Dysart et al council has closed the door on a proposal seeking to temporarily rezone land in Haliburton village, close to Hal High, that would have permitted a three-year glamping operation.

Elected officials voted unanimously to turn down an application from the owners of 77 Wallings Rd. to establish a six-pod glamping service on the 2.2-acre property. During a July 22 public meeting, Kris Orsan, Dysart’s manager of planning, said the applicant was seeking relief of the township’s temporary-use bylaw under Section 39 of the Planning Act to permit the structures, which would be used as shortterm accommodation for vacationers.

The pods are self-contained pre-fab structures designed to sleep two people, with a maximum of 12 people allowed on-site. They would be located at the front of the property, away from the shore of Head Lake.

Savas Varadas, principal planner at Huntsville-based consulting firm Plan Muskoka, which represents the owners, told council he felt the proposal was “fairly low impact” and not unaligned with neighbouring land-uses, which are predominantly residential.

“The glamping pods are fairly nondestructive to construct. They’ll be placed on a platform without the need for a foundation, which makes them easily removed at the end of the three-year period,” Varadas said, noting an existing building would serve as a washroom facility. There is enough parking on site to allow for more than one vehicle per pod.

Varadas added the owner is willing to install fencing and plant trees around property lines, to address public concern, and establish a vegetative buffer around the shoreline.

Coun. Nancy Wood-Roberts was the first to shoot down the proposal.

“This does not meet any of the guidelines [within] Section 39 of the Planning Act – it doesn’t serve a temporary need or broader public interest, it appears to only serve a financial interest of the property owner,” Wood-Roberts said.

She noted the property is zoned, partially, to support residential development, which the community is in desperate need of.

“This is not meeting that guideline. It doesn’t meet any long-term needs of the community. The official plan specifically identifies this type of recreation and commercial use be outside the settlement area. I do find it to be an incompatible use,” Wood-Roberts added.

Neighbours’ concerns

Doug and Mardi Tindal, who own a condo next door at 75 Wallings Rd., opposed the application. While the pair “lean more to YIMBY (yes in my backyard) than NIMBY (not)” they were concerned about possible noise, impacts to groundwater supply and traffic, and potential future-uses.

The couple felt the municipality would have a hard time reacting to noise complaints after regular work hours, when the site would be most frequently used. They also questioned the use of a May 2017 traffic count study, submitted by the applicant and completed two years prior to the construction of their condo building. The report indicated the area could handle increased traffic flow.

“No one who has tried to turn left out of Wallings Road [during summer] would find a May-based study credible… no matter what the year,” the Tindals wrote.

The County, which holds approval authority as the owner of County Road 21, which Wallings Road flows from, had no objections to the proposal.

Pete Mitchell, a director at Haliburton Condominium Corporation, felt the “intrusion and commotion” the glamping operation would bring “simply doesn’t work for us, or the neighbourhood at large.”

Given the pods would be fitted with electric heaters for use through three seasons, Mitchell feared how that additional pressure would impact the area’s weak hydro service.

“We’ve only been provided a phase-one service… the condo building is already challenged to provide additional services to its owners due to power limitations,” Mitchell said.

Varadas asked that the issue be deferred to give his client time to respond to questions and concerns, but council was having none of it. Coun. Pat Casey echoed WoodRoberts’ concerns, saying the glamping feature wouldn’t be a good fit in a high-density residential area. Coun. Barry Boice said he didn’t see any point deferring, believing council was firm in its position.

Deputy mayor Walt McKechnie was worried how the township would police noise and occupancy complaints; mayor Murray Fearrey commented the operation “should be in the bush or rural area, where it belongs,”; coun. Tammy Donaldson said, “it’s a great idea, it’s just on the wrong property,”; while coun. Carm Sawyer also expressed opposition.

“I love camping too, but camping is in the woods not on the main street of town,” Sawyer said.

Algonquin Highlands council has committed to working with Millington’s Big Hawk Lake Marina to address safety concerns along the busiest stretch of Big Hawk Lake Road.

The marina’s general manager, Chris Ewles, told council during a July 17 meeting that he’s worked there for 18 months and has witnessed many near-misses involving vehicles and pedestrians brought on by speeding and dangerous driving.

“The marina is often seriously congested with canoeists, cottagers, staff and visitors… busloads of children from summer camps are frequent… making navigating the area a challenge,” he said, noting traffic from the nearby public beach and boat launch, cottage roads and parking areas exacerbate problems.

Ewles said the situation is becoming so dire he’s worried about staff safety.

“As employers, we have a duty and responsibility to provide a safe work environment… we cannot accomplish this without the township’s support,” Ewles noted.

He posed six solutions to council – reduce the posted speed limit from 50 km/h; establish a community safety zone; install speed bumps; purchase speed enforcement cameras to put in the area; install a stop sign; or a pedestrian crossing.

“I do not feel reducing the speed alone will stop the problem… also consider at least one of the other suggestions as we cannot rely on physical OPP enforcement in this isolated area,” Ewles said.

Mayor Liz Danielsen said the road is very congested during the summer, admitting the township has some responsibility to rectify the issue. As does the marina, which is owned by Algonquin Highlands coun. Sabrina Richards, who recused herself from the discussion. “

I’m looking at this as something we jointly need to look at… certainly, we can’t solve all the problems of all the businesses in Algonquin Highlands [alone],” the mayor said. “There’s an aspect of buyers’ beware. When you buy a marina that is on the road, there’s bound to be problems.”

Ewles said the marina is “absolutely eager” to help the township solve the issue.

CAO Angie Bird suggested installing one of the township’s digital speed signs on the road immediately and direct public works staff to investigate other solutions.

Danielsen warned that, although a serious matter, the issue won’t be resolved quickly. She said staff should take their time to properly consider all options and the costs involved. Bird said a report could be prepared for a meeting in August or September.

“Speed bumps, I’d like to hear from public works about [their effectiveness], then from bylaw on crosswalks, the implications of putting in a stop sign,” Danielsen said. “If there are any other ways of reducing the congestion, I’d look to any and all suggestions on how to go about that.”

Land dispute

Danielsen said she’s also waiting on results of a land survey, which will clearly outline where the marina’s property ends and the township’s begins. The mayor said this had been in dispute for some time, suggesting it would be in the owner’s best interest to pay for and complete the work.

“It doesn’t fix the challenge with speeding and danger… but I have heard the road is on our property, and we don’t know that. A survey will help us guide what we need to do to resolve this problem,” Danielsen said. “There’s definitely a willingness here for us to do something… but without a clear survey showing clear ownership, it really is a challenge for all of us.”

In a follow-up interview, Ewles told The Highlander he’s not sure what such a survey would solve – saying he hasn’t yet initiated one.

“Where we are parking and working on boats is 100 per cent our property, not township. It’s just a matter of whether the road in its entirety is also [our property]. The two situations don’t have anything to do with each other. For one, if we got a new survey, if we established the fact that [the road] is on our land, that doesn’t negate the township’s rights to have the road [there], it doesn’t negate their right to establish whether we put speed bumps down. There’s no advantage to us doing [a survey].”

He suggested if the township wants clarification, then it should pay for the work.

“Citizens and businesses, generally, aren’t expected to foot the bill for these things. If the [township] wants a survey, then it is well within its rights to order one,” Ewles said.

Susan Lee is no fan of loud music at Dysart et al’s Industrial Park landfill.

On July 23, she visited the facility, recording a video of music blaring at 8 a.m.

She then drove into town, and walked into the Dysart et al office to complain.

She said supervisor of municipal law enforcement, Hailey Cole, initially said she would come to investigate. However, when told it was at the landfill, she claimed bylaw would not respond to her complaint about township staff.

However, Lee said, “there’s a noise bylaw and this was much louder than the noise bylaw. She could have gone.” However, she said she was told all bylaw could do was talk to landfill management.

“Anybody that works anywhere, you can’t have loud music outside. You can’t disturb your neighbours. They must have some kind of policy within their department or on their books …” Lee said.

Cole told The Highlander she advised Lee she could file a complaint.

“Initially, it was described as loud music in town. I incorrectly assumed that meant a neighbour was blasting music which is a violation between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. and could be a violation during the day depending on volume.”

She said although the music was “quite loud,” at the landfill, the bylaw section she would use for loud music during the day is 3.1, that “no person shall emit or cause or permit the emission of unreasonable noise that is clearly audible at a point of reception.”

But Cole said the key is “clearly audible at a point of reception”, for example, a neighbouring property.

“It’s extremely rare for a location to be considered point of reception when it’s on the same property as the source, the only times I’ve seen this happen, it involved multi-tenant buildings,” Cole said.

She said it boiled down to a complaint about conduct of staff; not a bylaw violation.

“Similar to how one would complain about staff at a business, the course of action here would be to speak with the manager of the attendants. I advised I would notify the environmental manager, which I did, she has since spoken to her staff and they have indicated they’ll lower the volume,” Cole said.

But Lee said she isn’t satisfied.

“The neighbours are people coming to dump their garbage. This isn’t the first time. This has been going on for a while. I’ve been waiting until the weather was okay so I could get a recording.

“Dysart et al should be setting an example for everybody else … I don’t like listening to that music. How can they enforce the bylaws when they’re not enforcing them on their own guys?”

Growing up, David Janveaux always had fond memories of Haliburton County. Now, he’s hoping to inspire similar feelings among younger generations for years to come.

The Toronto-based man recently published his first book Babe and Pepé Bluebird’s Big Flight, a story about having the courage to try something new. Set in Haliburton County, the children’s tale is inspired by Janveaux’s visits to his grandmother, Kathleen Janveaux, who was known to all as Babe.

“I grew up spending many summers in Haliburton and Gooderham – Babe had a cottage in the Highlands before eventually moving to a house off Maple Avenue in Haliburton village, so I spent a lot of time there creating the best memories,” Janveaux told The Highlander.

Whether they were enjoying late afternoon strolls down to Head Lake, concerts at the Haliburton Legion, once-popular events like the annual Highland Games and Midnight Madness, or taking in a movie at the Molou, Janveaux said he and Babe made the time they had together count.

“These smalltown memories really left a lasting impression on me and kind of planted a lot of the seeds for this book,” he said. “It’s about believing in yourself even if others doubt you, being the kind of person who lifts others up when they need it.

“There’s a line in the story that is a direct quote from Babe, and that’s ‘the only way forward is trying it out’,” Janveaux added, saying he’s adopted that as his life’s mantra.

He spent seven months writing and illustrating the book before publishing May 4. While a human resources professional in the city, Janveaux said the kid within him has always clamoured for a life in the arts. He completed a visual arts program in Oshawa while in high school, then studied architectural science at Ryerson University, now Toronto Metropolitan University.

In his second year of post-secondary, he took a creative writing elective that changed him. He fell in love with the process of merging fantasy and history together, transitioning to an English major.

While he’s forged a successful career in HR, Janveaux said he routinely harked back to memories shared with Babe and her little black poodle, recreated in the book through Pepé. She passed more than a decade ago, but still that lesson of “just try” rang true.

“She always encouraged me to draw and doodle, and we would spend so much time talking and sharing funny stories – she liked to spin imaginative tales that I could never get enough of… for a long time I wanted to do something for myself, in terms of writing and publishing a book, but also something for Babe, to honour the connection we had,” Janveaux said.

Reading the book back – it’s stanzas rhyme, bringing a poetic feel – he feels it’s a fitting tribute to the woman who has a bench dedicated in her memory on the walking path on the south side of Head Lake.

Janveaux still gets up to Haliburton semi-regularly, his aunt and uncle live in town, and said he could see this first book inspiring future stories – pulling from memories created with Babe and more recent ones. Babe and Pepé Bluebird’s Big Flight is available to purchase online through Amazon.

Pulling up to Crystal (Maddy) Alton’s house in Minden, it’s obvious there is a love of mechanics. There are cars, rideon lawnmowers, all-terrain vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles.

Her son Brody, 11, drives up on a BMX bicycle converted to a BMX mountain bike, while other son, Brayden, 15, tinkers with a quad he recently purchased.

Alton comes out of the house and pulls up a camping chair, saying there are about 20 kids that come by the place on a regular basis; to learn about mechanics, plumbing and electrical in all manner of vehicles. It’s become a neighbourhood thing.

“It’s revolving, everything moves,” Alton says of the vehicles in the driveway, garage and yard.

She said she is called ‘Maddy’ because she is neither a mommy or a daddy, but a combination of both.

Born and raised in Minden, a town she loves, Alton remembers her brother-in-law, Joe Nesbitt, being an early influence with his passion for derbies.

Her father also shaped her. She said she nervously came out to her dad, and he simply told her he knew. No big deal. She felt “normal”. He encouraged her to follow her interests and she said many people helped her learn about heavy equipment. On weekends, she worked at Rusty’s Garage as an apprentice, saying “without him saying ‘yes’ to me, I wouldn’t have had a spot to go to learn skills and he taught me so much.”

She moved to the city for a spell, working as a tow truck operator – “there’s nothing like sitting on a white line on the 401 changing a tire. You have to know your stuff” – and playing hockey. She met her former partner, Amanda, and they had boys together. She moved back to Minden, got her mechanic’s licence in 2008, and now works with Dysart et al.

Teaching kids

As for teaching kids, Alton says it started with Brayden and Brody when they were in diapers.

“We’ve been building and creating. Outside of the box thinking.”

As the boys grew, they made friends and the friends started coming around too, “and we’ve just slowly been adopting more children to the garage. It’s really a community thing.” In fact, it’s been dubbed the Whoville Garage.

She also credits her mom Dawn, sister Donna, and a long list of friends.

Alton added, “whenever we save some money, I’ll buy a car. It all started with derbies and ice racing.

“The kids all come over and I help a little, but I give them the tools and the power and a little knowledge and just send them off with it. I’m a big person on safety, so jackstands, jacks, blocks … just teaching them as, some day, they have to work on their own car or their own buggy or bike.

“We fix everything. It’s mostly teaching and watching. It brings me joy watching them grow and develop, even if they are not my own kids. They’ll come in, and the first time don’t know what a wrench is or a rachet, but next time, they do, saying ‘I have everything.’ Then, they learn to fix things.”

They also get some driving lessons in the driveway. “Most kids have never driven a car or lawn tractor, so I get them to move cars in the driveway. We have little kids learning how to park here.”

Competitions include getting the older kids to back up a truck and trailer into the driveway.

While Alton loves teaching the kids, racing is the other passion. The kids are fixing up cars that are going to the Grassroots Motorsports Park in Woodville for track racing.

She recalls winning a race in which Brody was her co-pilot. Alton said he noticed her hands shaking a bit when she was adjusting a mirror.

“There is nothing like that feeling when I’m in the car with Bro or Brayden. It happened to be Brody this time. I was nervous and then my 11-year-old buddy says ‘take a breath, Maddy, it’s ok. We’ve got this.’ Oh my God, your heart just stops – he’s telling me to calm down.”

Brayden won the summer showdown out of 38 cars.

They’ll next head to the Woodville track with tools, cars and kids from the Whoville Garage in October. The kids help other drivers with their vehicles, changing tires and gassing them up.

“Bringing all these kids together; watching them grow and develop and just become amazing kids. Some of them have changed, I’ve watched them change … for me, that’s pretty cool to see. I know they have fun…I have so much fun.”

Role model

Alton remembers when she first joined Dysart et al. “It’s tough for people when a woman comes in. At first, they were a little standoffish.” Not only was she gay, but a woman too. But she said she was neither of those labels, she was just herself. She added “once they realized I’m just me; it’s been perfectly fine. Now, we joke and laugh.”

Does she consider herself a role model?

“I never have, actually. With my kids, I’m just like their brother. I know I’m their Maddy…but I just say, ‘let’s go…not, oh, you shouldn’t do that.”

Six cats and four dogs are doing their part to raise money for the Brooksong Retreat and Cancer Support Centre’s sixth annual Haliburton Highlands Challenge.

Felines Fitz, Ella, Peaches, Champers, Luna, and Thomas and canines Poppy, Billy Rose, Nora and Henrick have been taking to their yoga mats – along with their human companions – to raise money for the Haliburton County-based charity.

The squad – dubbed Furball Yogis – is just one of 13 teams and more than 50 participants taking part in this year’s challenge, which is running until Sept. 2.

Team organizer, Lynda Shadbolt, said, “Brooksong provides a soft place to land and experiences of belonging and care for so many individuals and families impacted by cancer. Team Furball is all about soft places to land. We embrace the work that Brooksong does for people in Haliburton and across the country.”

She said the furballs’ challenge is to join their humans on their yoga mats for 62 days, every day in July and August, when they practice yoga, qigong, meditation and relaxation.

Speaking on behalf of the animals, she added, “we love to breathe, stretch, nap and sometimes take over the whole mat. We excel at deep relaxation.”

Shadbolt said people can receive a Zoom link for gentle furball yoga classes by signing up at furballyogis@gmail.com. They can donate money on the Brooksong HHC page.

“Our intention is to have fun, appreciate nature, life, share good vibes and raise money for a great cause,” Shadbolt said.

Emma James, who is working on the retreat on behalf of Brooksong this summer, said they’re nearly half way through the challenge “and the momentum is incredible. The outpouring of support has been nothing short of inspiring.”

As of July 29, the challenge has raised nearly $38,000 towards its $100,000 goal.

Executive director Barbara Smith Morrison said they are delighted to have their first corporate team this year as well.

“I think that the HHC has become something really special through the years. There’s fun and solidarity along with a shared belief that there is a powerful kind of healing when we come together as a community.

“Our HHC fundraisers and donors are a mix of people who are volunteers, staff, program alumni and people who believe deeply in Brooksong’s work – providing support that reminds people they are seen, belong and don’t have to face cancer alone.”

On July 20, Hook, Line and Sinker in Haliburton hosted a Brooksong day between 5 and 8 p.m. and Sweat Social is hosting a ‘sweat for support’ workout Aug. 23 between 9-10 a.m. Morrison added, “there will be other fun Brooksong days across the County before the end of August.”

Go to www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/ brooksong/p2p/HHC2025/ to donate.

As the clock ticks closer to midnight July 31, Highlands resident Katie Woodward is counting down the minutes for the official launch of her month-long cycling fundraiser benefitting SickKids hospital in Toronto.

Now in its fourth year, Woodward’s Great Cycle Challenge has raised more than $30,000, while her journeys have seen her navigate 2,103 kilometres of the County’s roads and trails.

During her first event in 2022, Woodward rode 624 kilometres and raised $6,193. In year two she increased those totals to 783 kilometres and $7,218, before completing another 696 kilometres and raising a record $11,291 last year.

She’s making great ground already this summer, raising $5,879 as of July 31 – before doing any pedalling at all. She’s aiming to hit $7,000 and ride at least 500 kilometres.

“I’ve enjoyed cycling for a number of years. The first year I signed up, I really had no idea what I was capable of doing in a month. I targeted 200 kilometres, but quickly went past that. It’s always interesting to see how much more I can tag on for the month,” she said.

She primarily trains on the Haliburton County Rail Trail and is a frequent visitor to scenic systems around Sir Sam’s. She says that’s where the bulk of her rides will take place, though noted she pounds her fair share of pavement on roadways too.

While people can contribute on the fundraising side of things, Woodward is also encouraging the public to join her on rides. She’s organized two community events, Aug. 2 and 9, cycling from Gelert to Haliburton village and back.

The first was planned so Woodward could meet Haliburton Lions Club members, who have donated every year, with the second including members of the Haliburton ATV Association. The approximate 40 kilometre round-trip rides will begin at 10 a.m., with Woodward estimating arrival at their destination, the plane at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (HHSS) around 12:30 p.m.

“Any cyclist that wants to come out is absolutely welcome – it will be more of a leisurely, fun ride,” Woodward said, with the latter event also including ATVers. “It’s such a random pairing, but it’s a perfect example of people from different interest groups coming together for one really good cause.”

Woodward said she was inspired to raise money after seeing the impact cancer has had on several friends and members of family. One day, she came across a story online about a child fighting for their life at SickKids and it struck a chord.

“Just the thought of it affecting kids really broke my heart and motivated me even more to keep pushing,” she said.

Following her second ride, she connected with Tabitha Tiley-Warring, a fellow County resident, whose young daughter, Leah, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, aggressive B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, four days before Christmas 2023. She was referred to SickKids and, after some treatment, has been in remission since April 2024.

“She is one year cancer free thanks to the work SickKids does. It’s such an important organization, they do absolutely phenomenal work – it’s a no-brainer to support them,” she said. “Any donation is appreciated, even if it’s a few dollars. Every penny that goes into that organization is directed where it needs to go and stays in Canada helping those who truly need it.”

To donate, visit greatcyclechallenge.ca/ riders/katiewoodward.

There’s pretty much nowhere Greg Foster would rather be than Earl’s hole at the Minden Whitewater Preserve.

Climbing out of his kayak for a chat, Foster says, “this is my happy place; where I come to relax, be by myself, do what I love to do.”

He’s not long back from Plattling, Germany, where he competed in the 2025 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships. Foster qualified in OC1 and C1, where he placed 8th and 16th respectively.

“It was an amazing experience,” Foster says while seated on a bench overlooking Earl’s hole on the Gull River.

He didn’t place as well as he wanted, but it was his first worlds. “I couldn’t really expect huge things from a first-time world event.”

His home river was much different than the one in Plattling, so it was a challenge, “going from something I know to something I have no idea what I’m dealing with.”

He chides himself for being a bit last minute. He said he had a day to watch competitors on the river and maybe only 10 minutes of practice. He spent a lot of time on his knees in a canoe waiting for his slot and “it got painful.”

He added the water levels were very low, with rocks only about eight inches below the surface. He said organizers had to end the event early for the safety of competitors and their boats.

Foster said if he were to do it again – and he is hoping to qualify for the 2027 worlds in Sort, Spain – he’ll go two or three weeks in advance to practise. “I want to get the best possible outcome.”

There’s also time between now and then. Foster said there will be team trials in 2026. He plans to try out for a bunch of events: K1, C1, OC1, and see where he gets seated “and go from there.”

He’s asked if it is rare to compete in so many events and says it is. For him, the phrase ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ is reversed as ‘jack of all trades, master of all.’

“I always get told by people, ‘I get bored on the river.’ I never get bored. There’s always something to do. There’s always improvement … miniscule skills, something as simple as efficient ferrying, I keep the river interesting.”

One thing he needs to work on is boat control, and getting in tune with the hole as it reacts to his boat. One thing he struggled with at June’s worlds was left-handed paddling for tricks. He’s used to right-handed at Earl’s. “I was trying to learn on my off side on the fly.”

He said Sort will favour left and right. And, it’s a powerful hole. He said in Minden, Earl’s flushes out boaters naturally. But not so in Sort. It means the prospect of being “washing machined or window shaded.

“You get 45 seconds to throw your best, and do your best combinations of tricks you can possibly do. If you get window shaded for 20 seconds of that, you have to try to recover within two seconds, and try to continue your run.”

He is already excited for his second worlds, mind you. “Time flies so I just make the best of the time I have this summer, I’m probably only going to have May, June and part of July 2026 and then team trials within a year from now.”

Tree monkey

By day, Foster is an arborist, or as he refers to it, a “tree monkey.” He tries to get out at least a couple of nights a week after work if not too exhausted, Most weekends, he’s on the river.

He said two of his friends got injured recently. He does not want to be on the river when his temperature is already elevated or he is dehydrated from working in hot, humid weather, since “the river is unforgiving and it favours no one.”

Foster said it can be non-stop, recalling a recent 12-hour drive to compete in Quebec. Plus, there’s the financial toll.

He’s asked about sponsors, but says he’s never really had one, and isn’t sure what that would look like. “If someone wanted to help me out financially to get overseas when the time comes, or if I need to buy new gear. But for the most part, I like to try and stay self-sufficient. I don’t really like to put my hand out, it makes me feel like a beggar. I like to stay strong and do it myself.”

After all, up to now, it’s between Foster and the river.

“I have a respect for it, but I don’t have a fear of it. I can do whatever I want, how I want, and no one can say anything …it’s just total freedom.”