Charles Pachter comes to Haliburton: from summer camp to the Corner Gallery

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July 14, 2022

In the late 1950s, Margaret Atwood asked a young assistant arts and crafts leader at Camp Whitepine to pet a toad.

“To prove to kids I wouldn’t get warts. That’s how we became friends,” said artist Charles Pachter.

Since his days canoe-tripping, putting on plays and swimming around Hurricane Lake, Pachter, now 79, has emerged as one of Canada’s preeminent contemporary artists, and he and Atwood are still friends.

He’s soon returning to the Highlands for his first exhibit in the County, set to premiere at Haliburton’s Corner Gallery July 16.

Highlanders are well acquainted with his most famous muse: the moose.

“I did for the moose what Andy Warhol did for Marilyn Monroe,” said Pachter. “I made the moose glamorous.”

His most famous painting plopped Queen Elizabeth II on top of one.

Pachter met the Queen in 2015 and gifted her the image.

“She actually chuckled and said ‘how amusing,’” he recalls.

That wasn’t the end of the moose’s journey: across his collection of work spanning multiple decades, moose trot across tightropes above the CN tower, fall off cliffs, and explore arctic realms. His work is bold: silhouettes and blocky barns, flags, or softened portraits transposed on vibrant backgrounds.

Pachter said his perspective on Canada was shaped by his starring role in Johnny at the Fair, a 1947 short film showcasing the then-groundbreaking Canadian National Exhibition.

He shook hands with the prime minister, got pecked on the cheek by celebrities and was ferried around the sunny streets of Toronto in a convertible.

“I got the illusionary impression that Canada was glamorous,” he said.

He’s garnered acclaim for both depicting the country’s imagery and sharing his wistful love of the country’s quirkiness with the worldwide art scene.

Throughout his career, he’s been named an Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Ontario, received the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals and been named to the Chevalier of France’s Order of Arts and Letters. Multiple paintings have sold for more than $30,000.

“When I’m in the mood, I paint: I never stop,” he said, talking about his creative process.

He kept creating throughout the pandemic too.

“For artists, self-isolation is normal. During the pandemic, it wasn’t such a big change for me. The studio is my sanctuary. It’s where I’m happiest. As long as I’m painting, I don’t get depressed,” he said.

He’ll be bringing paintings and prints to Haliburton, which, in a sense, will be a long-awaited return voyage.

“After nearly 60 years, I’m coming back to an area I was very fond of,” he said. The gallery is at 123 Maple Ave. See cornergallery.ca for more information

Gelato on the rocks in Haliburton

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Sam Gillett

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July 14, 2022

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Walk inside Tipples North and you’ll find a fluorescent flamingo, frosty gelato and cocktail ingredients for any occasion.

Owners Jessica Hardie and Liam Maloney hope the Highland Street store can be a destination for mixed drink lovers, as well as anyone craving a cup of gelato, Italian-style ice cream.

They said the idea came about after chatting with family and other cottagers who said mixed drink ingredients and shakers and other accessories were hard to find in the Highlands.

“We weren’t sure how people were going to react,” said Maloney, chatting about the store’s opening day, which was in late May.

But they’ve gotten great feedback so far. Their shelves are lined with bitters, glasses, shakers, caesar mixes, cocktail books and more.

In tubs near the back, the shop has several flavours of a gluten-free, lactose-free, peanut-free and vegan versions of the cold snack. They have a portable gelato cooler, too, which they had a chance to try out at the Haliburton Home and Cottage Show. Flavours include French vanilla cherry swirl, classics such as mango and alcoholic gelatos such as mojito, espresso martini or pina coloda.

It’s not strong stuff, containing too little alcohol to be classified as an adult beverage.

However, they hope to acquire a liquor license this summer to start serving mixed drinks in the retro-inspired store.

“We want it to be a spot to hang out and have a good time,” Maloney said.

With a liquor license, they’ll likely be open to 9 p.m. “If people are here still at nine, we’ll stay open to 10. We’re pretty easygoing,” Maloney said.

As well, they hope to begin making gift baskets to order.

Since the pair are full-time university students, they’ll likely be hiring staff near the end of the summer.

Opening Tipples North meant “lots of allnighters,” Hardie said with a laugh. But it’s also been a long-time goal.

“Owning my own business is something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “This was a perfect chance to do that.”

Now that they’re up and running, they hope to add local products to their shelves too.

Hidden Gem 118 now open to the public

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Lisa Gervais

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July 14, 2022

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When Andre ‘Junior’ Cleroux says the new Hidden Gem 118 is a family business, he isn’t joking.

His dad, Andre ‘Senior’ Cleroux has been doing a lot of the work on the property located just east of Carnarvon. With a background in organic farming, he has been busy working on the existing manmade pond, taking care of fruit trees, planting gardens, tapping maple trees and beginning to collect honey.

Junior and his brother, Alexandre Cleroux, own Critter Care Brothers. They make a range of raw animal food and kibble, nutritional treats and chews. They can also do meal planning for dietary restrictions and supplemental feeding. Their products are one of the staples in the new enterprise.

And Junior’s mother, Sylvia, is into handmade soaps, bath bombs, candles and other similar products under the label Cleroux Inspired Soaps, as well as freeze-dried foods.

Junior and Senior own the new Highlands enterprise that held a soft opening July 1 and will hold a grand opening Aug. 1.

The family hails from the Ottawa area but Junior plans to relocate permanently. They’re just waiting on a little cash flow from the store so they can build a couple of cabins on the property.

Junior said for them the key in product lines is to stay as natural as possible. So, for example, with the animal feed, Junior said their focus is homeopathic.

“Instead of using commercial brand additives, we do them ourselves. My brother is a butcher and chef and I’m a registered German Shepherd breeder. With the pandemic, animals were the big boom. We thought, ‘it’s time. We put our knowledge together and made an awesome business called Critter Care Brothers.”

Sylvia’s products are also all natural, whether it is soaps, bath bombs, candles or packaged, freeze-dried food “because dehydrated isn’t appealing to the taste and freeze dried also keeps the nutritional value,” Junior said, adding it’s great for camping and outdoor adventures.

He added they are also selling items in less expensive, smaller sizes as opposed to bulk. He said they know there is an older population, many living alone or with just a partner. He said they prefer once a week trips rather than stocking up.

They’ve done much of the work themselves, creating a rustic, cottage feel inside the store.

“We’re doing this for the locals. Obviously, the money is going to be from the tourists but we’re going to be seeing the locals on a regular basis. We want to get to know everybody and it is going to be different if you’re from here or just passing by,” Junior said.

With this being his fourth family business, he said he has been successful because he works for the client.

“My mentality is that I might not make my money today but I will make my money over the lifetime of the business. If I can save the customer money, and perhaps make a little less, but offer an awesome service, I know the client will run back instead of just coming back. Our main focus is to establish ourself in the community. Our quality of service has always been on point. I’ve been in business since I was 19. I’m 32 now. Service is key”

Long-time HE councillor calls it a day

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Sam Gillett

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July 14, 2022

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Without a friend’s nudge, Highlands East Coun. Suzanne Partridge might not have been through two amalgamations, served as County Warden or developed broad community connections during her 25 years as a municipal politician.

The seasoned councillor has announced she will not seek re-election this fall. She said she wants to make time for travel and other activities.

She added that she has “lost some enthusiasm, I think the people in the community deserve someone who can give it their all.”

Partridge said one of the biggest moments in her career was serving as the reeve of Cardiff Township while Highlands East was amalgamating.

“There was a lot of push back from the communities: it was generally not wanted,” she said.

She said the communities of Highlands East took years to ease into being part of the larger entity.

“Just in the past five years, there has been a more cohesive municipality, not just protecting the interests of each little community,” she said.

Trying to balance those interests, said Partridge, has often meant vocal feedback from residents.

“I feel as if people should be speaking. How can people make their voices heard if they don’t tell politicians how they feel?”

She advises incoming councillors to not take criticism or impassioned emails to heart.

“That’s just part of the whole package of being on council.”

She also served as Haliburton County warden in 2018.

“That was a really good experience for me. It was very educational to get together with wardens from other areas of eastern Ontario.”

She said there weren’t too many contentious issues that year, however that was the time shoreline protection became a large focus.

She said protecting Haliburton’s shorelines is one of the County’s biggest challenges.

“We have to protect our lakes and watercourses and otherwise we won’t have any economy. If the lakes aren’t healthy, no one will come. We have a good opportunity to do that before we have a lot of degradation,” she said.

She said she supports County council passing the bylaw as it is currently stated.

Partridge said she hopes new councillors will continue advocating for environmental issues which have been her passion. Partridge also worked in the environmental and landscaping fields, until recently owning a landscaping company in Highlands East.

She is also chair of the township’s environment committee.

“It’s a great group of people. So many good ideas come forward, we’ve really gelled as a group.”

She encouraged those passionate about the area to put their name forward for Highlands East council, and added that she’ll miss attending council meetings.

“The best part is when you can accomplish something you know is good for the community. Part of the job is being part of the community, you become more involved in it along the way,” she said.

Haliburton County told to prepare for seventh wave of COVID-19

By

Lisa Gervais

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July 14, 2022

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The health unit and at least one family doctor are telling the community to be vigilant in the wake of COVID-19’s seventh wave, dominated by the BA.5 variant.

On July 6, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health confirmed the province is in a seventh wave of COVID-19, driven by the more infectious Omicron BA.5 subvariant.

While other parts of Ontario are starting to see a surge in cases, Dr. Natalie Bocking, medical officer of health with the HKPR district health unit, said on July 12 they’d had only preliminary indicators of the seventh wave, including a slight uptick in test positivity and a small increase in the number of outbreaks among highest risk settings.

However, she added, “We do expect the situation to change within the next week or so in Haliburton County, Northumberland County and the City of Kawartha Lakes.”

Dr. Bocking said evidence suggests that while the BA.5 subvariant is becoming the dominant strain in Ontario and is more easily spread, it is not more severe than the previous Omicron subvariants. She added this summer wave is expected to be smaller than the previous Omicron waves seen in January and in the spring.

The medical officer of health added that, “We also know that booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine help protect against severe illness and reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. As COVID-19 cases increase again, staying up-to-date on our vaccination is still the best defence against the virus.”

She said there are thousands of residents in the region who have not yet received a third or booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

She advised people to continue to use public health tools, such as wearing proper-fitting, high-quality masks

“At this time, it’s strongly recommended you wear a mask inside public places, especially if the space is crowded and if you are at higher risk of complications from COVID-19. You may also want to wear a mask outdoors if you are in crowded locations or venues,” she said.

She further advised people to: stay home if sick, even with mild symptoms; wash hands often with soap and water; sneeze and cough into a sleeve or arm; stay two metres from people you don’t live with; assess your risk before visiting others; open a window or door inside to increase ventilation or gather outside when visiting.

“COVID-19 is still present in our communities, and the arrival of the BA.5 subvariant is a good reminder of that. Let’s follow prevention measures like masking and staying up-to-date on our vaccines to help reduce our risk, while also being sure to enjoy the summer.”

Dr. Nell Thomas said data gathering and public health measures are slow to take off with the seventh wave as noted by the Science Table which said, “Cases cannot be estimated accurately because testing capacity in Ontario is insufficient to deal with the number of infections caused by Omicron, and the testing strategy has changed.”

She thinks the wave began as early as June 19. In addition to being perhaps the mostly highly contagious to date, she added it has come at a time when health care workplaces are depleted of staff.

“The healthcare system is exhausted and depleted. We are facing an unprecedented loss of health care workers from the front lines. This is not unique to Haliburton County, nor to Ontario.

“The hope was this coronavirus would evolve itself into a weakened version, fading into the background of cold viruses. It has proved itself to be doing quite the opposite, in fact revving up its mutations. Wishing it away is proving to be a poor strategy for humans,” Dr. Thomas said.

Property owners make noise for quiet boats

By

Sam Gillett

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July 14, 2022

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The Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Associations (CHA) has joined a nationwide group of cottage associations, municipalities and environmental groups calling for decibel limits on motorized boats.

The Decibel Coalition claims Canadian legislation on boat noise is weak compared to other countries such as the U.S.A.

“The noise issue is an issue in quite a few of our lakes, even a number of our smaller lakes,” said CHA chair Paul MacInnes.

“You get these boats with the supercharged exhaust where they’re just designed to be noisy. It detracts from the peace and quiet and it detracts from people’s ability to relax.”

He said he regularly hears from cottage associations and individuals around the Highlands concerned over excess boat noise.

Rob Bosomworth, the Decibel Coalition’s project lead and a lakeside property owner in Muskoka, said racing boats are an increasing issue for him and many other residents.

He said a boater on his lake is so loud the glasses in his cupboards rattle if it’s too close.

The coalition recently published a 2021 survey in which more than 67 per cent of 6,000 respondents indicated decibel limits should be enforced.

He claimed that “people that are exposed to these kinds of problems aren’t enjoying their cottages as much as they used to.”

Boats on Haliburton’s lakes must have mufflers that limit sound due to federal legislation. However, according to the Decibel Coalition, enforcing decibel limits would be easier for enforcement officers. They claim performance standards on mufflers would also be a more efficient way to control boats coming onto the market.

Bosomworth said he understands some boaters may perceive the initiative as discriminating against high-performance recreational boaters, but said that’s not the case.

“We’re not against high-performance boats, what we are against is excessively loud ones,” said Bosomworth. “I respect their rights to buy performance boats, but there are limits. It’s not an unreasonable ask to limit their noise because it spoils it for many people.”

In May, Transport Canada closed a series of consultations on small vessels noise emissions. It’s unclear what may happen next, or if new legislation may arise.

Bosomworth said public pressure is needed to keep the issue on the political radar.

“It will continue to go unchecked the way it is now,” he said.

Dysart launching community yard sale

By

Mike Baker

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July 14, 2022

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MB-NewToYouYardSale — Dysart et al New to you community yard sale

One person’s trash is another’s treasure, and Dysart et al is offering area residents an opportunity to make some sweet finds at a new and improved community event debuting next month.

The ‘New to You’ community yard sale will take place in the parking lot of the A.J. LaRue Arena July 16. Organized by Dysart staffers John Watson and Andrea Mueller, the event will replace the once popular Trash and Treasure marketplace, which fell casualty to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This really supports Dysart’s reuse activities, and coming out of COVID, it will be nice to be able to gather again and hold a good celebration for our community,” Watson said.

The event will host up to 35 stalls, with Mueller saying this is the perfect opportunity for area residents to have a spring clean and look to repurpose neglected and long forgotten about items. So far there are more than 20 vendors registered.

The event will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Our thinking was people have so many things, and often items can get stored away and gather dust. This is an opportunity to repurpose some of those items,” Mueller said.

“One person’s junk is another person’s treasure, right? We’ve heard that saying so many times. So, it’s just about offering people a space and a platform where they can find a new home for some of their things, while also allowing people to come out and find some really cool items.” Watson noted several other businesses and organizations, such as the Lily Anne Thrift Store, SIRCH Community Services, the Haliburton County Public Library and the Haliburton Highlands Museum will be holding extended events on the same day, as a way to attract more people to the downtown core. “Everyone is kinda getting in on this thing,” Watson said.

“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, and is something we hope to do again in the future.”

Book sales will take place at the Haliburton Highlands Museum from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at the Dysart branch of the Haliburton County Public Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Lily Ann will hold in-store sales from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the Thrift Warehouse hosting a similar event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit dysartetal.ca.

Cost of living sends Haliburton County food bank use soaring

By

Sam Gillett

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July 14, 2022

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SG-food insecurity-1- — Haliburton 4Cs food bank manger Judy MacDuff organizes donations with a volunteer.

A record-breaking number of people are seeking help from Haliburton food banks as inflation hits 30-year highs.

In a presentation to Highlands East council July 12, executive director Tina Jackson said the service is providing food to about 184 people per month.

At the height of the pandemic, they were serving around 170 per month.

It’s likely a reflection of how inflation is impacting the community, Jackson said.

“Anyone who visited a grocery store or gas station recently can appreciate that the cost of living is heartbreaking right now,” Jackson said. In Dysart et al, Judy MacDuff of 4Cs said they have seen an average of 130 visits per month since March, up from 65 to 75 per month in the winter. “That’s unusual,” she said. “Normally our client list is down in the summer, not higher.”

MacDuff points to inflation too.

“Food prices have gone so high. People have to decide between food and heating their homes.” While inflation sits at 7.7 per cent, a recent Statistics Canada study found food costs have risen by nearly 10 per cent since last year.

The Minden Community Food Centre has been busier too, said assistant manager Victoria Lawson. The centre has seen a 25 per cent increase in people served from January to June this year, compared to 2021.

“We don’t question people when they come in, but [food prices] are certainly is a topic of conversation we hear,” Lawson said.

Jackson said the Central Food Network, which includes the Cardiff Community Food Bank, the Food Hub in Wilberforce, and the Heat Bank, reports the spike comes amidst a long-term trend of rising food insecurity in Highlands East. “We’re really seeing an upward trend that follows year over year increases [in usage],” Jackson told council.

The Cardiff location sees 81 visits per month, while the Food Hub in Wilberforce serves an estimated 164 people per month. The Food Network also provides frozen meals, prepared by volunteers. Jackson estimates they distributed 2,100 meals so far.

They delivered 4,208 servings in 2021.

“We were not prepared for the level of need,” Jackson said.

She added many Highlands East residents seeking help didn’t have access to kitchens or even consistent running water.

“Those frozen prepared meals were a critical service for our clients,” she said.

Another area of service that increased was the Heat Bank, which distributed 81 truckloads of firewood in 2021. Usually, they distribute fewer than 65.

“I think that really is related to the cold weather we saw and the number of people needing help to offset fuel costs,” she said.

Overall, 742 people received some form of help from the Food Network last year. Thirty-two per cent of people accessing their services were seniors, 26 per cent children and 42 per cent adults.

Central Food Network board member Nancy Wright-Laking said they’re focusing on funding and awareness initiatives this year.

The network doesn’t receive ongoing government funding, relying instead on donations to aid the community.

“We realized a lot of people didn’t know what the Central Food Network was, what we offered to individuals in need,” she said.

Haliburton Highlands OPP launch project safe trade

By

Lisa Gervais

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July 13, 2022

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The Haliburton Highlands detachment has launched an online buy and sell exchange zone at the OPP detachment in Minden in an effort to make online transactions safer for buyers and sellers.

In a July 13 press release, they said project safe trade provides two designated parking spaces in the detachment parking lot, creating a “community safe zone” in which online transactions can take place.

The detachment is located at #12598 Hwy. 35 in Minden and provides a well-lit, public space in which persons wanting to complete online sales or purchases can meet.

Creating a “community safe zone” is about moving online transactions away from secluded parking lots, personal residences or other areas and bringing them to a public place, OPP said.

A number of OPP detachments are inviting members of the public to use their OPP detachment parking lots to facilitate transactions at or with designated parking spaces. For more information visit OPP.ca and search project safe trade. (Lisa Gervais)

Adult students launch futures with diplomas

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Sam Gillett

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July 7, 2022

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Friends and families crowded in McKeck’s Tap and Grill to celebrate Haliburton Adult and Alternate Education Centre (AAEC) graduates June 27.

“Today is about you: I want you to remember the emotions you have today,” principal Lisa Uuldriks told graduates. “The joy of your friends and family… those are the things that are most important.”

As each person accepted their diploma, administrator and head teacher Lori Sargent recalled personal anecdotes about their unique journeys through the education centre.

Many were balancing school with fulltime work, kids or even learning from afar in northern Ontario. “I’m proud of every one of you,” said Sargent, who gave a special nod to parents and support people who assisted each graduate along the way, drove them to class or helped with childcare.

She said valedictorian Jenna Gray worked especially hard to acquire her diploma.

“Her focus was incredible,” Sargent said. Gray told the class, “we all had something that brought us to the AAEC, and while our reasons may differ, we all had the same goal. We are launching our futures today. We already know that life has twists and turns, and the future will not be any different. We will make decisions, good or bad, and learn from them. We know some days are about making memories and that is just as valuable as any work we may need to do.”

Uuldriks delivered school trustee Gary Brohman’s remarks in his absence. “Keep building trustworthy relationships and good things will happen,” Brohman said.

Teacher Greg Shantz said each student faced adversity in their journey to complete their high school degree but worked hard at the education centre to achieve their goals.

“They get here and they start figuring it out. It’s just awesome to see.”