeking re-election, Fearrey said he felt a responsibility to step forward.

“I’m not doing this for me, I can tell you that. I’m doing this for Dysart et al and for Haliburton County,” Fearrey told The Highlander. “I feel there’s a real need for leadership.”

Fearrey believes the Highlands community has stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said this next term will be pivotal in helping to shape the future of Haliburton County.

“The shoreline preservation bylaw, the short-term rental issue… These are big things with big implications for the future,” Fearrey said.

“I think the shoreline issue could have been handled better. If we’re going to have a bylaw, I think it needs to be simple and it needs to be enforceable.” He also wants to see the County adopt a business-like approach to short-term rentals.

“A lot of people are buying properties now for investments. They’re renting them out 52 weeks of the year if they can, so it’s basically a business,” Fearrey said. “It’s not rocket science. Make it so that you need a license to run an Airbnb, and if anyone goes against the license, or operates without one, make the fines substantial enough that they take notice.”

His number one priority, though, will be bolstering healthcare services in Dysart.

He believes the townships need to do a better job of making Haliburton County an attractive proposition for doctors, nurses and PSWs.

“We’re in a dogfight for these professionals. We need to find innovative ways to bring these people to our community. Whether it’s supplying them with some kind of housing, I don’t know the answer, but it’s something I will certainly focus on,” he said.

The community, he believes, is going to have to get used to the idea of new development. Housing projects proposed for Wallings Road and Grass Lake have been criticized by some residents, but Fearrey believes if any build is deemed to be suitable by town staff and meets municipal requirements, it should be approved.

“Every time we get a housing development, there are always people that don’t want it. Well, sorry, but we have to have it. It’s essential to life here in Haliburton,” Fearrey said.

He also wants to create a new 30-year long-term plan for downtown Haliburton. “Our community is not the most attractive town right now. There’s three or four vacancies on the main street. I don’t think there’s any long-range thinking about where we should be,” Fearrey said. “When we needed new long-term care, I worked with three or four others in the community to bring the Gardens [of Haliburton] to town. I think there are ways we can refresh downtown and make it more desirable.

“We don’t have a decent ball diamond. There are no soccer fields. We are in need of recreation facilities,” Fearrey said.

“There’s a lot of work to be done. I won’t be around forever, but if I can get the work started, and work with a team that can take these ideas forward, that’s what I want to do.”

OPP looking for scammers

By

Lisa Gervais

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July 18, 2022

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Haliburton Highlands OPP have issued a warning, and are seeking the public’s assistance in relation to an emergency scam investigation in Minden Hills.

Police said that on July 14, a victim received a call from a male falsely identifying himself as a police officer.

The fraudster advised the victim that their granddaughter had been arrested for drug-related offences and was subsequently going to be held for a bail hearing.

The caller then advised the victim that a payment of $9,000 was mandatory for the girl’s release.

The scammer warned the victim to not speak to their granddaughter’s parents or anyone else, including law enforcement, as the transaction would not take place if that was the case.

A female also spoke to the victim on the phone impersonating the granddaughter, police said. Arrangements were made and a female attended the victim’s residence the following day to collect the money.

OPP said, “members of the public are cautioned that officers would never attend a residence to obtain bail money.”

Investigators are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the female and a suspect vehicle.

The female is described as: 18-23 years old, white, approx. 5’5’’ tall, slim, 100-110 lbs, brown eyes and hair in a bun, red and black tattoo on left side of neck, one inch from ear, running down neck toward collarbone; wearing dark pants and dark zip-up coat.

The vehicle is described as a silver 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe.

Anyone with information is asked to contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or 705-286-1431, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or khcrimestoppers.com.

EMERGENCY SCAMS

(The Little Black Book of Scams, Competition Bureau Canada)

Emergency frauds, also known as the grandparent scam, usually target loving grandparents, taking advantage of their emotions to rob them of their money. The typical scam starts with a grandparent receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be their grandchild. The “grandchild” goes on to say they’re in trouble-common misfortunes include having been in a car accident, getting locked up in jail, or trouble returning home from a foreign country-and they need money immediately.

The caller will ask you questions, getting you to reveal personal information. They’ll also swear you to secrecy, saying they are embarrassed and don’t want other family members to find out what’s happened.

One variation of this ploy features two people on the phone, one pretending to be a grandchild and the other a police officer or lawyer. In other cases, the scammer will pretend to be an old neighbour or a family friend in trouble.

Tips to protect yourself:

· Take time to verify the story. Scammers are counting on you wanting to quickly help your loved one in an emergency.

· Call the child’s parents or friends to find out about their whereabouts.

· Ask the person on the phone questions that only your loved one would be able to answer and verify their identity before taking steps to help.

· Never send money to anyone you don’t know and trust.

· Never give out any personal information to the caller.

For more information on this and other common scams in Canada, check out the Competition Bureau Canada’s The Little Black Book of Scams: competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04333.html

For additional information on ongoing scams in Canada and to report fraud, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/.

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, please contact police.

‘Rotary really is just one piece of a wider family’

By

Mike Baker

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July 14, 2022

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Service above self is more than just a catchphrase to new Haliburton Rotary president Ursula Devolin.

Sworn in as the club’s 78th president on June 30, Devolin becomes the fourth woman to serve in the role after Lynda Shadbolt, Maureen O’Hara and Heather Phillips. She said she’s excited to take on the challenge and help to guide Haliburton Rotary into a post-COVID world.

Despite only becoming an active member of the club in 2018, Devolin has been exposed to Rotary for most of her life. Her dad, John Beachli, has been involved with the local branch for more than 45 years, while her mother, Linda, was also a member for several years.

“Rotary was a major part of my childhood. Growing up, seeing all the things my dad was involved with in the community, it was great,” Devolin said. “It’s a really good platform for meeting likeminded people, making connections and helping to make your community a better place.”

Devolin’s contributions in recent years have been significant. She played a key role in the operation of the COVID-19 vaccination clinics at A.J. LaRue Arena last year, organizing volunteer schedules for the events.

She has also served as the ‘new generations’ chair for the past two years, assisting both the Rotaract and Interact clubs with various projects and ideas.

“Rotary really is just one piece of a wider family, which also includes Rotaract, for younger adults between the age of 18 and 35, and Interact, which serves high school students… Over the past couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time working with all three groups,” Devolin said. “I’m a big advocate for Interact especially, as I think it’s a great way for young people to learn about different platforms of service and, if they’re community-minded individuals, know there’s a template for them already where they can do their part and help make a difference.”

Devolin said the Rotary family is excited to bring back some popular events this summer. Music in the Park is running at full capacity again, while a special homecoming festival has been planned for Aug. 3.

Devolin said she’s also excited to represent Haliburton at next year’s Rotary International Convention, in Melbourne, Australia.

After partnering with Dysart et al on various community projects in recent years, including the Haliburton Welcome Centre and the Rotary Park Bandshell, Devolin said the group is in talks to take on a key role in another sizeable initiative, which she said would be “huge” for the community.

“I’m hoping we can reveal more details on that soon, and that we can do it in the next year or so,” Devolin said.

Haliburton Rotary meets every Thursday, and has resumed in-person meetings. The group has 24 active members, and is always on the lookout for new recruits.

“Our goal as Rotarians, really, is to improve our community. There is a fellowship there, but our group, and myself in particular, are big on getting things done,” Devolin said. “It is a commitment, but at the same time it’s a lot of fun… I couldn’t imagine not doing this anymore.”

To learn more, visit haliburtonrotary.ca, or send an email to haliburtonrotary@gmail. com.

Like a rolling stone: Dylan act comes to Selerno

By

Mike Baker

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July 14, 2022

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Fans of American music icon Bob Dylan will be blowin’ in the wind on Salerno Lake this Saturday evening for the 13th annual Concert on the Lake.

This year’s event will feature the Juno award-winning Paul James Band, who will perform their popular ‘Bob Dylan Tribute’ show. Organizer Doug Rodgers said this was a marquee moment for the concert series, saying the quality of the show will be unlike anything seen on Salerno Lake before.

“I’m a huge Bob Dylan guy, so I’m unbelievably excited for this show. But even if you’re not big on Dylan, Paul just has this aura around him. He’s an incredible performer. This is going to be a treat for anyone in attendance,” Rodgers said. “There will be lots of singing, but Paul is a fantastic storyteller too. And boy, does he have some stories to tell.”

Having attended a version of the show in Toronto last year, Rodgers said he was blown away by the experience, with James recounting several tales of times he’d bumped into, and played, with Dylan.

“He tells one story of how he and his band were playing in Nags Head, North Carolina in 1986 when Dylan arrived one night and asked to sit in [and play]. Of course, Paul agreed and Dylan asked to be introduced as a hitchhiker from Vancouver,” Rodgers said. “They have met up and played together on many different occasions since then. Whenever Dylan comes to Toronto, he always contacts Paul.”

Rodgers said an ensemble of Dylan’s greatest hits will be belted out on the night, including Like a Rolling Stone, Tangled Up in Blue, and You’re a Big Girl Now. He’s calling the event ‘Dylan on the Dock!’.

Concert on the Lake is a unique event in that it can only be accessed by water. The band will be setting up on a private dock (Brown’s dock) in the narrows, with attendees encouraged to park their boats, kayaks or canoes in the water and observe. Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased online at sdlca.ca, or in-person on the day at what Rodgers is calling a floating box office.

Rodgers said the event has gained quite a following in recent years.

“People look forward to this every year now. It’s become one of the mainstay staples for not only the Salerno Lake community, but people all across Haliburton County,” Rodgers said. “It’s almost like a natural amphitheatre… I hear from people that they might not go to another concert the whole year, but they’ll come to this one because it’s tradition. I guess we’ve made it into that.”

To access the lake, there’s a public boat launch on Salerno Lake Road. Parking is available along the road, Rodgers said. The concert site is approximately two kilometres from the boat launch.

Rolling in support of cancer research

By

Sam Gillett

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July 14, 2022

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A Highlander is aiming to pedal 200 kilometres for SickKids’ cancer research this August.

“I’ve had family that have passed from cancer and friends that struggled with it. I can’t imagine being a child and having to deal with such a horrible thing,” said Katie Woodward, who lives near Gelert.

She’s taking part in Great Cycle Challenge Canada, a cross-Canada cycling fundraiser in which riders set distance and goals in return for community pledges.

“When I saw this, I totally wanted to be in to help. I thought it was such a great cause,” Woodward said.

She’ll spend August cycling the Haliburton County Rail Trail, as well as some road sections and the mountain bike trails at Sir Sam’s Ski/ Ride, which has donated the use of its trails.

“I think I know it will be tough at times but it’s bigger than me,” Woodward said. “That is nothing compared with what these kids go through, what these families go through.”

Woodward aims to raise $2,500 in donations. So far she’s raised $1,500.

The Great Cycle Challenge participants have raised almost $31 million across Canada since the event’s beginning in 2016. All money raised will go towards researching treatments and cures for childhood cancer.

To donate to Woodward’s ride, visit greatcyclechallenge.ca here.

Off-roading event raises $1,000 for YWCA

By

Mike Baker

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July 14, 2022

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Girl power was in full effect across the Highlands last weekend as 36 women came together to enjoy a day of off-roading fun, while also raising money for the Haliburton Emergency Rural SafeSpace operated by the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton.

The fourth-annual Not a Pavement Princess four-wheeling event took place in various locations across Haliburton County July 9, and was an overwhelming success according to organizer, Amber Block.

“We’re delighted again with how the day went. We managed to raise $1,000 for the women’s shelter and a whole bunch of us had a ton of fun,” Block said.

After discovering off-roading around seven years ago, Block said she found it was predominantly a male-dominated hobby and, while she always found the groups she engaged with welcoming, admitted it could be intimidating for some women.

So, Block banded together with some friends to launch Not a Pavement Princess. The first event in 2018 attracted 20 participants, who spent a full day riding on trails across the Highlands.

“It was nice for us just to have an outlet for females only. All of us take part in events where it’s mostly guys, but there’s just something special about being out there with the girls, and tackling the trails alone,” Block said. “Everyone loved the experience. We decided pretty quickly that we wanted to try and make it an annual event.”

The women returned in 2019, this time after partnering with the Ontario Federation of Four-Wheel Drive Recreationists (OF4WD) to make Not a Pavement Princess a sanctioned event. Block also wanted to add a fundraising component – with all participants purchasing purses and filling them with various items before delivering them to the local YWCA.

For their third event, in 2021, they transitioned to simply raising money, bringing in around $1,200.

Block said she hopes to keep the event running for years to come.

“It’s been such a great addition to the calendar for me and so many women. And we hope to grow the event. We peaked at 50 participants in 2021, but we think there’s potential to improve on that… There are so many amazing trails and places to off-road in Haliburton County,” Block said. “Anyone that may be interested, I’d recommend checking out the OF4WD website, learn a little bit about what we do, and then just come and try it out.

“You don’t have to be an expert to off-road. You don’t have to have the best vehicles… We assign trails based on your vehicle and based on your experience. We have guides available, and I’m always happy to help someone learn the ropes,” she added.

For more information, visit of4wd.com, or email Block at amber.block@hotmail.com