Parks Canada addresses Esson Lake water level fears

By

-

June 9, 2022

Trent Severn Waterway staff hosted a public meeting for Esson Lake landowners June 2 to address concerns over the impact an embankment erosion has had on lake life and water levels.

As of June 5, the lake was at 2.305 metres, compared with a seasonal average of 2.99.

According to Steven Braham, an Ontario Waterways field unit director, the TSW will attempt to keep the water levels near 2.4 metres throughout the summer.

Higher water levels could result in even worse flooding since a temporary “aqua dam” is temporarily holding water back.

“Out of caution, we took the two weeks to assess the performance of the dam,” said Braham, before Parks Canada crews removed sand bags from in front of a culvert, dividing the lake, which residents use as a through-way.

“The priority is to stabilize the lake… the next step is to proceed with discussions with the municipality and the province,” he said.

The area that eroded is on land of mixed jurisdiction. While a nearby concrete dam is the responsibility of Parks Canada, it’s unclear how the province and Highlands East would complete the project. The embankment is also partially on private property.

Braham said despite not having jurisdiction over the embankment site, Parks Canada will “be working diligently… for a solution.”

Significant rainfall could mean crews must lower water levels to ensure the aqua dam’s safety via removing logs from the adjacent dam.

Park Canada’s plan has drawn criticism from local landowners.

“We are reluctant to put our boat into the water,” wrote landowner Margeret McIntyre in an email. “The lake level is already so low where our dock is located that we will most likely lose the enjoyment of our boat over the summer.”

During the virtual meeting, Braham addressed concerns over Parks Canada’s prior inspections of the embankment in 2021 after a local landowner sounded the alarm.

“At the time we saw clear cool water traversing through the earth embankment,” said Braham.

“We considered it worth monitoring but not high-risk.”

The May 3 breach, said Braham, indicated “there’s a clear underlying issue in that embankment.”

Since the breach, residents have been organizing online and in-person to discuss their concerns over the breach and ensuing low water levels.

“Hopefully we can rest a bit easier that, while not ideal, we should not see another water level drop for some time into the future,” wrote Bob Tisdale, a landowner who has communicated with Parks Canada on the issue, on Facebook.

“We encourage everyone to forward your thoughts to the Property Owners group so that we can keep a consolidated and focused approach,” he added.

Scott promises investment after sixth win

By

Mike Baker

-

June 9, 2022

0

Re-elected MPP Laurie Scott has promised further investments in housing, health care, skilled trades and rural broadband after securing a sixth term in office representing the Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock (HKLB) riding.

Amidst a backdrop of record-low voter turnout province-wide June 2, Scott recorded another sweeping victory in HKLB, garnering 52.8 per cent of the local vote (25,656 total votes). The riding was one of the first to be declared blue following the closing of polls at 9 p.m., with the result taking just 11 minutes to come through.

Scott said she was delighted to be given the opportunity to represent the community at Queen’s Park again. She will do so as a member of Doug Ford’s second Progressive Conservative majority government.

“I think it’s a pretty solid signal that [people] want us to continue moving forward in the direction that we have been going, particularly with all the investments,” Scott said. “It’s a big approval of how we handled the pandemic.”

Barbara Doyle, representing the NDP, finished a distant second, with 15.8 per cent (7,677 votes). Liberal Don McBey came third with 13.6 per cent (6,606 votes), while Dr. Kerstin Kelly, running for the Ontario Party, came fourth with 7.9 per cent (3,863 votes). Retired Haliburton school teacher Tom Regina led the Greens to a fifth-place finish, with 7.1 per cent (3,452). Ben Prentice of the New Blue Party took home 1.8 per cent of the vote (866 votes), with Libertarian Gene Balfour securing 1.1 per cent (516 votes).

In total, 48,636 ballots were cast in HKLB – down from 57,143 in 2018. While numbers are yet to be confirmed, that would suggest a voter turnout of less than 50 per cent for the first time in more than 25 years.

Despite that, Scott maintained that she was well received on the campaign trail.

“I heard at the doors that people liked what we’ve been doing… Over the past four years, we have made record investments in infrastructure, broadband, highways, transit, long-term care, hospitals, new schools. There’s been a lot of investments and those will continue on for many, many years,” Scott said.

In Haliburton County, Scott said the province would be working with senior administration at Haliburton Highlands Health Services to ensure the hospitals’ needs are met, while confirming that more money will be spent to bring even the region’s most remote areas online with high-speed broadband by 2025.

Continued investment in jobs training and post-secondary education for fields most in-need, such as nursing, PSWs and skilled trades, is another priority for the province, according to Scott.

“It’s pretty much a free ticket… We need to train more people for our health care system, and for the skilled trades so that we can keep building,” Scott said. “We’ve seen a lot of success locally in our PSW [training] programs, graduating students so that they can start working. It’s helped, but we need more. We need more people, and we need more training. That’s what we will continue to build upon for the next four years.”

Another of Scott’s big focuses over the next four years will be working with municipalities across the Highlands to address the region’s housing needs.

“We’ve already put money on the table and had lots of conversations with them… But Haliburton is a big challenge. We have the land, but we have to figure out services,” Scott said. “We know the need is there for all types of housing. We know we need more rentals… Those are the types of things we’re working with municipalities on, but there has to be a cooperation. We want to do this in unison. The world’s moving fast and we need to keep up with it.”

Athletes set for Sports Hall of Fame debut

By

Mike Baker

-

June 9, 2022

0

Eleven athletes, three community builders and three historic teams will soon have their names and accomplishments emblazoned among bright lights at A.J. LaRue Arena, as the Haliburton Highlands Sports Hall of Fame gets ready for its grand unveiling.

More than four years in the making, the Sports Hall of Fame will open June 18. A special celebration has been planned to mark the occasion, with all living members of the inaugural class set to be in attendance.

As one of the driving forces behind the initiative, Roger Trull said he’s looking forward to what he believes will be a momentous day honouring some of the Highlands’ most renowned and accomplished sporting stars.

“I think it’s easy for us to forget how many amazing people contributed to sporting life in the Highlands, and so to have this opportunity to recognize these folks is really special,” Trull said. “This is a meaningful moment for the inductees and their families. They all have proud memories of their time in Haliburton, and to be recognized in this way is a real thrill for them.”

The inaugural class is headlined by a host of individuals that made it to the very top of their profession. Among them are hockey stars Cody Hodgson, Ron Stackhouse, Bernie Nicholls, Donald Beverley ‘Joe’ Iles, Glen Dart and Marla MacNaull, former pro-footballers Michael Bradley and Taly Williams, Olympic runner Lesley Tashlin, curler Jake Walker and university track star Anna Tomlinson.

Those honoured in the builders’ category, supporting culture in the area, include Linda Brandon, Albert John ‘Ab’ LaRue and Lenny Salvatori.

Of the many successful hockey outfits to have represented the Highlands, three of the very best stand above the rest as part of this first class, including the 1934 Haliburton Huskies, 1956-58 Minden Monarchs and the 1971 Haliburton Jr. D Huskies.

“We’ve got 19 members of the ’71 Huskies team coming out… Haliburton has a long and rich history of great athletes, volunteers and teams. Everyone is excited to have this opportunity to celebrate them,” Trull said.

Festivities will kick-off at the arena shortly after 1:30 p.m. There will be presentations made to each of the inductees, while videos highlighting some of their greatest moments will be played to the crowd. Trull said there would be some local youth speaking at the event too. He expects there to be at least 250 people in attendance, saying anyone from the Highlands community and beyond is welcome to attend.

Tashlin and Williams join the wall

The day takes on an even bigger meaning for two inductees, siblings Tashlin and Williams, who will have their likeness added to the athlete mural wall on the side of the building.

The duo are being recognized after a group of Grade 7/8 students at J.D. Hodgson Elementary School last year lobbied for their inclusion. Williams was the Highlands’ first pro-footballer, having played two seasons in the CFL during the mid 1990s, while Tashlin represented Canada at the 1996 Summer Olympics, participating in the women’s 4×100 metre relay.

They will be the first people of colour to be featured on the wall, which also showcases Bradley, Nicholls, Stackhouse, Hodgson and current NHLer Matt Duchene.

“This has demonstrated what young people are capable of doing when they want to push for actions and changes that reflect the world they live in,” the students’ teacher Marina Thomazo told The Highlander.

“This heartwarming, feel-good journey has made us all question ourselves on what our present and future world should look like… I couldn’t be any prouder of my students.”

Scotch Line landfill now accepts card payment

By

Sam Gillett

-

June 7, 2022

0

Minden Hills’ Scotch Line landfill now accepts payment by debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or American Express).

As of June 7, the payment system will be available full-time at the Scotch Line landfill only. The Iron Mine, Ingoldsby and Little Gull waste disposal sites continue to be cash only.

Receipts can be sent via text or email, or printed upon request.

After July 1, all charge accounts will be moved online, rather than provided in a paper format.

The Township said all users of waste disposal sites need a landfill card. To acquire a new card contact the public works department at 705-286-3144.

Sedgwick bridge construction to close portion of rail trail

By

Sam Gillett

-

June 6, 2022

0

A portion of the Haliburton County Rail Trail will be closed as of June 6 due to Sedgwick Bridge construction.

Motorists will be directed through the nearby rail trail during the anticipated three-week construction period.

The detour will follow the Haliburton County Rail Trail from Gelert Road to Francis Road and back on to Sedgwick Road.

Since motorists will be traveling the trail, it will be closed to all pedestrians, cyclists and ATV riders.

In a June 6 media release, Minden Hills urged motorists in the area to watch for detour signs and expect construction vehicles to be present.

Take the brakes off public transit

By

Lisa Gervais

-

June 2, 2022

0

The County of Haliburton has recently committed $40,000 towards transportation pilot projects. As a story in today’s Highlander details, they are giving Point in Time $20,000 to help it get more youth to and from the Haliburton County Youth Wellness Hub in Haliburton.

Point in Time executive director Marg Cox made the ask at a May 25 County council meeting. They have a fleet so the money will go towards wages and benefits for a driver.

This follows a decision from an April 13 meeting, in which SIRCH made a similar ask for $20,000 for a pilot project involving it, City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) Human Services and Fleming CREW.

The money will help people get to and from SIRCH for training programs, and people on Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Programs to meetings and appointments. The partners have already leased an eight-passenger van and hired a driver.

Again, the money is for wages and benefits for a driver.

First off, we applaud Point in Time and SIRCH and its partners for coming up with a creative solution to an identified problem. In the case of the youth hub, while the local school board has been generous with a late bus a couple of nights a week, it isn’t enough.

So, they’ve gone out and purchased vehicles to transport their clients. Same with SIRCH. A lack of public transportation is a huge barrier to employment in Haliburton County.

This is particularly true at a time when gas prices are averaging about $2 a litre. Further, people on low income in this County can’t afford to live in town centres so are on back roads many miles from town.

Many can’t afford a vehicle, certainly not a taxi with fares in the $2.50 per kilometre range, and certainly not gas.

The lack of public transportation was identified in the County’s recently-completed community safety and well-being plan. County CAO Mike Rutter has been very supportive of both pilot projects.

He noted the County has about $200,000 in a transportation reserve as past councils had identified public transportation as a challenge, and need, but had been waiting for a model that would work in the County. He said they are continuing to investigate that.

Other money could come from provincial Safe ReStart funds. First-year projects are not eligible for provincial gas tax funding but they are in second and subsequent years. It’s too bad it takes organizations such as SIRCH and Point in Time to come up with out-of-the-box solutions to our County’s public transportation woes.

Coun. Brent Devolin lamented that two terms of council have been unable to deliver some form of public transportation. He’s right and Rutter hopes the County is finally heading in the right direction by at least doing something.

He mentioned that he and director of economic development, Scott Ovell, met with a group piloting on-demand transit services based on sophisticated algorithms and technology that predict routes and demand.

He thinks there’s potential to see a real evolution of transit in the County using all of this as a springboard. We can only hope so. It was only in 2019 that the County decided to wait and hope rather than do anything substantial on transportation.

After the end of the transportation task force and the hiatus of the volunteer Rural Transportation Options, the County’s anticipated decision on transportation was to not make a decision. It opted to keep its $50,000 in budgeted funding parked.

After years of consultations, meetings, efforts by volunteers and spending more than $46,000 on an implementation plan, the decision was lacklustre.

Let’s hope these recent partnerships with SIRCH and Point in Time as well as staff talks with other transportation providers finally delivers a real solution to this County’s public transportation woes and that new councils sworn in in the fall finally take their feet off the brakes.

Artists drape Wild Woods in textiles

By

Sam Gillett

-

June 2, 2022

0

A rickety chair reclaimed by the forest sits amid the spring growth along the Wild Woods walk at the Haliburton Forest and Wildlife preserve.

Nearby, yellow sundresses adorned with flowers gently sway on a clothesline.

Both works of textile are part of Art in the Forest, an art installation along the Forest’s Wild Woods interpretive nature trail. The exhibition was organized by Connections Fibre Artists, an Ontario-wide collective.

Group member Wendy O’Brien, who has a cottage nearby, came up with the idea.

“I was looking for a project for the rest of the members to be sort of a challenge,” she said.

“Each person was left up to their own devices.”

They have been creating work for the exhibit for the past two years since the show was delayed multiple times due to COVID-19.

O’Brien’s three-dimensional wool art blends into the forest landscape. Her chair is covered in funghi and a crow perches on the top.

“It’s nature taking over,” O’Brien said, “We all return to nature at the end of the day.”

Helen Hughes, a textile artist who has exhibited internationally, said she didn’t feel engaged with the show until arriving at the Forest. “There are a number of [collective members] located in southern Ontario. We couldn’t visualize it, we couldn’t imagine it,” she said.

She also hadn’t seen the other artists’ pieces.

“I just couldn’t believe how awesome they looked,” she said.

Once she and other Connections members arrived to hang the work in mid-May, she was impressed with the variety and natural landscape they had to work with.

“We had a riot,” she said.

Hughes often works on large projects, her energetic use of colour and shape combined in two-dimensional sewed cloth scenes.

This was the first time Connections artists had pursued a fully outdoors show, with their work set to endure rain, snow and sun.

“It will probably disintegrate. There is something quite assuring knowing we are giving back to the environment,” said Hughes.

Art in the Forest will be available to view along the Wilds Wood walk for the rest of 2022.

Table was set for Matt Duchene to succeed at Nashville Predators

By

Submitted

-

June 2, 2022

0

Haliburton native Matt Duchene said he’s still feeling the sting of being the first team ousted in this year’s NHL playoffs.

His Nashville Predators fell in four straight games to the Colorado Avalanche. Duchene had a strong playoff, with three goals and one assist, however the Avalanche were too much for the Preds.

“I wouldn’t say (the sting) is gone, that’s for sure,” Duchene told The Highlander.

“I think as long as teams are still playing, it’s hard to put in the rear view. At the end of the day, we didn’t have Saros, who’s one of the best goalies in the league, and against a high-octane offence like Colorado has, you need your starting goalie.

“I think that we were exposed in some other areas that needed to be exposed for us to take the next step so I think that long-term, the loss can benefit us,” Duchene added.

Goalie Juuse Saros was sidelined with a lower body injury, forcing backup David Rittich into the series. The loss of Saros, who won 38 games and had a .264 goals against average and .918 save percentage, cost the Preds against a team Duchene skated with for nine seasons.

Despite the playoff loss, Nashville finished the 2021-22 regular season with a record of 45 wins, 30 losses and seven overtime losses for 97 points to finish fifth in the NHL Central division.

While he does not like the term “bounce back season,” Duchene had a strong year, with 43 goals and 43 assists for 86 points. By contrast, he only scored six goals and seven assists in a COVID-shortened 2020-2021. It was a big jump on 2019-2020 as well, when he had 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points.

“Just being put in the right places to succeed,” Duchene said of the turn-around.

“I felt that since I got here, there were some exterior things holding me back and this year, between my minutes, linemates and how great our powerplay was, the table was set for me to succeed as long as I brought my best. Some conversations were had in the off season between myself and our coach and myself and our GM and I think those were pivotal in my success this year.”

Duchene said he is already excited about next season.

“I think we were exposed in the first round and I think that really showed our management, our coaches and us, as players, where we need to improve to get to the next level. Our style of game can change in some ways to make us more dangerous offensively throughout the lineup and I think management sees some roster changes that could help us going forward. Losing exposes weaknesses, which, if looked at the right way, can ultimately lead to winning and that’s what excites me going forward.”

Duchene said he is also looking forward to getting back to Haliburton County this summer. He plans to be home mid-June.

“Really excited for lots of time at the lake, on the golf course and with family. Obviously, I’m still training and skating throughout the week but it’s always nice to come home to my hometown.”

He will also be back for the Matt Duchene charity golf classic, a major fundraiser for the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation that has been grounded by COVID-19. It is scheduled for July 22.

“The golf tourney is always a highlight and it’s an honour and a privilege to be able to raise money for such an awesome cause to make the town that I love so much a better place.”

Haliburton’s Home and Cottage show to bring people face-to-face with contractors

By

Mike Baker

-

June 2, 2022

0

Property owners looking for a capable contractor to handle their latest reno project, or an interior designer with a keen sense of style to assist with a home makeover, should block off their weekend and plan to attend the Haliburton Home and Cottage show, said organizer Dave Taylor.

Running June 3-5, the show will be taking place at the Haliburton Curling Club and A.J. LaRue Arena.

There will be more than 130 vendors featured over the course of the three days, with more than a dozen of those from the building and reno segment.

“Because our contractors are so busy, I’ve had so many that usually attend the show tell me they can’t make it… But we do still have some good representation,” Taylor said.

“We have some good, established companies and then some smaller ones too. There’s a nice mix there.”

All of those in attendance are willing to discuss, provide quotes and possibly even take on projects, which should be music to the ears of local homeowners given how backed up many local contractors are this season.

Many are already booking into 2023 and beyond. A.J. LaRue Arena will host Log & Wood Colour Restoration, Minden’s Country Contracting, and Cottage Revisited, a décor company that specializes in rustic designs.

There will be a slew of contracting and home decor vendors on show at the curling club, with Emmerson Lumber, Northern HVAC, NZH Contracting Inc., Gliding Shelf Solutions, Brock Pascoe Construction and Landscape, Highland Technical, The Dock Spot, Wood Restorations, Leaf Filter Gutter Protection, Home Hardware and Bradstone Stonerox registered.

Nortech Home Improvements, Floe Docks and Golden Lake Rustics will have stations outside in the parking lot.

“People are desperately looking for professionals to do jobs, there’s no doubt about that… That’s one of the great things about hosting a home show like this, it brings our local people face-to-face with the businesses that can help them,” Taylor said.

The Haliburton Home and Cottage Show has been a community staple since 1977.

The event has typically drawn between 2,500 and 3,000 visitors in years past, though Taylor expects to blow that number out of the water this weekend given the recent influx of new residents to the Highlands.

“We’re just excited to be putting on a show again… We strive to make sure this show has variety, that there’s lots of different things for people to check out and I think we’ve been successful in doing that again this year,” Taylor said. “Having something like this to look forward to again is really nice.

Show hours are 4-9 p.m. June 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 4 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 5. Admission is $3 for adults, while kids can get in for free.

Puzzle fundraiser to benefit school in India

By

Mike Baker

-

June 2, 2022

0

A group of local high schoolers are sending love from Hal High all the way across the world.

The HHSS Interact club is working on its annual international fundraising campaign, collecting money for the Mahatma Gandhi Sishu Siksha Sadan School in northern India. The Highlands group has fostered a partnership with the institution for several years, providing money to support the infrastructure of the school and purchase much-needed supplies.

In 2021, through sales of its From the Heart of Haliburton cook book, the Interact club sent approximately $3,500 to the school, located 200 kilometres north of New Delhi. This year, they’re hoping to go one step further.

Interact has developed a pair of puzzles, which they’re selling to the community for $35 each. One is a depiction of a mural located at the school, titled ‘With Love, Hal High’, while the other is a picture of a lake in Haliburton County appropriately named ‘Morning Reflections’.

After selling 50 puzzles already, the club has put in a second order to receive another 100. The fundraiser will run throughout the summer, with a goal of raising in excess of $5,000.

“Every year we do something a little different, but we’ve found that it’s worked well making things that we can then sell to the community,” said Sophie Longo, a Grade 11 student at HHSS and Interact club member. “We’re really happy with how this fundraiser has started. We just want to send as much money as we can to school, because they really need it.”

Built in 2003, the Indian school has grown from having 65 students in its first year to more than 500 today. As well as academics, students are taught yoga, while they also receive a daily meal.

Longo said it’s initiatives like this that sparked her interest in joining Interact.

“Just wanting to do a little good, give back to the world where I can,” Longo said. “We have supported so many great causes [in the two years I’ve been involved] … It can be hard planning sometimes, but once you see things unfold, how our members interact with one another and the community, it’s really nice to know that the work pays off.”

The club has completed several projects during this school year. Over the holidays they ran a shoebox drive, providing gifts to underprivileged teens for Christmas. Recently, they held a week-long fundraiser for Ukraine, raising $3,000.

Anyone interested in purchasing a puzzle is asked to send a direct message to the HHSS Interact page on Instagram, or contact the school at 705-457-2950.