Following a June 24 accident at County Road 14 and County Road 6 in Eagle Lake, Dzintra Zarins called for an all-way stop at Eagle Lake’s main intersection.

She witnessed the aftermath of the collision between an SUV and pick-up truck that morning, which totaled both vehicles and sent a number of people to hospital.

Zarins said she had been living near the “problematic” intersection for 11 years. She added her neighbours had been there 20, and witnessed at least six accidents, but said their requests for action had been pushed aside.

“I’m so sick of this intersection,” Zarins said. “Everybody keeps bypassing it. We’ve been here almost 11 years and we’ve clocked 110km coming down through a 50km zone…like insane…and this could have been seriously fatal as well.”

She called on officials to “at least make it a four-way stop. (It has been a two-way stop). What would that cost? This is just stupid. I’ve watched kids jump guardrails because yoyos are doing 110km and drinking.”

She added the intersection puts kids and elderly at risk as it is right near a busy general store and just down the road from a public beach.

On Aug. 27, residents of Eagle Like got the action they had been asking for as County councillors voted in favor of creating a new all-way stop at the intersection.

Director of public works, Sylvin Cloutier, tabled a report calling for the all-way stop at Haliburton Lake Road and Eagle Lake Road “due to safety concerns related to restricted sightlines and an increase in collision occurrences.”

He said it would improve driver awareness, and enhance safety by reducing confusion and potential collisions.

There have been stop signs only on County Road 6, with County Road 14 uncontrolled.

Cloutier said drivers on County Road 6 have limited sightlines, especially when attempting to cross or enter County Road 14 from a stopped position because of a rock cut, curve, and a residential building. The intersection does not conform with the Ontario Traffic Manual.

Cloutier added, “there have been recent right-angle and turning collisions at this intersection. These crashes are consistent with sight-distance related issues at two-way stop intersections. With increasing local traffic volumes due to residential and business activity in the area, the risk of additional incidents may increase if no action is taken.”

The change will see installing two new stop signs on County Road 14 in both directions, retaining the existing two on County Road 6, installing all-way tabs beneath all four stop signs and installing an advisory stop head with ‘new’ tab signs on Country Road 14.

The price tag is $1,200, covered under the public works department budget.

Cloutier said staff would place ‘new traffic pattern ahead’ warning signs to inform drivers of the change, notify emergency services, residents and road maintenance crews, and put notices on social media and the County’s website.

Coun. Walt McKechnie thanked staff and council for the action.

“Needless to say, I live around that area and say thanks on behalf of all my constituents, and tourists. I frequent that area quite often and it is a very dangerous area. I think this is a great thing for our community.”

The County of Haliburton has estimated it spent $354,096 as a result of the spring ice storm and will be seeking 75 per cent of that from the province of Ontario.

In a report to an Aug. 27 County council meeting, CAO Gary Dyke said costs included staff wages, materials and contracted services – all unbudgeted.

“The County incurred significant unbudgeted costs during our response and clean-up efforts during the state of emergency,” he said.

The March 30 ice storm saw between 35-40 mm of freezing rain fall on the southern portion of Haliburton County during the third largest ice storm event in Ontario history. It caused heavy damage and fallen trees, resulting in widespread power outages, blocked roadways, and disrupted communication networks.

In response, a state of emergency was declared on March 31 by both the County of Haliburton and the Township of Minden Hills, mobilizing local resources and coordinating with provincial agencies to address the immediate needs of residents and critical infrastructure. The state of emergency ended on May 6.

Dyke said about 18,000 out of 25,000 people were without power for three to 14 days; about 300 hydro poles were destroyed and needed replacement; there was lost Bell service for two to three days, including to Haliburton Highlands Health Services; with 130km of County roads and 260km of Minden Hills roads impacted. There were wellness centres and wellness checks. The County picked up storm debris for a month.

The CAO noted the province launched the Municipal Ice Storm Assistance (MISA) program to help townships with the cost; which, in this case, is a 75 per cent, 25 per cent split between Ontario and the County.

Dyke said, “based on the MISA formula, the County is eligible for the recovery of $193,610 or 75 per cent, of the expenses incurred as a result of the ice storm. It is noted that the County also received a recovery grant in the amount of $10,000 from Hydro One. However, it will have to fund the remaining $143,349 itself.

Dyke said, “The County has submitted an expression of interest for submission of a MISA grant application. Subject to approval of County council, the formal MISA grant application will be submitted to the province ahead of the Oct. 31 program deadline.”

Council gave him the green light.

Following months of debate, a majority of County councillors, on Aug. 27, voted in favour of spending $2.5 million to redevelop headquarters at 11 Newcastle St. in Minden, as well as do extensive work on the former Land Registry Office the County owns across the street at 12 Newcastle St.

In previous reports, director of public works Sylvin Cloutier had estimated it would cost $1.145 million for the current County office building, with $600,000 being for accessibility upgrades under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2025 (AODA). He has said 12 Newcastle St. would require $1.3 million, including moving the existing council chambers at 11 Newcastle St. across the road, exterior work, a lift, and AODA compliance.

At recent council meetings, councillors Murray Fearrey and Walt McKechnie, in particular, balked at the spend. They wanted staff to look at other options, such as expanding the current office building at 11 Newcastle St. and selling the former Land Registry Office.

In a report to last Wednesday’s meeting, Cloutier reported back on the possibility of an addition to 11 Newcastle St. and a valuation opinion on 12 Newcastle St.

He said they could add a 2,600-sq-ft twostory addition of 14 by 8.65-metres in the existing loading and parking area out back. He said it could have more meeting and office space, but no council chambers. He added they’d need a geotechnical study, and planning applications.

He said the addition would cost $2,489,737.28, and does not include a possible special foundation, at $200,000, furnishings of $50,000, and AODA of $600,000 for the rest of the building – for a possible total project cost of $3,139,737.28

Meanwhile, he said they got an opinion of $375,000 to $425,000 for the former Land Registry Office.

Staff asked council to approve their original ask from May 28.

It includes AODA compliance, converting council chambers and top floor kitchen to office space, washrooms, basement kitchen, storage and meeting rooms. At 12 Newcastle, there’d be AODA work, a new roof, new council chambers, washrooms, meeting room, kitchen, lobby area and entrance.

Deputy warden Liz Danielsen said council had, “gone through a lot of different considerations and looked at different options” and she was “still absolutely set on the staff recommendation that we proceed with what was proposed to us earlier on in the year, with the council chambers moving to 12 Newcastle St. and the improvements made to this building. I’m good to go with what was originally proposed.”

Coun. Bob Carter did not have an issue doing work at 11 Newcastle St, but said, “I do have a problem with across the street.” He said County council could use Minden Hills’ council chambers. He thought the former Land Registry Office could be sold to somebody.

Fearrey didn’t like the spend, “when people can’t even buy enough groceries.” He also thought they should wait for the results of the service delivery review. He disliked the suggestion to borrow money for the work. “We’re falling in the same rut the provincial and federal governments are in.”

McKechnie echoed Fearrey, saying it was “a lot of money at these times.”

But CAO Gary Dyke said “we’ve done the best we can, with the option the most fiscally responsible one we have.”

Coun. Jennifer Dailloux asked about sharing Minden Hills’ council chambers. Dyke questioned if it would be sustainable. Danielsen said she’d prefer the County have its own chambers.

In a recorded vote, Danielsen, Lisa Schell, Dailloux, Carter and warden Dave Burton voted in favour, with Fearrey, McKechnie and Cecil Ryall against.

Treasurer Andrea Robinson said they would have to borrow just over $2 million for the project.

Bruce Down hammers a nail into a Bluebird box in his South Lake workshop.

Asked why he hasn’t driven it in fully, he explains it is used so people can open the bird feeder to clean it. Also, they might have to quickly go in to protect newborn chicks from blowflies, a parasitic threat to Bluebird nestlings. The larvae of the flies feed on the blood and body fluids of the young birds, potentially impacting their health and survival.

Down is a bird box and bat box builder – giving them away in exchange for donations to charities, including the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation for Hyland Crest long-term care home in Minden.

Selling at farmers markets, he estimated he had raised more than $8,000 for charity since Aug. 1 of last year. That’s roughly 160 boxes.

“I’m very fortunate that 90 per cent of the material I’ve had donated,” he said, taking a break from the woodworking and grabbing a camping chair for a chat on the day before his 90th birthday – which was Aug. 20.

He uses reclaimed barn boards, which are becoming scarce, for the bat boxes. He noted former Minden Hills coun. Ron Nesbitt recently gave him some barn board. Ken Barry has also donated to the bird box cause.

Down has always been into woodworking, a likely byproduct of being born and raised on a farm in the Oshawa area.

The family bought the place on South Lake in 1974, for $9,700, and family and friends built the cottage using beams and barn boards from the family farm. He worked as an agricultural salesman, but the family spent weekends up north until moving up full-time around 15 years ago.

Down recalls dropping into a sawmill near Rosedale one day and the owner offering him slabs for free, since he was just going to burn them anyway.

“That’s what started it, free slabs” he said of the boxes. “I just enjoy doing this kind of stuff.”

It also sprang from loss.

He built boxes to raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation. “We lost our son, Phillip, 23 years ago to blood cancer.” And, Down lost his wife, Joan, who had been at Hyland Crest, last year.

People can find Down in the artisan section of the Minden farmers market some Saturdays. He says he doesn’t go every week. “I have to get ready. If I sell six, I have to make six.” He said it takes him three to four hours to make a bird box, a bit less for the bat ones.

“This is my home…four or five hours a day, but I have to have my tea at 3 p.m.”

At the market, he enjoys the people, and people watching.

“The odd guy will come along and sit there and talk to me for 15-20 minutes. Then he’ll ask, ‘what do you have here anyway’? before wishing me the best of luck and keeping on going.

“I had one guy at Wintergreen last fall who handed me $100, and never said anything, I said, ‘I owe you a bird house’ but he said ‘no.’ I asked for his name and address for a tax receipt. He said ‘no’. I had made some walking sticks, and he took a $5 walking stick.

“It’s the kind of thing that keeps me going, that drives me.”

A nature-inspired children’s book – and partnerships – were featured at Stories in the Park Fun Fair in Haliburton last week.

Author Adele Lamothe read her book, Two Little Raindrops – and, with Children’s Water Festival partners – launched a ‘water storybook walk’ and donated a signed copy of the book to the Dysart branch of the Haliburton County Public Library.

The Haliburton-Muskoka-Kawartha Children’s Water Festival has been extending from their annual offering for schools into sharing fun water stewardship learning at community events, said coordinator Kara Mitchell.

She said, “this new water storybook walk is expected to make a splash” with younger, primary learners they are finding attend their community water hero engagements. She said Two Little Raindrops introduces the water cycle through a rhyming story. Two raindrops are lost and miss their family. They start a journey to find their way back home and have a fun adventure along the way. The book includes a simple diagram of the water cycle and water conservation tips.

“Through my books, I want to entertain children while educating and inspiring them to appreciate this beautiful earth,” Lamothe said. “I believe when children connect with books about nature, they learn to appreciate and respect our environment.”

Mitchell said the water festival will share the walk with regional primary schools and families at future events. They are encouraging families to make a pledge to give back to life-giving water, and share their stories for potential prizes in their ‘big splash contest.’ See waterheroes.ca for more.