A Haliburton business is challenging locals to get their sweat on for a good cause this weekend, by helping to raise
money for Brooksong Retreat and Cancer Support Centre.

Sweat Social Health and Fitness is running a high-energyhour-long ‘Sweat for Support’ fundraiser at its gym at 713 Mountain St. on Saturday. The by-donation event is open to anyone, regardless of fitness level, background, or ability, says owner and head coach, Chelsea Adamson.

“This is a chance to show up, work hard and give back to an organization doing deeply meaningful work in the
Highlands,” Adamson said. “The workout will honour the vital work Brooksong does in supporting those living with a cancer diagnosis.”

People will be put through their paces in pairs, using equipment like barbells, dumbells and kettlebells. Adamson
said every movement and activity can be modified, making it a workout anyone can participate in.

The money will support programming at Brooksong, which has been running free programming for cancer
patients and their families at its sanctuary at Abbey Gardens since 2017.

Executive director Barb Smith-Morrison said the organization has hosted five in-person retreats this year,
welcoming people for four days of intimate talks, activity and reflection, with three more scheduled. Each retreat can accommodate about 10 people.

“This is one more retreat than last year. We will welcome approximately 90 people by year-end,” Smith-Morrison
said. It costs approximately $2,500 per person to attend .

Brooksong has also designed a new ‘charting unknown territory together’ retreat, for people living with an
advanced-stage cancer diagnosis and a close support person or caregiver. Smith-Morrison said the offering provides healing opportunities to focus more deeply on how to make meaning and having conversations about what end-of-life means to each person.

The non-profit is also working on a new program for alumni, ensuring those who have benefitted from cancer
support programs have ongoing opportunities to integrate the learning and healing tools they’ve received, while
staying connected with Brooksong’s supportive community “that nurtures their ongoing healing,” Smith-Morrison
added.

With annual operations now well into six figures, fundraisers like this are vital to ensuring Brooksong’s long
term future. Smith-Morrison said there’s a long waitlist for people looking for assistance – with Brooksong attracting interest from across Canada and North America.

“The growing waitlist tells us just how much this kind of care is needed. This year, we’ve focused on offering
our free cancer support retreats while also building the fundraising strength to keep them going for years to come.

“We believe whole-person cancer support should be available to anyone who needs it, and we’re working hard
to meet the demand,” she said.

For more information on Brooksong’s programs visit brooksong.ca. Register from Sweat for Support at
mindbodyonline.com. Cash donations are accepted at the door.

Christina Handley was enjoying a quiet afternoon outdoors Aug. 9 when the unmistakable roar of a speeding fire truck cut the silence around her Burnt Lake property.

Located about three kilometres from a 27-hectare wildfire that’s been active since around 5 p.m. Saturday, Handley said it was a tense 24-hours after finding out about the blaze.

“It’s scary, that’s for sure. We’re right in Burnt River, so the fire would have to change direction and hop the highway and the river to actually reach us, but that’s not an impossibility with these dry conditions,” she told The Highlander in an Aug. 12 interview.

After seeing a couple more firetrucks whiz by, Handley hopped in her vehicle to see what was going on. Shortly after pulling onto East Line, she saw a huge plume of smoke billowing in the distance.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources’ (MNR) Evan Lizotte, the fire was still burning out of control at noon Aug. 13. He noted the blaze is located 1.6 kilometres west of Hwy. 49 and 1.7 kilometres south of Hwy. 121. The City of Kawartha Lakes closed the closest portion of Hwy. 49 on Saturday. It was still closed as of press time.

Lizotte said the fire has been tied in, meaning suppression efforts intended to secure its perimeter have been successful.

No weekend blazes in Haliburton County

Despite that, the fire – the equivalent of 66 football fields – is still listed as not under control with five MNR crews actively working on it.

“That area is seeing a high to extreme fire hazard, which means the chance for the fire to spread is the greatest it can be,” Lizotte said. He noted the ministry had not called an evacuation of nearby residences and that the cause is still being determined.

Four other nearby fires were also being tracked over the weekend, though all had been brought under control as of 5 p.m. Aug. 12. A small blaze broke out south of Dale Lake in Algonquin Park Aug. 11 but was quickly put out.

Handley said she and her husband saw three waterbombers fill up on Four Mile Lake on Saturday and one each on Sunday and Monday. She didn’t see any on Tuesday, which she’s hoping is good news.

They have cattle on a pasture between their home and the fire – Handley has been making extra trips out to make sure they’re okay.

“I’ve been going at least six times a day, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering them. The fire is close, but it’s across the lake. It seemed to be travelling away from them, but the minute the wind changes those cows will be coming out of there,” she said.

Darlene Mann, who lives just off Hwy. 121, said that, living in the bush and seeing how prevalent forest fires have become over the past two years, she’s been worried about something like this happening.

“The concern is it growing and spreading to populated areas… you don’t want to go anywhere for the day.”

County extends fire ban

Michael French, the County’s fire coordinator, confirmed the fire ban implemented Aug. 5 has been extended to at least Aug. 19.

While all of the area fires MNR has responded to carry the name ‘Haliburton’, French said that’s only because the ministry headquarters, which responds to calls, is located in Stanhope. None of the weekend blazes were within County borders, he said.

French said there was a small fire in Dysart on Monday, which the Dysart and Algonquin Highlands departments responded to, but that was quickly extinguished.

With little rain in the seven-day forecast, he reminded people to follow the rules, no open-flame fires whatsoever.

“This could happen to us just as easily, it really could. Because of the ice storm, there’s so much debris down that it wouldn’t take much for something to start,” French said. “The potential is always there… we had some rain on Saturday night, but there was a lot of lightning strikes that came with that.

“Lightning strikes are our biggest fear right now because 50 per cent of fires come from lightning strikes. We do have issues where people are burning and it gets away from them, but the majority of these things [start] from natural causes,” he added.

For up-to-date information on active fires in the region, visit ontario.ca/fireupdates.

Highlands East should consolidate fire stations, consultant, Loomex Group, told the township Aug. 12 when delivering its final fire master plan.

They recommend closing station 6 in Paudash – and relocating firefighters and equipment to Station 1 in Cardiff. They also urge the township to renovate the Cardiff fire hall in the short-term, and plan for a future replacement.

Terry Gervais of Loomex Group added the municipality should close station 2 in Highland Grove and Station 4 in Wilberforce and relocate to a new fire hall near Wilberforce. He further said they should upgrade station 3 in Gooderham.

Gervais said all stations were built in the 1970s, are more than 50 years old, and at the end of their life cycles.

“Most of the fire stations are currently in poor condition, and some are projected to fall into critical condition by 2029. The fire stations also lack the functionality that is required to meet the needs of the department and the community it serves,” he said.

Gervais added they recognize the township can’t afford to replace all stations, but cannot maintain the status quo. He said they looked at the fire department’s current response zones to devise a new deployment model. The proposed model also included reviews of GIS mapping, vehicle deployment, fire station conditions, and financial considerations.

Loomex Group said the Cardiff station is in better shape than Paudash, and a move would house 15 firefighters. Gervais said Highlands East could sell the other property, as well as unneeded fire apparatus and equipment, to raise money for other fire needs.

As to closing stations in Highland Grove and Wilberforce, Gervais said a new central fire hall could be staffed by 19 firefighters.

“Highlands East should build a new fire station that could be established in a location that will allow the department to provide coverage for its current response zone, as well as the entire municipality,” he said.

Gervais added it could accommodate the department’s current and anticipated needs, such as a dedicated administration, with office, training, and storage space. Gervais said the municipality owns property at 2752 Loop Rd., which could accommodate a new fire station. Again, it was suggested they sell the Highland Grove and Wilberforce stations to raise some money.

They added the Gooderham station is in “relatively good condition” and its location at County roads 503 and 508 allow the department to respond to incidents in the western third of Highlands East.

He said Loomex Group estimated cost savings of $6.4 million in fleet and fire station replacements. That includes eliminating six fire vehicles.

All up, the overall plan contains 33 recommendations, including around recruitment and retention, occupational health and safety; service levels and performance standards.

Not convinced

Coun. Angela Lewis asked what made a building condition “critical.” Gervais said it was based on functionality and operations. “Does it meet current Ontario Building Codes, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, health and safety guidelines?”

Lewis responded, “I just can’t see how you are going to have the same fire services when you are recommending closing two of the fire stations.”

Mayor Dave Burton said, “we will have time to deal with that, Angela, believe me.”

Coun. Cam McKenzie said there were a lot of references in the report of things the fire chief “should” do, which he said backed hiring a deputy chief.

Council received the report for information only.

A standing-room-only crowd filled the Robert McCausland Community Centre in Gooderham recently, as concerned citizens gathered to confront what they think is a growing wave of crime and theft in Highlands East.

Organizer, Todd Byers, of the newly-formed Highlands East Local Patrol (H.E.L.P.), said about 140 people attended, including speakers, MP Jamie Schmale, Haliburton Highlands OPP detachment commander Deb McClure and officer Roy Haddan, Highlands East deputy mayor, Cecil Ryall, and paralegal Krystle Pegg.

Byers said the meeting was, “born from rising frustration and concern among residents. H.E.L.P. was created to support community safety through increased vigilance and collaboration with law enforcement.”

He added, “the meeting served as both a call to action and a platform for discussion on the impact of repeat offenders and what many view as lenient bail and sentencing policies.”

Schmale talked about “Canada’s revolving door justice system. Unfortunately, local police continue to deal with a small number of people who are alleged to commit multiple crimes, many times even when released on bail. This has left many residents feeling vulnerable and increasingly frustrated.”

Schmale said Bill C75 and C5, “can be directly linked to the feeling of unease in our once quiet and peaceful cities, towns and hamlets. Bill C75 gives high priority to releasing repeat violent offenders, while C5 took away mandatory jail time for certain violent crimes.

“As a direct consequence of the government’s soft-on-crime ideology, the number of murders has increased by 43 per cent while gang-related homicides have increased by 108 per cent since the Liberals formed government in 2015,” he said.

Schmale said the Liberals need to “reverse course immediately, stop the madness and implement bail reform for repeat violent offenders.”

During the meeting, one attendee commented, “there’s a sense that our justice system is failing us. People committing multiple crimes are walking free, and our families and businesses are paying the price.”

Byers said, “despite the sobering subject matter, the mood in the room was one of determination. Local leaders expressed support for stronger measures to protect the community and praised the formation of H.E.L.P. as a proactive step forward.”

Byers thanked all who participated, especially the volunteers from The Gooderham Community Action Group, who brought the gathering together.

“This is about coming together to make sure Highlands East remains a safe place for families and businesses,” he said.

The Highlander reached out to OPP for statistics to back up claims of a growing wave of crime and theft in Highlands East but they had not responded to our request as of press time Aug. 13.

If you would like to know more about H. E.L.P., or would like to contribute to the discussion, they have a Facebook Group.