Rail Trail ready for snowmobile season

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November 4, 2021

The Haliburton County Rail Trail looks to be in fine form for the winter’s snowmobile season, said Haliburton County Snowmobile Association president John Enright.

After checking out progress on the granite overlay, Enright said the club is “beyond excited.”

“From my memory it’s never been in this good a shape going into the season,” Enright said, mentioning how the smoother surface means sledders can ride with less snow and maintenance.

The cost of resurfacing 23.3 kilometers of trail totaled $232,751, funded by an Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) grant.

That left 5.7 kilometers of trail which Hawk River Construction is set to complete by 2022, funded by the County.

The County will spend an additional $42,390 to complete rail trail resurfacing this year.

In a report to council, director of public works, Robert Sutton, said that staff approved the extra work since the contract “is currently mobilized and time was of the essence.”

Staff propose approaching ICIP for additional funding opportunities, using remaining ICIP funds, money allotted to rail trail maintenance and approximately $21,000 from the rail trail reserve fund in the meantime.

The report states granite screenings are “native to the County and as such they are in keeping with the natural setting of the trail as well as they are more environmentally-responsible and costeffective in comparison to importing limestone.”

Limestone is estimated to cost 23 per cent more than granite, and must also be trucked in from much further away. Sutton told council, “there’s a significant greenhouse gas effect” of importing the material.

Dysart mayor Andrea Roberts said she’s noticed parts of the new surface make the trail difficult to use.

“What we have in that section has so much sand in it you cannot ride a regular bicycle.” Roberts said. “It feels like you’re walking on a beach.”

Sutton said the surface should compact, and that staff “are looking at ways we can address a consistent surface.”

Also planned are $27,005 in accessibility improvements, including 15 stone benches and 500 meters of barriers.

Haliburton Highlands Museum director Kate Butler and Curve Lake First Nations representatives will consult on what culturally and historically important spots along the trail could be marked with signage.

The next Haliburton County Rail Trail round table meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m.

Devolin will watch election from sidelines

By

Lisa Gervais

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November 4, 2021

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Minden Hills mayor Brent Devolin says he won’t be seeking a third term in office.

Devolin hinted at his political future in a social media post Oct. 25 when he said he would be watching the 2022 Minden Hills election “from the sidelines.”

He said he had planned to make an announcement Jan. 1, 2022 but took the lead from Toronto Coun. Joe Cressy, who told the public about his pending departure a year out from the next municipal election, scheduled for the last Monday of October.

Devolin said his friends and colleagues in Minden Hills and on County council knew he would be leaving but he wanted to give potential candidates time to prepare.

“It takes you a year worth of legwork if you’re actually, legitimately, honestly wanting to do the job,” Devolin said in an interview Nov. 2.

Into his eighth year as mayor, Devolin said another factor is that he’s tired. “There is a lot of politician and staff fatigue after COVID.” He foreshadowed that many will leave municipal politics by next fall. Devolin added he is a firm believer in term limits.

He said he first ran in 2014 as he was unhappy with the state of affairs in Minden and at the County.

He is pleased with the work he has been able to do on the flooding portfolio, including better communication with the Trent-Severn Waterway and Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, as well as lobbying for multi-million-dollar funding for work on County dams. He is also proud of the LiDAR mapping that has been done.

“That’s a big part of what I wanted to achieve and it’s either done or substantially done.”

He is also pleased the township was able to build a new fire hall and community centre as well as two affordable housing structures with a third public-private venture on the way along Highway 35 by the legion.

Working with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network on connectivity has been “icing on the cake” he added. “We’re in the early days of the actual construction project for the next four or five years for the mobile broadband wireless that we’re going to have.” With a projected 95 per cent connectivity for Haliburton County, “those are huge lifetime achievement things for me personally.”

He said his one regret is that he was not able to push to consolidate local government. “I have no hard feelings for those that have a different perspective.”

But in the end, he said, “Its been a good ride. I’ve had some successes and failures. And I don’t care whether you’re talking baseball or whatever, nobody bats 1,000, right?”

In Minden Hills, he thinks the greatest challenge is unprecedented growth and the impact on the environment.

He also believes the role of a municipal politician has changed drastically since the days of part-timers working off the backs of envelopes.

However, he said “It is now time to apply my efforts to something else other than this and move on. Just because I’m not going to be elected anymore doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be engaged in my community or be involved with things that I think will move the needle.”

Hughey calls out council on arena pledge

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Lisa Gervais

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November 4, 2021

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Frustrated at pushback for better website promotion of the arena fundraising committee, Coun. Jennifer Hughey reminded council at its Oct. 28 meeting that it had publicly made promises it had not fulfilled.

When the arena was given the green light on Feb. 14, 2019, Mayor Brent Devolin boldly suggested the community could raise $1 million towards outstanding items. A committee was struck in the summer of 2019 and set a $750,000 goal. COVID-19 largely killed all momentum until Hughey resurrected the committee on May 25, 2021 with a more modest target of $300,000.

During the meeting, she asked for council approval to canvass for new committee members; use already-raised funds to buy signage for the facility to promote fundraising; and create a pop-up or microsite on the township website.

While council eventually voted in favour of all three, it came after a lengthy discussion in which CAO Trisha McKibbin initially recommended against since a new website is now being worked on to be unveiled in January.

Coun. Pam Sayne was also against. She didn’t want busy staff thrown another task especially for the arena. She said she wanted the township to get “back to main business and caught up.” She suggested other strategies besides better website promotion.

Devolin suggested a more extensive conversation was needed between McKibbin and Hughey. But Hughey explained it would be a page within an existing website.

Coun. Bob Carter said he didn’t want the committee work delayed until January, which would cause it to lose all momentum. He thought something could be added to the site, such as the current COVID-19 information box that pops up when people go there.

Coun. Jean Neville agreed, “We have to get our fundraising going. It just keeps falling flat. This is an important area to get fundraising up and going and momentum going.”

Deputy mayor Lisa Schell said it was an opportunity “to get some of that [money] back via seat sales, I’d like to see it happens sooner rather than later.”

Hughey said, “I will reiterate some of the feelings that some of the council members had with regards to this facility. It’s very important to continue in the line of already existing media saying that we’re going to raise a certain amount of funds to pay some of the mandated items that we’ve listed. So, as a committee, we’ve basically stressed our goal to be only $300,000 and we feel it is very important to raise those funds for the facility … “

At the moment, Hughey and long-time volunteer Betty Mark are doing most of the committee work with another member resigning. They have been trying to promote a Take a Seat campaign, where residents and businesses can sponsor one of 294 sets in the new arena with a $500 donation. A plaque acknowledging the financial contribution will be affixed to each seat, and tax receipts will be issued.

Hughey told the meeting when they relaunched the committee, the momentum only lasted four or five days and they had not had a call in three months. She said they want to promote buying metres of ice and the walking track as well.

“By no means am I trying to cause any fuss. I’m merely trying to act as chair of this committee,” she said.

End of an era as Bishops sell Sir Sam’s

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Lisa Gervais

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November 4, 2021

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Some of Chris Bishop’s earliest memories at Sir Sam’s ski hill were falling off the T-bar because he didn’t know how to use it. As he got older, he got to run the lift, and remembers getting the odd Friday afternoon off of school to ride snowmobiles up and down the hill to pack the snow for the coming weekend.

Bishop said the family decision to sell Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride isn’t bittersweet at all although it has stirred up memories.

“It’s time to move on. We’re all excited and happy. There is certainly sweet but there’s not bitterness about it at all,” he said.

The Bishop family announced via a news release Nov. 2 that they had sold to the Wilkinson family, long-time cottagers and ski hill afficionados who hail from Oshawa.

Chris Bishop said the Wilkinsons have been skiing at Sir Sam’s for 15 years so know the local business well and liked what they saw. He added they are younger and enthusiastic about trying new things. That will include renovations to the chalet and introducing a new food experience, Rhubarb on the Hill, in December. He added they have ideas for more off-season events.

Members of the Bishop family are staying on this winter to help with the transition and some might remain as employees.

The Wilkinsons have so far declined to comment.

Bishop said another lasting memory from their 56 years at the hill is the many lifelong friendships they have made. He thanked customers, suppliers, tradespeople and staff. Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride was founded in 1965.

“We could not have done this without your support,” the Bishop family said in the media release. “Our father and mother, Bob and Noreen, had a dream and a vision all those years ago to create a winter skiing facility that would promote Haliburton and Eagle Lake as a winter destination and that it would become an economic driver for the entire Haliburton Highlands. They accomplished this goal.”

A cheap way to buy votes

By

Mike Baker

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November 4, 2021

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So, Ontario’s minimum wage is going up. As per Premier Doug Ford, baseline pay for employees across the province will increase on Jan. 1, going up by 65 cents to $15 an hour. This follows an earlier move, which came into effect in October, to up it by 10 cents to the current $14.35.

While I’m sure most full-time workers currently earning minimum wage will be pleased to hear that their annual pay packet will receive a bump of $1,352, it must be said that this increase is miniscule compared to what’s actually needed.

And Ford knows that. It really grinded my gears on Tuesday when the premier was all smiles in making this announcement, putting on a charade that he has long been the champion of increasing pay rates in Ontario.

“For many… wages haven’t kept up with the increasing cost of living, making it harder than ever to make ends meet,” he first said.

This is true. Canada’s inflation rate hit a near 20-year high last month, sitting at 4.4 per cent according to Stats Canada.

Taking a deeper dive into those statistics, the price of gasoline has increased by 32.8 per cent since Sept. 2020, while food prices have gone up, on average, 3.9 per cent in the past year. The cost of housing climbed too, up by 4.8 per cent. So. while this 4.3 per cent increase to pay is being presented as some huge saviour for minimum-wage workers, the truth is they will still find themselves behind from where they were this time 12 months ago.

And for Ford to say that he “always said workers deserve to have more money in their pockets” is an outright lie. When he was elected in 2018, one of the first things he did was cancel the previous Liberal government’s plan to increase the minimum wage to, you guessed it, $15 an hour by 2019.

At the time, Ford claimed a $15 minimum wage was bad for workers and would lead to substantial layoffs.

What’s changed? If anything, businesses are in even more of a precarious position today than they were three years ago, thanks to the pandemic.

The only real difference from now and then is that Ford is coming up to the end of his term in office, rather than just starting out.

A provincial election is just six months away.

The cynic in me is looking at this move as a cheap way for him to buy votes.

Just about the only real positive to come out of this announcement is that servers and bartenders will see their hourly rates brought up to par with other workers, up to $15 an hour from the current $12.55.

Given that many restaurants around Haliburton have struggled to find staff over the past several months, this should give them a bit of a boost.

But what overall impact is this rise going to have on minimum wage workers in Haliburton County? Likely not much. In 2019, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district health unit said a ‘living wage’ in Haliburton was $19.42.

It has undoubtedly risen since then. So, what can be done?

A universal basic income, piloted in nearby Lindsay to some success in 2017, is an interesting concept, but surely far too expensive to ever come to fruition. We need to see more creative thinking from our leaders if we’re going to help our most vulnerable people get out of this mess. Because one thing’s for sure – increasing the minimum wage by 65 cents an hour isn’t going to change a thing.

Not good enough

By

Lisa Gervais

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November 4, 2021

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Fall has arrived, and with it, the traditional call for help for needy residents. SIRCH is in the midst of its Share the Warmth winter clothing drive. On Nov. 6, they are inviting those who need cold weather apparel to come to Haliburton and Minden for their giveaway day. The folks at Heat Bank Haliburton County, Central Food Network are hosting their annual event at Rhubarb Restaurant Nov. 14.

Places for People has just announced its second Sleeping in Cars fundraiser for Nov. 19 to raise money for, and awareness of, homelessness. And, the Highlands Christmas Shindig is set to return Nov. 27 for that other heat bank … Fuel for Warmth. That’s just the major ones.

We expect numerous others in the lead-up to Christmas. There will be more clothing drives, more food drives and more initiatives aimed at homelessness.

There is no doubt the fundraisers are needed. The CKL and Haliburton County Poverty Reduction Roundtable has estimated that 17.2 per cent of residents in private households are considered low-income in the Highlands. This includes 22.9 per cent of children 0-17, 18.5 per cent of adults 18-64 and 12.8 per cent of adults 65 and up. SIRCH has said that it believes that 17.2 per cent may have increased during COVID-19.

The HKPR District Health Unit estimates the child poverty rate is 25 per cent, an increase over the past few years. The health unit also said in 2019 that the ‘living wage’ in Haliburton was $19.42 per hour – what a family of four with both parents working full-time would need to earn to cover basic expenses in 2018.

This amount is much higher than Ontario’s current minimum wage. While we applaud the organizers of these events, and the residents who continue to open their wallets and calendars to help out, we repeat our call for the support of initiatives that get to the root causes of poverty. As a community, we should not take pride in the fact we have two heat banks, or need repeated annual food and clothing drives.

What we need is real change.

We know some of the contributing factors include people not being able to get reliable, secure work, affordable housing and child care and healthy food. As the health unit said a couple of years ago in a post-Christmas press release, local residents can get behind increased social assistance rates; call for people to be paid living wages; support basic employment standards to reduce unstable work and say ‘yes’ to building more affordable housing units.

Our municipalities have taken a big step of late by waiving fees and charges for those wanting to build affordable housing.

By contrast, our MPP, Laurie Scott, and her government have voted against minimum wage increases – until a bump up to $15-an-hour this week. Shortly after the September federal election, The Haliburton County/CKL Roundtable for Ending Poverty said affordable housing, basic income and national childcare are keys.

We’d like to see MP Jamie Schmale and his Conservatives work with the Liberal government on this three-pronged plan instead of continuing to criticize from the cheap seats.

As the health unit quite rightly pointed out, the local economy is boosted when everyone has stable jobs that pay living wages.

Communities are healthier when everyone has a safe and affordable place to live, can afford nutritious food, and are able to participate in recreational activities. Local families will also face less stress, while children can grow, thrive and succeed in school. So, as the Autumn fundraising season gets underway, here’s our call to action:

• Haliburton County residents: By all means continue to help with your time and money but look into supporting solutions that get to the root causes of poverty and hold your politicians accountable.

• Residents affected by poverty: We would like to hear your stories. Agencies say they can’t share them because it breaches your confidentiality. However, you can contact us at editor@thehighlander.ca or call 705- 457-7177.

• Politicians of all stripes, but specifically Scott and Schmale. We’d like some concrete examples of things you have done, or plan to do, to help find long-term solutions to poverty in Haliburton County.

‘Friends’ want to protect Grass Lake

By

Mike Baker

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November 4, 2021

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A proposed development that could see 88 new condominium units built along Peninsula Road has drawn the ire of residents, who believe the project will have a detrimental effect on the water quality in Grass Lake.

As reported by The Highlander in September, Harburn Holdings Ltd. has submitted an official plan and zoning bylaw amendment application to Dysart and a land severance request to Haliburton County, which calls for the development of around 8.3 hectares of vacant land on the west side of Grass Lake.

Initial plans include construction of two multi-residential buildings and one commercial unit. If approved, it would more than double the existing residential capacity of Grass Lake, which currently has 57 waterfront homes.

The lake also supports the Haliburton hospital and two commercial businesses. Carolyn Langdon and her family have lived in the area for more than 50 years. She said she was appalled when she learned about the plans. As she sought information, she connected with fellow residents, Don Ross and Lynda Williams. The trio has formed the Friends of Grass Lake, an environmental conservation organization.

“Our goal is to educate the public about what’s going on. We want to protect this land and, ultimately, protect Grass Lake,” Langdon said. The group’s chief concern is further development on the lake, particularly of this magnitude, could be “catastrophic” for long-term water quality and animal habitats.

Plans call for the removal of 50 per cent of trees, while some of the wetlands will be adapted to make way for walking paths and a floating dock. Langdon said it’s currently home to several rare aquatic plants, which help feed a significant fish habitat. There is also evidence to suggest that Blanding’s turtles, an endangered species, reside in the area.

Harburn’s planning consultant, Anthony Usher, wrote the township to indicate nothing in the proposal would “offend the habitat requirements” of the Blanding’s turtle as outlined by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.

In addressing water quality concerns, Usher pointed to an extensive environmental impact study (EIS) and wetland site assessment, carried out last spring, endorsing the proposal. The report, conducted by Bracebridge-based Michalski Nielsen Associates, and a hydrogeological assessment of the land, are currently being peer reviewed by Dysart.

“My view of the EIS is … they have followed, from my experience, what are best practices. They have outlined a number of measures within their report to mitigate impact [on the lake]. Yes, trees will be cut further back, but the 30-metres [of wetlands along the shore] is going to be protected,” Usher said.

He added there are two things that can change water quality and lake health. One is an imperfect sewage system. However, he said the development will be on municipal sewage, “generally considered to be the gold standard today.” He said the other contributor is stormwater. “We didn’t do a detailed stormwater management study, to do that you have to have a detailed plan for the site, but the EIS addresses that and puts in a whole bunch of recommendations for mitigation of constructive impacts which [will be followed],” he said.

Ross claimed the land is “totally unrecognizable” from 2003, when Paul Wilson bought it. “I think the filling that has been done has already disturbed the habitat. I think if you put in people and asphalt and construction, the building footprints that are being proposed and the light pollution that comes with all of that, I think that will irreparably change the course of this habitat,” Ross said.

Jeff Iles, Dysart’s director of planning, said it was premature to comment on the proposal given the township is reviewing applicants’ reports.

He said there was no timetable for when this may be officially presented to council and the public. Usher said he doesn’t see any work beginning at the site for at least a couple of years.

Langdon is hoping it never comes.

She is wary of the precedent a development like this could set, not only in Dysart but across Haliburton County.

“We are not opposed to development. We acknowledge that these sort of builds are needed in Haliburton, but we have so much surplus land. This sort of development has no business being put next to an environmentally protected zone. It has no business being located on [Grass Lake].”

Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride has been sold

By

Lisa Gervais

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November 2, 2021

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The Bishop family, founders of Sir Sam’s Ski and Ride, today announced the sale of the business to the Wilkinson family.

Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride was founded in 1965.

In a press release, the Bishops thanked customers who had supported them over the past 56 years, as well as suppliers, tradespeople and staff.

“We could not have done this without your support. Our father and mother, Bob and Noreen, had a dream and a vision all those years ago to create a winter skiing facility that would promote Haliburton and Eagle Lake as a winter destination and that it would become an economic driver for the entire Haliburton Highlands. They accomplished this goal.”

The Bishops said they will be working with the Wilkinsons this winter to help with the transition.

They added they are looking forward to the changes the Wilkinson’s are making including chalet renovations and introducing a new food experience by opening “Rhubarb on the Hill” in early December.

“We know their commitment is to provide a quality skiing and snowboarding experience as well as to expand the offerings and activities in the off season. We are excited to see their vision for the future of Sir Sam’s Ski and Ride.”

Haliburton Restaurants relieved as doors fully open

By

Sam Gillett

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October 28, 2021

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Capacity limits and distancing requirements at Haliburton’s restaurants and gyms were officially lifted Oct. 25 as Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled the final steps of the province’s reopening plan.

The move comes just two weeks after similar restrictions were lifted at athletic venues, cinemas and theatres across the province. Terri Matthews-Carl, owner of Rhubarb Restaurant in Carnarvon, said she was “thrilled” to be allowed to open back up at full capacity. “We’ve already put our tables back in, which gives us an additional 50 per cent capacity compared to what we’ve been able to have inside over the past year.

For us, this makes a huge difference,” MatthewsCarl said. “It’s definitely long overdue, but we’re just thrilled that the decision has been made.” With no capacity limits in place, MatthewsCarl estimates she’ll be able to have up to 25 additional customers inside the restaurant.

That’s particularly important, she said, given the changing of the seasons. “During the summer, the capacity limits weren’t such a big deal, because we were able to use our patio. We were able to add a lot of extra seating that way. But now that patio season is over, it really is going to be much more helpful to have the additional seating inside,” she said. While many restauranteurs were beside themselves early in October, after Ford said capacity limits would remain in place at provincial eateries even after lifting them at sporting arenas, Matthews-Carl said she appreciated the delay as it gave her and her staff time to adjust to the new vaccination requirements without having a full house.

“We really weren’t that angry. Throughout all of this, we’ve just wanted to make sure everybody was safe. And, honestly, with having to do the vaccination checks – opening up at full capacity and doing everything at the same time would have been a lot to handle. This way, everybody’s gotten used to checking for vaccines, and now we’re ready to go and be back operating at full capacity,” she said.

The best feeling, Matthews-Carl said, is knowing that she won’t be forced to disappoint people moving forward. “We’ve been turning away people every night, basically since the end of summer and we closed our patio,” she said. “Now we won’t have to do that anymore.” Venues such as barbershops and salons, museums, galleries and indoor areas of amusement parks have also had capacity limits lifted, providing they opt-in to the province’s proof of vaccination requirements.

During the announcement, health minister Christine Elliott informed the public that the province is currently planning for all remaining COVID-19-related public health and workplace safety measures to be lifted by March 2022.

Elliott said the province plans to begin a gradual lifting of vaccine certification requirements, chief medical officer of health directives and capacity limits in settings where proof of vaccination is not required. Other measures, like masking, will remain in place until March 28. “We know this is encouraging news for Ontarians who have sacrificed so much over the last 20 months,” Elliott said.

“Today is a milestone in our fight against COVID-19. We have a plan to safely manage this virus in the long-term and protect the health and well-being of Ontarians, while ensuring Ontario remains open and recovering.”

Dame Beatrice and Penelope are on their way

By

Lisa Gervais

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October 28, 2021

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Dame Beatrice will be making her return to the Highlands Nov. 27, this year en route from London, England and Ingersoll, Ontario.

Her alter ego, Mike Jaycock, said the Highlands Christmas Shindig is coming back in hybrid form for 2021.

The eighth annual festive offering will be staged from the Haliburton Legion this year.

While on many people’s calendars for its comedic and musical line-up, Jaycock reminded fans, “This is an important fundraiser for Fuel for Warmth and to date the event has raised over $100,000 in support of families and individuals in need of help during the winter months.”

Dame Beatrice and Penelope (Victoria Bingham) will be back to host the show, and Jaycock said both are “quite anxious to get back to the Highlands. As Beatrice says, ‘I miss my little chipmunks’.”

The show will have a limited live audience of 100 people in the main hall of the Legion, plus a watch party of 50 in the Legion’s Club Room downstairs.

The limited quantity of tickets go on sale Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. from tables at Up River Trading in Minden and the entrance lobby at Glecoff’s Family Store in Haliburton.

Tickets are $25 for the live show and $15 for the watch party. Proof of second vaccination is required for each ticket at the time of purchase. This will also be the requirement the night of the Shindig for entry into the Legion.

The Dominion Hotel and Pub in Minden will also hold a watch party for people who book tables. Donations will be made to Fuel for Warmth.

Jaycock said the show will once again feature local talent: Jim Blake and Fay Wilkinson; Nick and Stan Russell; Slinky and The Boys; Tomorrow Never Knows; The Moontones and the Kowalksi Sisters with Ragged Company.

Special guests this year are David Archibald and Robin Duke, who played Wendy Kurtz, owner of the Blouse Barn, in Schitt’s Creek.

“Robin has a property in the Highlands and, on seeing Ron James’ support last year, said she would be delighted to lend her support to this fundraising event,” Jaycock said.

Duke teaches writing as a faculty member at Humber College in Toronto and, over the last year, the majority of her classes were done online from her Highlands cottage.

The show will be available for home viewing through YouTube, the Highlands Christmas Shindig Facebook page and at Fuel for Warmth’s website: fuelforwarmth. com. Donations can be made online through the website.

Jaycock added they will be using state-ofthe-art technology.

“Three cameras will be employed to capture the antics and entertainment and then to a mixer to send out a quality show. In behind the scenes, information regarding tech requirements for each act has been gathered and plans are underway for the three stages that will be required for the show. The entire undertaking will observe distancing and implementation of COVID protocols.”

Showtime is 7.30pm.