Minden roads study calls for 123 kms of fixes

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February 3, 2022

Minden Hills’ 2021 Roads Needs Study suggests nearly half of the township’s 278-kilometre road system needs work.

Tatham Engineering, a firm tasked with studying the area’s road usage and conditions, provided two scenarios for future investments.

Total improvements to the road system could mean pulverizing and resurfacing or surface treating certain roads, while reconstructing others that are in the worst shape, for an estimated $30 million over the next 10 years.

An alternative scenario could see more roads pulverized and resurfaced, rather than reconstructed, for a cost of about $19.6 million.

Of the township’s 21 kilometres of asphalt roads, 21 per cent are considered poor, along with 36 per cent of the area’s surface-treated roads and 17 per cent of gravel roads.

The study was presented to council Jan. 27 for councillors to get a background on the shape of Minden’s roads before upcoming budget talks. Staff will also consider a roads usage report, detailing an average amount of traffic on each road. Tatham Engineering recommended traffic volume, road condition, time of need, cost of improvement and work schedule to direct which roads are prioritized.

“I think it’s important for [council] to have the same guidance as me as we work through the budget process,” said acting director of public works Tara Stephens. “The next step for us as staff is to provide the simplified report.”

Mayor Brent Devolin said the extent and cost of roads maintenance shows municipalities, that shoulder the full cost, need more help.

“We can only carry this burden on a certain extent on land-based taxation,” he said. “There’s no way on a municipal tax base that this can ever be paid for.”

Needs-based water work

A performance-based review of Minden’s water and wastewater systems predicts a boost in annual spending. Sixty per cent of Minden’s infrastructure is considered “fair”, meaning it has issues but is working. Ten per cent is “poor”, meaning it needs further spending, and 30 per cent is in good working order.

“Now we’re moving to a performance versus aged based spending approach,” said Nick Larson of the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), tasked with evaluating Minden’s systems.

OCWA predicts Minden Hills needs to spend more on water systems each year. Average past spending of $122,000 on water infrastructure will need to rise to $135,000, and current wastewater spending of $93,000 will eventually need to rise to $160,000.

“These are actually a lot smaller than what you’d see in an asset management plan if you did an age-based forecast,” said Larson.

OCWA is preparing a rate study, which will show how much residents could expect to pay for water in the area to fund the water system’s repairs and capital projects.

Larson said evaluating the growing population of an area is key, along with determining how new developments can fit onto existing water systems. “It’s about optimizing the use of your existing infrastructure so you can have more ratepayers pay for the same quantity,” Larson said.

Fatal snowmobile accident in Dysart et al

By

Sam Gillett

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February 3, 2022

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One person was pronounced deceased after a snowmobile collision in Dysart et al Feb. 2.

At approximately 12:30 p.m, Haliburton OPP responded to the single-vehicle accident on Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs trail E109.

The driver of the snowmobile was pronounced deceased. Their identity has not been confirmed by police.

OPP technical collision teams are investigating the incident.

Haliburton Highlands OPP is requesting anyone with information to call 1-888-310-1122 or 705 286-1431.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a secure web-tip at https://www.khcrimestoppers.com/, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward

Greater police board transparency

By

Lisa Gervais

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February 3, 2022

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LG-OPP put dent in drug trade 3 — Constable Christopher Darling of the Haliburton Highlands Detachment keeps an eye out from his police cruiser. Photo by Lisa Gervais.

Raise your hand if you’ve heard about CPAC in Haliburton County?
I’d hazard a guess that many of you haven’t.
It stands for the community policing advisory committee. Comprising the OPP detachment commander and the mayors of Algonquin Highlands, Dysart et al, Highlands East and Minden Hills, it had been in operation for a number of years.
That is until the Community Safety and Police Act in 2019, with the province advising municipalities they have until June 7, 2022 to determine what a new board will look like for their detachment areas.
It’s all part of the new community safety and well-being plan that was presented to County councillors at a Jan. 26 meeting.
While the issue of a detachment board seemed like a minor add-on to the two-plus-hour meeting, it is an important one.
The initial recommendation was for a seven-person board, comprising the County warden, four mayors, a provincial appointment and one member of the public appointed by the County.
Minden Hills Coun. Pam Sayne commented that with five politicians out of seven places, it was top heavy. She also felt it important to have at least two members of the public so the one would not feel isolated.
Coun. Carol Moffatt, who deserves credit for her role on CPAC, and the community safety and well-being plan, defended the five-councillor representation. She argued the municipalities pay for policing so should carry the vote. Carefully choosing her words, she said well-meaning community members may make a decision that could costs the townships a lot of money, for example.
With all due respect to Coun. Moffatt, it is the taxpayers that foot the OPP bill.
She also said she feels citizen board members might not understand the complexity of the job, or that they think they will get in tight with the cops and is worried about the sensitivity of privacy concerns.
With that logic, one could infer that public members of the committee of adjustments, for example, could be disclosing confidential details about land transactions. We don’t think that’s happening.
In the end, the County opted for a board comprising the warden, mayors or designate, a County public appointee and a provincial appointee.
Sayne said she expected reports back from the board to council meetings.
CPAC members have done that in the past. At least Moffatt has to Algonquin Highlands. But, again, with all due respect, they are not detailed reports.
In the same manner, despite the press making the request, CPAC meetings have not been open to us in the past. The press can attend library board meetings, for example, but not CPAC. That is a concern. And as a result, the public is largely left in the dark about what is going on with policing in the County.
We get that some things have to be private, such as a pending drug raid, but the public has a right to know things such as crime statistics, or worrying trends.
After all, these boards are there to provide civilian oversight.
The five-member police services board for the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Services is a good example. While not the OPP but a municipal force, they meet publicly once a month.
There are only two councillors, Mayor Andy Letham and Coun. Pat O’Reilly. The council appointee is a former police inspector, Don Thomas, who chairs the board. The two other civilians are long-time volunteer Wanda Percival and Valmay Barkey, who used to head up Community Care Health and Support Services (provincial appointees). They’re not top heavy. They make good decisions.
The lower-tier municipalities must still approve the composition of the new board but one thing we do demand is greater transparency.

Retiring Gooderham and Dysart librarians “encouraged a lifelong love of reading and learning”

By

Sam Gillett

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February 3, 2022

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JQ - Library reopening - 1-web — The library board opted to delay a plan to use the Dysart et al branch as the first location for curbside pickup in the County. File photo.

The Gooderham and Dysart branches of the Haliburton County Public Library will look a bit different in 2022.

That’s because two of the longest-serving staff members have moved on to new adventures.

Vicki Fraser and Marilyn Billings have retired; Fraser after 22 years with the Dysart branch and Billings after 41 years in Gooderham. Billings started at what was then called the Glamorgan Library in 1980.

“I never thought of it as a career,” she said, “it was just something I loved doing.”

Starting at two hours a week, Billings enjoyed developing a vibrant calendar of monthly events. She recalled everything from pumpkin carving night, pumpkin seeds found in books days later, to multiple craft nights and coordinating a heritage display showcasing old-fashioned devices such as ice-cream makers, laundry tubs and even a butter churner.

Billings said she was especially proud of the annual Authors Day which began in 2001 after she began noticing how many great authors called the Highlands home. “That was a personal interest of mine: I wanted to know who our local authors were,” she said. Once, a cottager suggested they host a ukulele club.

“Let’s give it a try and see what happens,” Billings said. The club went on to gather multiple enthusiastic members who play the ukulele to this day.

She said customer service was her favourite part of library work. Mingling with the patrons or “leading them to a real good book you’ve read yourself. That really makes a difference,” Billings said.

Fraser said the people that visit the library made her job rewarding.

“I hope I have encouraged a lifelong love of reading and learning for patrons both young and old in our community,” she said.

“All of my patrons from the old branch to my new branch have been so kind, generous and made each day a joy for me. Libraries are all about the people, and Dysart branch has the best people ever. It is the people I will miss the most and I am forever grateful for our time together.” Fraser thanked Sandre and Brian Daoust for a note in The Highlander recognizing her service and CEO Chris Stephenson who she said went “an extra mile to make me feel valued and missed as I begin my new journey.”

Fraser said library work suited her from the start. “The first day I started I fell in love with the whole thing: you can have a ton and a half of books but it’s about the people,” she said.

“People are generous, they’re thoughtful, if you’re stuck on the side of the road, five people will stop to help you.”

Fraser was known for her book recommendations. One co-worker suggested she might be the “Oprah of the Library.”

“I would promote a book, and they’d have to run out and buy five more, six more copies,” Fraser said.

Those around the community noticed Fraser’s dedication to library patrons. She was awarded a customer-first employee award from the Haliburton Chamber of Commerce in 2015. “That was fabulous,” she said.

While both women worked with books, magazines, newspapers, and later e-books, audiobooks and computers, it was the people who walked through the door who defined their careers.

“It’s about the people: the people who run the businesses in town, it’s one of those things where I loved what I was doing, the people and the patrons,” Fraser said.

Billings said the community expanded beyond year-round residents too. “The people who came back to their cottages for the summer were just as part of our family as the year-round community.”

Haliburton trucker makes trip to Ottawa

By

Mike Baker

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February 3, 2022

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Walking along Wellington Street in Ottawa Jan. 30, Haliburton resident Kevin McColl said he saw lots of smiling faces and “good people pulling together for a great cause” as thousands of ‘Freedom Convoy’ protesters arrived in the nation’s capital.
McColl, who operates McColl’s Trucking and Logging, made the trip with friend, John McNeil. Together, the pair spent the day challenging vaccine mandates imposed by the federal and provincial governments.
While media reports from the event, which saw as many as 10,000 people attend, have been mostly negative, with images depicting protesters desecrating the National War Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a statue of Terry Fox, McColl said his experiences were overwhelmingly positive.
“It was just the most amazing thing. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my life. I spent the whole day there and there were times that I just teared right up,” McColl said. “There’s always going to be a few people who spoil it, but from what I saw, and the people I spoke to, it was all very respectful.
“The thing that upsets me, is all the negative stuff is being reported and talked about. But nobody shows, or is talking about the people cleaning up the statues, and cleaning the streets. There were many of us there doing that, too,” McColl added.
The convoy has received national attention in recent weeks. The event was launched, initially, in protest of the federal government’s decision to reinstate COVID19 vaccine requirements to re-enter the country by land as of Jan. 15.
Prior to that, truck drivers and other essential workers had been exempt from the two-week quarantine for unvaccinated travellers crossing Canada’s borders. While there were some in attendance who took exception to provincial regulations, such as Ontario’s latest lockdown and mandates stipulating certain workers must be vaccinated, McColl said his, and many others’ main gripe, was the border issue.
“It’s this new mandate that’s got everybody bent out of shape. I have no problem with masking. I have no problem with anybody who wants to get vaccinated. I’m not, and won’t be, but whoever wants to, that’s their choice,” McColl said. “The problem is when you lose your choice, you start to go down a slippery slope.”
Many people shared their personal stories, with McColl saying he heard from a nurse and former RCMP officer he said were forced to resign after refusing to be vaccinated. McNeil said it was an emotional day for him being around so many likeminded people. “People have had enough. We’re two years into this now, everybody just wants to have their freedom back,” McNeil said.
With protests continuing, McColl intends to return to Ottawa this weekend. This time, he wants to take his truck.
As a show of solidarity standing alongside his fellow truckers, McColl has decorated his vehicle with Canadian flags, something he says has been very well received in Haliburton.
“We’re not asking for much, we just want to live. We want our businesses to operate,” McColl said. “People just want to get back to some sort of normal.”

Two charged after crashing stolen vehicle in Highlands East

By

Sam Gillett

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February 2, 2022

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Two Dysart residents are charged with multiple offenses after crashing a stolen vehicle in Highlands East Feb. 1.

OPP officers and paramedics responded to a single-vehicle collision on Essonville Line shortly after 8 a.m. The car involved in the accident had been reported stolen in the GTA. Police report that both occupants fled the scene before they arrived.

A police emergency response team and K9 unit located both people and they were sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A 31-year-old from Dysart was charged with operation while impaired, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, driving while under suspension, failure to remain at the scene and failure to report an accident. They’re scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Minden April 6.

A 44-year-old from Dysart et al was charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, possession of break-in instruments, failure to comply with release order and possession of ammunition contrary to a prohibition order. A bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay was set for Feb. 2, 2022.

Teen planet protector is an ‘Enviro-Hero’

By

Sam Gillett

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January 27, 2022

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SG-planet protector-1- — Blake Parkinson is “over the moon” at his award. Submitted

Blake Parkinson said he was “a little bored” at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the Grade 8 student picked up a camera and started chatting about his passion: protecting the environment.

Two years later, Parkinson hosts live discussions on social media, a podcast about sustainability and even a digital magazine. And, he’s been recognized for his work.

Parkinson was recently awarded a youth Enviro-Hero award from the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust, after being nominated by Kirsten Sixt of the Lake Kashagawigamog Organization. “I was like ‘woah!’ I was over the moon with joy,” Parkinson said. The HHLT said Parkinson’s education initiatives and fundraisers show dedication to environmental education.

He’s organized shoreline cleanups and a save beluga whales campaign at his school, as well as a World Wildlife Fund swim fundraiser at his family’s cottage on Black Lake. “It really started with my family and then I said you know what I want to encourage more people to be environmentally friendly,” he said.

On his Planet Protectors Instagram page and website, Parkinson tells viewers how to make recyclable Christmas ornaments, shares news about animal protection on the podcast and has even started a digital magazine that summarizes international efforts such as the United Nation’s sustainable development goals.

“My main goal is to encourage people to live more sustainably and think more about the environment in their everyday lives,” he said.

Parkinson faces the camera with a confident smile. “You might not have thought about this, but sunscreen actually does have a negative impact on lakes,” he said, framed by tall trees lining the shores of Lake Kashagawigamog.

It’s from an episode of Blake on the Lake, a series of environmental tips and tricks Parkinson delivers through The LKOs YouTube channel. “When we do really small things it is a big change,” he said, chatting about Planet Protectors’ daily sustainability prompts and tips. Some ideas Parkinson gives out are simple, such as unplugging electronics when not in use or using paper straws.

“It’s those small things you can do,” he said. “Saving the planet doesn’t need to cost money.” He encouraged Highlanders to approach tough environmental issues such as the proposed shoreline preservation bylaw with an eye to the past and future.

“Approach [issues] slowly, give it time. You also need to think more on the environmental side: how are animals going to be affected, how are ecosystems going to be affected?” he said. Parkinson said his dream job is to work for the U.N. on climate action.

With scientists worldwide calling for urgent action to mitigate rising temperatures, he said change is possible. “I see hope, I see a world that is in our hands. We have to mold it the best it can be,” he said. “We don’t have that much time to do it, we need to act as fast as possible.” Parkinson and the other Enviro-Heroes will be recognized at an awards ceremony at a later date.

Planet Protectors’ website: planetprotectorsch.wixsite.com/ planetprotectorsca Follow Planet Protectors on Instagram @ planetprotectors_ca

Livestreaming a pandemic boon

By

Lisa Gervais

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January 27, 2022

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JQ - Service delivery review - 1 — Councillors from all four townships met Nov. 25 to discuss a services delivery review. Photo by Joseph Quigley

As a journalist, and member of the public, I often reflect on the pandemic and what changes it has imparted on our society.

Naturally, the list of cons often surpasses the pros.

However, there have been some silver linings for the fourth estate and I would argue that also translates to some wins for the general population.

For example, earlier this week I was able to attend the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) annual conference.

That was because it was virtual. So was the 2021 one. In the pre-pandemic past, the conference was held in Toronto and it wasn’t feasible for a small-town newspaper such as ours to send a journalist there for the two-day conference. It would have been costly with transportation, accommodation and meals.

So, if we did a story – and we didn’t always – we relied on our municipal councillors to come back and tell us what had gone on.

On Jan. 24-25, I was able to watch it myself, either live or recorded.

For a newspaper editor, it was a win-win. As a taxpayer, I also did not have to foot the bill for our councillors to attend in-person. The con for them is that they enjoy the casual conversations that often arise at these conferences, making valuable connections. However, there is still the option of reaching out to someone who spoke out during a session and touching base in other ways. It does not have to happen in a bar with a drink in hand.

In the same manner, I was able to attend the Ontario Municipal Association (AMO) conference.

For the public, I think the live streaming of council meetings has been a pandemic gift. In the past, it has been difficult for some people to attend council meetings because they are held during the day and require driving to one of the municipal offices. Now, people can view from their homes either live or recorded.

There are times when only a handful of people are watching, but on other occasions, such as the recent shoreline preservation bylaw meeting, there were close to 80 at some points during the meeting.

As a reporter, I can truthfully say that my reporting is more accurate now as well. I can go back and check what people have said. There is no longer an opportunity for subjects to say that they have been misquoted.

The other real benefit to journalists, and some members of the public, is the livestreaming of court proceedings. In the past, we rarely, if ever, would drive to Lindsay to cover a court matter. Now, if there is something major on our radar, we can follow the proceedings.

Since the nature of the court system is a lot of deferrals, we are not wasting as much time waiting for matters to be finalized either as we might have in the past. Nor are we having to email the Ministry of the Attorney-General’s office or the courthouse in Lindsay to see what is going on with a particular case.

It is the type of access that we should have had all along. It is the type of access that we cannot be denied in future. After all, if we can improve our reporting, the public is better served.

Tours explore winter life by snowshoe

By

Sam Gillett

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January 27, 2022

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Cold temperatures and regular snow mean Haliburton County’s forests, fields and riverside pathways are ripe for snowshoeing.

Minden Hills is launching three guided snowshoe walks across the township in January and February for those new to the activity and more seasoned trekkers alike.

The attraction is moving slowly through nature, and being able to take everything in at a really slow pace,” said Rick Whitteker, a longtime snowshoe enthusiast who’ll be guiding the tours.

The walks include the peaceful Snowdon Park, the ecologically-diverse Dahl Forest and a trek alongside the Gull River rapids, flowing fierce and fast beside snow trails.

Whitteker said snowshoeing is a way to appreciate wildlife which, in other seasons, move unseen.

Beside the Gull River, for instance, Whitteker bends down to inspect the miniature pawprints of a mouse that recently scurried past.

“You see animal tracks for instance, you see the story of the animal as it’s moving through nature, a glimpse of it,” he said. “It’s not something you can see in the other three seasons.”

It’s also a way to beat the winter blues. “[It’s about] getting exercise, being invigorated by being out in nature and getting your heart rate up. Especially in the winter when people hunker down a lot,” Whitteker said.

Each hike will begin with a brief introduction to the area and a chat about any safety precautions, however all three hikes can suit most walking abilities.

Whitteker said he tries to combine movement with a careful eye to nature interpretation, stuff he might see on the trail such as prints or vegetation with the “potential to create a discussion.”

Each hike costs $10 and snowshoes are available to borrow.

Snowshoe Snowdon will be on Monday, Jan. 31 from 1-3 p.m; Discover the Dahl on Monday, Feb. 14 from 1-3 p.m.; and Wild Ways of White Water on Feb. 28, from 1-3 p.m.

For more information contact Elisha Weiss at 705-286-2808 or eweiss@mindenhills.ca

Ramsay brings pro experience to Huskies

By

Mike Baker

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January 27, 2022

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After a 15-year love affair, Haliburton County Huskies head coach and general manager Ryan Ramsay thought he had closed the book on his hockey career when a serious hand injury forced him into premature retirement in 2015.

Playing for the Schwenninger Wild Wings in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Germany’s pro hockey division, Ramsay, 31 at the time, took a rogue puck off the hand during a regular season game. While the injury seemed innocuous at the time, x-ray results told another story.

“I completely shattered my hand. I had three major surgeries to try and fix it, but I could never get back to the level I needed to be at to play professionally,” Ramsay said.

It was a bitter pill to swallow. Since being drafted 13th overall by the Peterborough Petes in the 1999 OHL Priority Draft, Ramsay had been living the life of a professional hockey player. He played five seasons in the OHL, finishing top 10 in the league scoring charts in his senior year with the Plymouth Whalers.

After unsuccessful tryouts with the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes, Ramsay penned a three-year contract with the St. Louis Blues in 2004. He was immediately assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Worcester Ice Cats, where he put up 18 points and 93 penalty minutes in 46 games in his debut season. Ramsay played two more seasons in the AHL before moving to Europe.

He played for six teams over an eight-year period in Germany and Italy.

“It was probably the best time of my hockey career,” Ramsay recalled.

When it all came tumbling down, Ramsay looked for a clean break. He moved back to North America, enrolling at Texas A&M University. He wanted to be a firefighter.

Upon graduation, and while applying for positions across the continent, Ramsay launched a hockey school, designed to teach youth the basics of the game. That transitioned into a part-time coaching role with a minor hockey team, which opened Ramsay’s eyes to a whole new world.

“I fell in love with coaching right away. Pretty well after my first day, I knew that’s what I wanted to get into,” Ramsay said.

He continued with his Ramsay Hockey camps until 2016, when he became head coach of the North York Renegades of the Greater Metro Jr. A Hockey League. He spent two seasons with the team, blossoming into one of the league’s top up-and-coming coaches.

It was a tough grind, though. The learning curve was steep, and Ramsay said he often looks back and laughs at some of the situations he found himself in during those fledgling months. Ultimately, he found success merging what he knew as a professional player with what he learned from some of his own coaches over the years.

“I’ve been coached by Pete DeBoer (Vegas Golden Knights head coach), Don Granato (Buffalo Sabres head coach) was the head coach during my first year in the AHL. Mike Vellucci (Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach) was my coach at Plymouth in the OHL. Then, in Europe, I was coached by Dave Chambers, a legend who was with the Quebec Nordiques and Team Canada world junior teams.

“I’ve really tried to translate a lot of what I learned from them into the kids I’m coaching now,” Ramsay added.

He transitioned to his current role during the 2018/19 season, shortly after Haliburton resident Paul Wilson bought the franchise. Then known as the Whitby Fury, Ramsay spent 12 months in the front office before merging the general manager and head coach responsibilities ahead of the 2019/20 season.

Between running practices, studying tape, managing players and recruiting, the gig is a full-time job and more.

“It’s the first thing you do when you get up and the last thing you do before you go to bed. My wife’s a part of it, my kids breathe it every day. I wouldn’t have it any other way though, it’s a great game,” Ramsay said.

He had no qualms about moving north once the decision was made to relocate the franchise to Haliburton County. His wife, Hilary, grew up in the community, and the pair made frequent visits while they were living elsewhere.

“I always knew Haliburton was a great community, full of great people, but the support we have received since moving up here has been tremendous,” Ramsay said.