Spotlighting the best in Haliburton Highlands business

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July 22, 2021

Despite relaxed COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the Dorset Recreation Centre will remain closed until further notice following the discovery that mould and moisture issues are more extensive than originally determined.

In a report to Algonquin Highlands council at the July 15 regular council meeting, AH staff noted that testing by an environmental consultant in March found mould on some basement surfaces. A remediation company was hired to address it, but test results on May 27 showed slightly elevated mould counts.

AH staff conducted further investigations on May 28 and found additional mould in the basement washrooms and changerooms. Staff removed the affected materials and the remediation company deep-cleaned those areas. Test results received July 6 indicated mould counts were still elevated. The remediation company recommended carpet removal downstairs and upstairs and additional cleaning.

While the environmental consultant had advised that the mould issue was caused by water filtration through the foundation and a pipe leak in the ceiling, staff reported that the latest discovery indicated those were not the only sources. Frequent ice damming on the roof has caused water to enter the building in the past, so on July 7 staff cut holes in ceilings and walls in the affected locations, finding mould in several areas.

Staff reported that $19,000 has been spent on the mould issue to date, excluding any restorations, and that the full financial impact of a final resolution is unknown, but will be substantial.

Council approved the staff recommendation that professional services be procured to assess the building and provide guidance to resolve the mould and moisture issues, and that a proposed HVAC works project be put on hold until the mould issues have been addressed.

Dysart seeks artists for sibling murals

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July 22, 2021

Dysart et al is seeking artists to paint two new murals on the A.J. LaRue arena.

Athletes and siblings Taly Williams and Lesley Tashlin will be depicted on the arena’s exterior, alongside five other murals of celebrated Haliburton County sports stars.

The project, estimated to cost $30,000 will be fundraised by public donations. As of July 16, a GoFundMe had raised nearly $6,000 and Dysart et al has collected $1,525. The Rotary Club of Haliburton also donated $2,000 to the project.

After receiving applications from artists, a review committee will select who will complete the project, bringing their decision to the cultural resources committee for a final decision. That committee will approach Dysart council for approval.

“Ideally, we want to have something up before the snow flies,” said Jim Blake, chair of the cultural resources committee. The window to submit applications closes on August 13.

Williams and Tashlin will have input into the murals as well. “We want the mural to be something they are proud of,” Blake said.

Grade 7 and 8 students at J.D. Hodgson Elementary School sparked the effort to honour the athletes. Inspired by William’s football career and Tashlin’s record-setting track and field stint, they said they were disappointed that the legacy of the Black athletes didn’t seem to be recognized in the County.

“I’m hoping that this opens up the conversation and starts allowing others who feel left out and not a part of Haliburton to start connecting to it,” said Williams, who now operates a water infrastructure investment firm in Los Angeles.

“[Haliburton] is our home and we are forever connected to it,” added Williams in an email. “But being recognized with a mural in your hometown is a completely different type and level of connection. It’s no longer just about me being connected to my hometown. It feels like a two-way street now. My hometown is acknowledging and connecting to me.”

Dysart et al’s events and recreation coordinator, Andrea Mueller, was impressed by how quickly the project has progressed.

“I think it’s amazing — they brought this forward in March and it’s July,” Mueller said, mentioning how the students played a key part in the project’s momentum. “Their dedication to it really sparked that desire and that attitude to make it happen quickly.”

Of the five other murals, three were donated privately. Mueller said the municipality is unsure how the first two murals were funded.

For more information or to donate, visit hertrackhisfield.ca or dysart.ca/muralwall The murals of Lesley Tashlin and Taly Williams will be painted on panels and fastened to the side of the A.J. LaRue Arena. If all goes to plan, they could be finished by late fall.

Emotions run high as Haliburton County gyms reopen

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July 22, 2021

Heather Seabrooke opened the door to Step of Grace training and conditioning studio for the first time in more than three months July 16.

“For me it was super emotional,” said Seabrooke, who co-owns the gym with Brittany Burton. Seabrooke said her first class was filled with happy cheers and a “crazy” energy.

“I’ve been staring at people on a piece of glass for 16 months, and now they’re walking through the door.”

Under Ontario’s reopening plan, indoor fitness facilities can run at 50 per cent capacity for the first time since March 31.

Burton hasn’t worked in the gym since March — she said she’s excited to get back to training.

“I was getting texts midway through [lockdown] saying ‘when do you think we’ll get back? I really need to get exercising’,” Burton said.

Working out, added Burton, isn’t all about physical fitness: “we’re a little bit like therapists.”

Seabrooke agreed, mentioning how important fitness has been for her client’s mental health.

“A workout isn’t just lunges — it’s a whole mental rescue,” Seabrooke said.

Her online classes were popular with clients, but Seabrooke said it’s hard to teach and monitor workouts through a Zoom screen.

“There’s delays online — it’s not live, there’s no feedback. They can’t feel my emotion.”

Sonya Smith, who takes classes at Step of Grace, said it feels “great” to get back into the gym.

Smith said workout class online during the pandemic motivated her to stick to her fitness routine.

“I at least have to have one class a day, and I walk as well, so it’s very important to me.”

Capacity limits mean that some gyms, such as Meghan Cox’s Just Movement Fitness, are remaining outdoors.

“Opening the doors actually limits the amount of people I can have,” Cox said. She runs outdoor fitness classes, which typically have five to nine people, at her property between Haliburton and Minden.

With multiple lockdowns forcing massive pivots for her business, she said she’s hesitant to switch indoors in case rules change again.

“The fitness industry has been through very traumatic experiences in the last months,” Cox said.

Despite being limited to the outdoors, getting together with her “people” is a refreshing experience.

“In losing our ability to get together as a fitness family, it’s been really challenging for them,” she said.

Those challenges haven’t impacted her desire to help others reach fitness goals.

“My passion is more important than the shutdowns, than the discouraging things that are happening in the world.”

Trailer theft related to drug, weapons charges

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July 22, 2021

When Theresa and Gary Fahl moved from Holland Landing, they had a hard time finding a new place so rented an apartment in Belleville for awhile.

Theresa recalls their daughter-in-law asking, “Are you sure you want to live there? The crime is really high.”

However, the Fahls were victimized when they moved to Minden Hills, having their 28-foot trailer stolen from a compound at Hunter Creek Estates.

They reported the theft to the OPP July 12. Theresa said they have been renovating their new home and occasionally went down to the trailer to get things. Last Monday, they went looking for bathroom hooks.

“When we got there, there was no trailer. I was stunned,” Theresa said. “And my husband even walked further down the compound thinking maybe somebody moved it.”

She said the trailer hitch had been locked so someone would have had to have broken that to hook up the 2008 Forest Surveyor. Not only was the trailer stolen, but all of its contents.

Theresa put out a message on a local Facebook site seeking help to find the travel trailer and it got a lot of attention.

Trailer connected to drug overdose

“People shared it and there was a lot of support out here,” she said.

She added that the online traffic may have resulted in the trailer being spotted in a field near Kinmount. Theresa said she and Gary got a call July 15 that it had been located.

Theresa said she believes the trailer was being used in an “unconventional” way and possibly for drug production.

OPP confirmed July 20 that the trailer theft was related to an incident they reported to the public late last week.

In that release, they said they had charged a man with multiple offences after a drug-related investigation July 15.

Police said that at 3:10 a.m., they responded to a drug overdose at an address on County Road 121 in Minden Hills.

They said a man was located in possession of a significant amount of drugs and stolen property.

With help from the Haliburton and City of Kawartha Lakes Community Street Crime Units, a warrant was executed on a trailer for further investigation.

Police seized a quantity of controlled substances, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, with a street value of approximately $14,000 and a loaded firearm.

They charged a 27-year-old Minden Hills man with a raft of offences, including:

Unauthorized possession of a firearm

Breach of firearms regulation – store firearm or restricted weapon

Knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm

Occupant of motor vehicle knowing there was a firearm

Possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking

Unauthorized possession of a weapon

Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose – two counts

Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to prohibition order – two counts

Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000

Theft over $5000

The accused was remanded into custody and appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice July 16. Police enacted

The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which became law in Canada on May 4, 2017. The act provides some legal protection for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose.

The law does provide protection against charges for possessing drugs and violating conditions of a court order for a simple drug possession charge. It does not, however, provide protection against charges for trafficking illegal drugs, outstanding arrest warrants or violating conditions of a court order for an offence that is not simple possession.

Theresa Fahl said the OPP took the travel trailer to a compound in Fenelon Falls. She said the Fahls were told there was some damage, including broken windows but she thought it would be fine with just some exterior damage.

“So, when we got there, the lady said it’s around the back. I saw the corner and I got so excited. And then when I saw it, my heart just sunk. There were broken windows, the canopy was damaged and the stairs were ripped off. They had been cooking meth or something in there. It reeked of narcotics. And all of our stuff that we had accumulated over the years had been disposed of.”

Theresa said the trailer is still in Fenelon Falls awaiting a visit from an insurance adjustor.

She said when she called her daughter-in-law to tell her about the stolen trailer, she commented, “and you were worried about Belleville. You should be worried about Minden.”

Theresa said ever since finding out about the theft, “I’m very uneasy now. I don’t sleep well at night.”

Man facing multiple charges after drug investigation

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July 16, 2021

Members of the Haliburton Highlands Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged a male with multiple offences after a drug related investigation.

On July 15, 2021, at 3:10 a.m., officers from the Haliburton Highlands OPP responded to a drug overdose at an address on County Road 121 in Minden Hills Township. When officers attended the scene a male party was located in possession of a significant amount of drugs and stolen property. With the assistance of the Haliburton and City of Kawartha Lakes Community Street Crime Units (CSCU), a warrant was executed on a trailer for further investigation. Police seized a quantity of controlled substances, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, with a street value of approximately $14,000, and a loaded firearm.

As a result, Carter McInnis, 27 years-of-age, of Minden Hills Township has been charged with the following:

Unauthorized possession of a firearm
Breach of firearms regulation- store firearm or restricted weapon
Knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm
Occupant of motor vehicle knowing there was a firearm
Possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking
Unauthorized possession of a weapon
Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose – two counts
Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to Prohibition order- two counts
Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
Theft over $5000

The accused party was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice on July 16, 2021.

The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act became law in Canada on May 4, 2017. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides some legal protection for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. The law does provide protection against charges for possessing drugs and violating conditions of a court order for a simple drug possession charge. It does not, however, provide protection against charges for trafficking illegal drugs, outstanding arrest warrants or violating conditions of a court order for an offence that is not simple possession.

Hopping in to explore the arts at Frog Hollow

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July 16, 2021

The Frog Hollow Integrated Art Tour combines art, spirituality and the wonder of Haliburton County’s natural landscape.

On Friday, July 2, Tory Hill artist Biljana Banchotova hosted a grand opening of the art tour at her new Whirling Wisdom studio.

On the first weekend of the month from May to October, guests will be invited inside Banchotova’s studio space and forested property for a night of art experiences including live music, dancing, and art exhibitions.

“This is the nice thing about our tour – we’re a little innovative from the traditional viewing tours. We’re participatory,” Banchotova said.

Currently, The Frog Hollow tour will include Banchotova’s space and the nearby Earthdance Studio.

Liz Feyerabrand, an artist whose work is filled with bright, flowing colours and natural designs, is the first guest artist, displaying her work in a tent on Banchotova’s property.

Banchotova said she hopes the tour will expand across Ontario to other artist spaces which celebrate the integration of an artistic lifestyle.

“It celebrates a new era for Frog Hollow,” Banchotova said.

At Friday’s events, guests toured the new vibrant red studio which features Banchotova’s murals on the walls; the floors painted with cosmic designs.

Darlene Dove and Shawn Arscott of Earthdance studio, co-founders of the Frog Hollow Art Tour, said they’re excited to welcome people into their studio space as well.

“Our idea is to show people how [they] can integrate art into their lives,” Dove said. Through the arts, she said she believes people can lead rich fulfilling lives, more attuned to their natural settings. Earthdance Studio is on a 45-acre property which Dove and Arscott have filled with paths and ponds that wind around mineral pathways.

On Friday, as the sun began to dip below the thick forest ringing Banchotova’s studio, the crowd listened to local musician Albert Saxby strum original songs on guitar, watched Joanna Lordess Camillery perform twirling aerial dances on outdoor gymnastic hoops and participated in a smudging, led by Karen Warner.

“Biljanna is a special talent – a lot of people don’t understand what it takes to create art,” Warner said as she drummed a song about collective power.

That act of creation, Banchotova said, is meant to be shared with others. That’s what the Frog Hollow Integrated Art tour seeks to do.

“It’s the way of coming together with the people – I feel that’s what’s most needed at this time, channeling this art,” Banchotova said.

While no artistic experience is necessary to attend the event, Dove said she hopes more artists hop on board to show art: whether at Banchotova’s studio, Earthdance’s wooded property or around Ontario.

“It’s a perfect opportunity for artists to gather together and show their work: it’s like a full range experience,” Dove said. Banchotova said the grand opening of her studio, and the beginning of the tour, is an invitation; come enjoy art, and see how experiencing it together can change lives.

“This is our call – that’s the idea. The call is being sent out,” she said.

For more information on upcoming Frog Hollow Integrated Art Tour events, or to register as a guest artist, visit froghollowarttour.com

Brotherhood anniversary screening

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July 16, 2021

An upcoming prime time broadcast of the movie Brotherhood is scheduled to coincide with the 95th anniversary of the true events that claimed the lives of 11 teenaged boys.

Director Richard Bell said the movie will be on the Super Channel Entertainment Network, at 7:15 p.m. on July 20.

Haliburton audiences might remember the movie screened during the Haliburton International Film Festival in 2019.

The movie is based on the true story of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew leadership camp which, in 1926, encountered a freak summer storm on Ontario’s Balsam Lake.

After a wave overturned their 30-foot war canoe, the young men struggled through the night, clamouring to keep each other above water and alive.

Bell said the broadcast is poignantly timed to begin at the same time as the boys were gathering on the dock to prepare for their adventure across the lake.

Brotherhood is the 2020 winner of the Canadian Screen Award for Achievement in Visual Effects.

Commitment from the rink to the track

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July 16, 2021

Multi-sport athlete and long-time coach Marla MacNaull said she is “humbled” to be recognized in the first group of Haliburton Highlands Sports Hall of Fame inductees.

MacNaull excelled at whatever sport she played. Through her long career, she’s shown how determination, enthusiasm and hard work bring success on the track, crosscountry trails and ice rinks across Canada.

The Hall of Fame committee nominated MacNaull, writing that her stamina, toughness and perseverance “paved the way for equity and inclusion in sport” in Haliburton.

MacNaull laced up her skates and hit the rink with the Haliburton boys PeeWee team in 1977. There was no girls team – but that didn’t stop her.

“I really wanted to play hockey, so my dad made it happen,” said MacNaull. “Some parents on the Haliburton team and the teams we played against weren’t overly excited to have a girl on the ice.”

She quickly became a star on the team – a right winger with a knack for scoring goals and leading the team to wins.

“I did score a lot of goals – because I was good, I was definitely accepted a little bit more,” she said. She still often sees former teammates in Haliburton.

“I have fond memories of that time,” she said.

During high school, she dived into track and field – helping her 1,600-metre relay team reach the OFFSA championship.

In university, she joined the track team and advanced to the national university sports championship

But after realizing McMaster had a women’s hockey team, she decided to hit the Ice again. She found a pair of skates and borrowed some equipment. She tried out for the varsity women’s team – and made it.

That meant balancing three varsity sports alongside her academics: “I liked keeping my days busy,” MacNaull said with a laugh. Later, she narrowed her sporting focus.

“In my third year, I just focused on hockey,” said MacNaull. She became the team’s leading goal scorer in 1987-88 and was named MVP. While studying for her Bachelor of Education at Queens University, she helped the women’s hockey team capture a silver medal at the Ontario university championship.

After university, she played for both the Toronto Aeros and the Surrey Flyers in B.C. With both teams, she won provincial championships.

Despite leaving competitive sports to focus on her teaching career, she never left the gym, field or training pitch; she’s coached everything from basketball to curling.

“It just seemed natural to spend all that time at the gym and coach, so I did,” MacNaull said. “I kind of modelled myself after the teachers I had at the high school.”

Throughout her adult life, she spent summers and holidays in Haliburton. “Even in Toronto, I would always say, the Highlands is home,” MacNaull said. After retiring from her 32-year teaching career, she now lives in the County full-time.

She said she encourages athletes in Haliburton to take advantage of the positive community around them – a community that was so supportive of her growth as a hockey player.

“I think it’s really important that people realize, that even though Haliburton is a small community, that there are a lot of opportunities,” MacNaull said. “Particularly, the community coaches, the high school coaches; they formed who I am.”

Outdoors association surveying fish health

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July 16, 2021