Red Hawks go undefeated at home tune-ups

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January 20, 2020

JQ - Girls Volleyball - 1-web — The Haliburton Red Hawks junior girls teams embraces in the midst of a set at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School Jan. 13.

The Red Hawks junior and senior girls volleyball teams went undefeated in their homestand Jan. 13 as they continue to develop towards year-end qualifiers.

The senior team won both their matches and all their sets, defeating Brock and St. Thomas Aquinas (STA). The junior girls won against Brock but tied St. Thomas, splitting a pair of sets.

The juniors came on strong, winning sets by scores of 25-14 and 25-13 against Brock. They beat out STA by 25-10 in their first set but struggled in a 25-22 loss in set two.

Junior girls coach Dan Gimon attributed the last set on the day to some mental fatigue and poor serving.

But despite the stumble, he said his 9-3-2 team can go deep this season.

“We have the potential to go far. We should be able to make it to COSSA (regional championships),” Gimon said. “If they keep playing the way we can, I believe we can get there.”

The senior girls rose to a 7-6 record with a pair of wins, including close sets against Brock (25-22, 25-20) and bigger wins against STA (25-17, 25-14).

Coach Steven Smith said the team had some nerves playing at home, resulting in a closer game against Brock. But they were able to bounce back to defeat STA more handily, he said.

“We had a little talk about that. Tried to get them to settle down and just play their style of volleyball, which they did,” Smith said.

Though the regular season does not affect qualifying games, Smith said he is happy with where the team is at developmentally.

“We are on the right path that I need them to be on,” Smith said. “We’re not going down, we’re not dipping They’re improving every match, every game. Every point, I see some improvements.”

Kawartha qualifying games start Feb. 11.

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

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Lisa Gervais

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January 20, 2020

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EH! column for Jan. 16-web — Banksy’s mural outside London, England. Photo submitted.

Suddenly a shadow, and Lady Elizabeth Simcoe, standing on the shore of Lake Ontario in Toronto in 1793, looks up. She later wrote in her diary that the bright afternoon sky was blackened by huge flocks of passenger pigeons flying in great unison. Today, passenger pigeons are extinct. Sad, but true.

The colonizing mindset of Lord and Lady Simcoe destroyed our natural places and fuels our extinction crisis. If the Simcoes and their ilk had a true curiosity about the sustainable hunting and gathering lifestyles of the First Nation Wyandot peoples they met, instead of participating in their genocide, the earthly soil that feeds us would be thriving, not hurt and depleted.

The Extinction Rebellion slogan “Business as usual = Death” is true. Today was business as usual. Tomorrow will be business as usual. This fact means death for all we treasure, for children, for kangaroos and koala bears. To feel that truth each day is to be in a cruel despair, then a rhythm of rage, grief, and determined peaceful intention.

The artist Banksy painted a mural outside in London, England in support of Extinction Rebellion.

In the 60s, the hippies said, “you’re either on the bus or off the bus.” The carbon neutral bus will leave without you. We are changing from rampant Black Friday consumers to gardeners, nurturing and tending the commons. How does your garden grow?

Is it up to me and you to act to solve the climate crisis, or the government to pass laws forcing the public and companies to change? Ideally, both are in lockstep, but because our government’s lifeblood is business as usual, it is failing at its number one responsibility, to take care of us. Here in Ontario and worldwide, governments are losing all legitimacy, and increasing numbers of people support Extinction Rebellion’s demand for a citizens’ assembly to keep our planet liveable.

Extinction is final. Passenger pigeons are never coming back. But we can reclaim what was wild and beautiful in them, in us. I felt a deep resonance when I found a community holding the truth that the Second Coming is not the physical body of Jesus coming back. The Second Coming is being revealed slowly now, a profound and creative compassion we can allow
to flourish as it expresses itself through us. In Haliburton, I can stargaze. It’s free pure bliss, a rebellion against our selfish economy. I can reflect that inspired feeling of wonder and awe in my vocation and daily activities.

You can’t fool Mother Nature. We need to be carbon neutral in Haliburton, including composting our commercial/institutional organics, green tourism, and no natural gas pipeline. Norm in Gelert smokes the rainbow trout I grow in my backyard pond, so delicious it seems to melt in my mouth. All of us thriving together within this paradise is so close, I can taste it. In truth we can rebel against the rat race world, for life. Please join us: oliver@web.net. (Submitted by Oliver Zielke)

Report: Some Highlands East officials suggest fire hall closures

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Lisa Gervais

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January 17, 2020

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JQ - Highlands East briefs - 2 — The Highlands East organizational review indicated some Highlands East officials suggested closing fire halls as a solution to an overabundance of facilities. File photo.

Unidentified Highlands East officials told consultants that fire halls in the municipality should be closed, according to an organizational assessment.

Consultant firm Savino Human Resource Partners Limited (SHRP) recommended the closure of one or two of Highlands East’s five fire halls in a report presented to council Oct. 8. It also recommended creating one central office for administration and department heads. The report said it “is not financially prudent for the municipality to continue to run and maintain” all of its facilities.

Those recommendations stemmed from face-to-face interviews with municipal staff and council. The interview summary section of the report was not immediately made public but The Highlander obtained it via a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act request. The section said multiple staff and/ or council members suggested closing fire halls and consolidating offices, but not all were identified.

“All people interviewed agreed that there are too many locations to currently maintain,” the report said. “The two most common suggestions for facilities consolidation by people interview included:

“Reduce the number of fire stations by 1 or 2 and have agreements with neighbouring municipalities to cover the affected areas. Reduce the number of municipal offices down to one and have all Deptartment Heads and Admin staff work from the same location.”

Another recommendation was to centralize equipment purchases, SHRP said.

SHRP interviewed 18 people. Those were three council members, including Mayor Dave Burton, chief administrative officer Shannon Hunter, all department heads and other staff. The interviews were kept anonymous with no indication of who was interviewed or what each person said.

It is not clear who suggested closing halls or what information that was based on. The talks occurred in June before any specific, up-to-date facilities data had been presented to either council or the Highlands East Fire Committee. The committee, which is tasked with reviewing fire services, is exploring fewer fire halls as an option but has yet to make any recommendations to council.

Most of the report detailed surveys on internal operations.

Councillors want more information

The Highlander reached out to all Highlands East councillors about their positions on closing fire halls. Each of them indicated more information needs to come forward before deciding.

”I have not got, nor has any council member, enough information to decide or comment on closing anything. I think it’s premature,” Burton said.

Fire committee chair and Coun. Cam McKenzie said he was surprised to see the recommendation to close halls. He added his mind is still open and the committee has more work ahead of it.

“I don’t have enough information (to decide), personally,” he said.

Other councillors echoed similar sentiments.

“I need much more information,” Coun. Suzanne Partridge said. “I, personally, have not ever stated that I felt any fire hall should be closed.”

Coun. Ruth Strong said she thinks having one fire hall come into place between Wilberforce and Highland Grove would be something to consider, depending on costs. But she added more needs to be brought forward.

“I feel much more thought and discussion has to be put into this before making decisions,” Strong said.

Deputy Mayor Cec Ryall said he has yet to decide. He added council must consider different options and factors such as insurance rates.

He further said a recommendation coming forward does not mean it reflects the municipality’s opinion.

“It’s up for consideration but that’s as far as it is at,” Ryall said. “At the end of the day, it’s up for us to go through and determine what we would or would not do.”

MacKenzie said the fire committee would discuss the organizational and facility reviews.

When asked, he said he would not personally put much stock into SHRP’s recommendation to close fire halls.

“Down the road, council will have to make some decisions. I think council’s going to be open-minded.”

Dogsled Derby gets green light after storm scare

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Lisa Gervais

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January 17, 2020

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Calendar - dog sled derby - web — File photo.

Organizers have declared the Haliburton Highlands Dogsled Derby will go ahead after determining trails were in good enough shape despite a winter storm.

The 18^th annual event Jan. 18-19 brings in competitors to race out of the Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre. The event usually attracts approximately 100 competitors, primarily from Ontario, Quebec and the U.S.

A winter storm Jan. 11-12 put the race under threat, with concern about having enough snow and trails getting too icy. But organizers said conditions were good enough to go-ahead.

“Thankfully, the temperatures dropped perfectly,” organizer and Winterdance Dogsled Tours owner Tanya McCready said. “The rain turned to snow and froze so as to not create snow sitting on top of ice but rather a solid base to work on.”

The weekend features several different disciplines, including four, six and eight-dog races, skijoring and kid and youth races. New this year is a kicksled race, a smaller sled pulled by small teams of dogs.

“Far as we’re aware this will be the first time it has been offered as a race in Ontario,” McCready said. “Allow folks with one to two dogs and a small sled to be able to come out and join in the derby.”

She said dogsledding intersects with the core of Haliburton.

“In our mind, Haliburton is all about the love of outdoors, nature, adventure and the connections in between,” McCready said. “Mushing encompasses all of those things that are such cornerstones.”

The free event begins Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m., continuing throughout both days. The Pinestone will also be providing a Bob Seger tribute band for entertainment Saturday at 8 p.m. Organizers ask people to keep non-competing dogs at home as they can distract.

“It is amazing having that many dogs from all over Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. all in Haliburton getting to do what they live [for] and love to do,” McCready said.

TLDSB schools closing for one-day strike

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Lisa Gervais

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January 16, 2020

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JQ - Union update - 1-web — Local high school teachers will return to the picket line Jan. 21 for another one-day strike. This time, elementary teachers are also striking the same day. File photo.

The Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) is preparing to close all of its schools Jan. 21 in the wake of union strike action.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announced Jan. 16 the board would be part of a one-day strike unless a deal with the province can be reached. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) also announced it would withdraw services in TLDSB that day as part of its series of rotating strikes unless a deal happens.

This is the first time elementary teachers are striking this year, amidst stalled talks with the province. TLDSB ETFO teacher representative Karen Bratina said provincial negotiators have not met with teachers frequently and are not making progress in talks.

“They’re not handling it at all. This government is trying to make our world-class, publicly-funded public education system cheaper,” Bratina said. “They want to continue to further cut public elementary education.”

Unions across the province have expressed concerns about provincial plans to decrease class funding, increasing average class sizes from 22 to 25 at the high school level and 22 to 23 at the Grade 4 to 8 level. Other issues include compensation levels, mandating online learning in high schools and addressing violence in elementary.

Minister of Education Stephen Lecce criticized the escalation of job action. In response to ETFO strikes, he announced the province would provide parents direct funding to pay for childcare for students impacted by strikes.

“Our aim has always been to reach a negotiated settlement that keeps kids in class, which we have done successfully with multiple labour partners to date,” said Lecce in a Jan.15 press release. “We recognize the impact of union escalation on families is real, and unions expect hard-working families to bear the costs of their cyclical labour action.”

Details about the funding are available at Ontario.ca/SupportForParents or by calling 888-444-3770.

Other action

Besides rotating strikes, schools are experiencing the impacts of other job actions. Unions withdrew from EQAO preparation last November, resulting in January’s TLDSB Grade 9 EQAO math testing being pushed back. OSSTF also announced additional sanctions to start Jan. 20, including teachers no longer providing on-calls. They also specified Jan. 21 would be the last strike day until after the secondary school exam period.

ETFO began other service withdrawals Jan. 13, including no longer supervising after-school extra-curricular activities, no longer participating in assemblies except for supervision and no longer participating in field trips.

Bratina said she has met with TLDSB students and they are supportive. She said teachers are determined to continue fighting against cuts, but wanted to assure parents kids are still being taught.

“The teachers in Trillium Lakelands continue to teach the required curriculum to students,” Bratina said. “We, as educators, are going to fight to make it better because we know that the issues that matter to us matter to parents.”

Pinestone takes umbrage with county tourism

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Lisa Gervais

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January 15, 2020

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JQ - County Tripadvisor - 2-sdb — Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre general manager John Teljeur wrote the county tourism committee in opposition to TripAdvisor. File photo.

The county tourism committee is taking a harder look at plans to use TripAdvisor after a letter of protest from the Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre.

The tourism committee discussed the letter during its Jan. 8 meeting. The message from Pinestone general manager John Teljeur spoke out against an idea in the county’s 2020 marketing plan to create a new destination page for the Haliburton Highlands with TripAdvisor in a bid to promote the area.

Teljeur said every accommodator tries to reduce the impact of “excessive commissions” paid to the likes of TripAdvisor when guests book through their services. The company takes a percentage cut when someone books through them, which Teljeur said can cost Pinestone thousands of dollars. He further said he does not think stakeholders were consulted enough about the idea.

“You’re essentially opening the flood gates to something we work so hard to prevent,” Teljeur said. “Please reconsider.”

Committee member Rob Berthlot agreed, citing similar concerns as a business owner.

“My perception is this is letting the fox into the henhouse. I have no idea where it will develop into,” Berthlot said.

Director of tourism Amanda Virtanen said the TripAdvisor destination page is a new product the municipality would pay into, with assurance it is a different model and would not take from bookings.

“We’re all in this together. I’m not going to recommend a tactic I don’t think will work. We have full control over all the content,” Virtanen said. “When you Google ‘where to stay in Haliburton Highlands,” the first thing that comes up is TripAdvisor and I’d rather control that content.”

However, Virtanen said she could bring back a presentation provided by TripAdvisor providing more details on the initiative.

“Slow it down a bit,” committee chair and Coun. Carol Moffatt said. “Take a look and make sure we’re not putting the sled at the top of a slippery slope.”

Hike Haliburton protested

Teljeur also took issue with the County’s ongoing investment and management of Hike Haliburton. He said the event should be more self-sufficient and is getting preference over other tourist events in the area. He also spurned the upcoming inaugural winter-edition of Hike Haliburton in February.

“The amount of money (and staff time) siphoned from the County tourism department would be better spent on things that actually bring people to the area. Stay in your lane,” Teljeur said.

A total of 2,790 people participated in hikes and events at the 2019 festival, according to the County report. About 65 per cent of the 186 people who responded to a survey after the festival indicated they were from outside the Highlands.

The County budgeted $38,000 for Hike Haliburton in 2019, including planning for the upcoming winter edition. The regular version subsequently fundraised $20,205 from the public, according to the festival summary report.

Committee members responded that Hike Haliburton is an important event they would like to continue running. Tegan Legge said it has only improved since the county took it over.

“I do truly believe it brings a lot of people into the community and they do come back,” she said.

Student artists get “spaced out” for exhibition

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Lisa Gervais

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January 14, 2020

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JQ - Student art exhibition - 2 - web — Owen Joseph Wooton explains his art piece to an audience at the opening of a student art exhibition.

High school students showcased their artistic talents in a variety of mediums at the annual student exhibition at the Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre Jan. 9.

The exhibition, entitled “SPACED OUT, featured works from 20 Grade 11 and 12 Haliburton Highlands Secondary School art students, all centred around the theme. The pieces were developed throughout classes and will be on display until Jan. 25.

Student Anabelle Craig said she had worries about her piece, ‘I am there,’ over the Christmas break but she is satisfied seeing how it turned out.

“I’m very proud. I’m quite pleased with what I accomplished,” Craig said. “It kind of warms my heart to see my work up and to see my friend’s work up.”

The annual exhibition has gone on for about 14 years now, art teacher Karen Gervais said. She said the students learn about working under deadlines, configuring an exhibition and conveying meaning to an audience.

“It’s an authentic kind of learning experience,” Gervais said. “They’re not just making the work for themselves. They’re thinking about the broader audience and the people that are going to see the work and the message they want to communicate.”

The artwork on display was varied, ranging from paintings to embroidery to metal and glasswork. Some pieces utilized the exhibition theme more literally to depict outer space, while others were more abstract, showing physical and emotional spaces.

“It’s a good theme because you can take it any way you want,” Craig said. “It was fun to just experiment.”

Gervais said the exhibition is a good chance for the public to see what is on the minds of youth.

“They should just come to see the way our youth is thinking and the really thought-provoking ideas they’re communicating through their work,” she said. “As well as some of the tremendous skill levels that these young artists have.”

County plans 15 per cent greenhouse gas reduction target

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Lisa Gervais

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January 14, 2020

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JQ - County Greenhouse gas - 1-web — County of Haliburton climate change co-ordinator Korey McKay addresses council for the first time Jan. 8.

The County of Haliburton is planning to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent from its 2018 levels over the next decade.

The committee of the whole voted to recommend the target during its Jan. 8 meeting. If approved by council, the county would aim to bring its carbon dioxide emissions from a baseline of 859 tonnes annually to 730 tonnes by 2030. The target would be incorporated as part of the county’s future climate change mitigation plan.

The new climate change co-ordinator Korey McKay said the targets she presented were carefully balanced and feasible.

“We want the target to stress urgency but also be realistic,” McKay said. “We know the science is telling us we need to reduce our emission as much as possible and as soon as possible and we want to show leadership. But at the same time, we don’t want to set ourselves up for failure.”

The county’s emissions are divided into only two categories: its vehicle fleet, comprising 82 per cent of the total emissions, and its buildings.

The 15 per cent reduction was technically the least ambitious of three options presented by staff, who also offered 17 per cent and 20 per cent targets. But McKay said all the options were ambitious.

Still, councillors expressed some concern about actually achieving any of the targets presented. Growth was a major issue cited. Under the status quo, based on current population growth rates, staff estimate greenhouse emissions would be 13 per cent higher in 2030 compared to 2018.

“This is nice to put on a piece of paper,” Coun. Patrick Kennedy said. “But where the rubber meets the road, I don’t think you’re going to be able to achieve it when you have a growing county here.”

“I struggle with how you choose a target, when you pick a target when you don’t know the impacts,” Coun. Carol Moffatt said.

She further said it was important the plan be flexible as more information comes about what reductions will mean financially and practically.

“People are watching. We want to work with the public and do the right things for the right reasons,” Moffatt said. “I would feel awful if we set a target we couldn’t meet and felt that we let people down.”

Director of planning Charsley White said staff worked on making their proposed targets realistic. She added longer-term decision-making, such as replacing gas vehicles with hybrids, would slowly reduce the municipal carbon footprint.

“Even if we’re not perfect at getting to the target that is selected, any change is better than doing nothing,” White said. “It’s not intended to be a static plan. We’ll progress as we go and build upon the lessons that we’ve learned.”

High School puts on Rocky Horror Picture Show

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Lisa Gervais

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January 13, 2020

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HS- Rocky Horror 1-web — “What’s it Say?” wonders the cast of Rocky Horror as Dr. Scott (Quinten Little) reads his letter. Photo by Hannah Sadlier.

Haliburton Highlands Secondary School students are time warping to put on the famed Rocky Horror Picture Show Jan. 12-14.

The school’s drama class will perform the 1973 musical about a lost engaged couple who are swept up into the castle of mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter. Grade 11 student Jordy Schell is starring as Brad Majors. He said he loves how the musical pushes boundaries.

“This show really exemplifies that art has no limits and it’s a huge leap for our high school to tackle a show with such mature and deep content and share it with our community,” Schell said.

The musical, which spawned an R-Rated movie, has been toned down for the high school stage but is still mature, according to Grade 12 student Codie Wilkinson, who is playing Dr. Furter.

“We had to change quite a bit just to make it more appropriate for the audience that would be attending,” Wilkinson said. “I don’t think anything too big has been drastically changed.”

The production features an ensemble cast of 14 students. Wilkinson said it is a show he wanted to do, given the musical’s LGBTQ representation.

“It’s been really fun, although it’s gotten a little stressful toward the end nearing the show,” he said. “Feel pretty well-prepared but something can always go wrong.”

Weather created challenges over the weekend, as a cancelled practice resulted in the Sunday matinee becoming a by-donation dress rehearsal. But both the performances Sunday went on as scheduled and will continue Monday and Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or the school’s main office.

Wilkinson said it is good for the community to get a glimpse of what is happening at the high school by seeing the show.

“It’s going to be a fun time,” he said. “See how it’s changed the last few years and see the talent we have to offer.”

(With files from Hannah Sadlier).

Haliburton businesses hit by break-ins

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Lisa Gervais

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January 10, 2020

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JQ - OPP News Jan. 9 - 1-web — Kosy Korner waitress Amber O’Rae stands next to the door damaged in a break-in Dec. 26. “It’s the first break-in that’s ever happened and I hope it’s the last one.” Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Kosy Korner owner Ann Gordon said the community “doesn’t feel safe anymore” after her restaurant was broken into Dec. 26.

In a press release, Haliburton Highlands OPP said they responded that night and discovered the front door glass was smashed. The surveillance video showed a hooded suspect entered and stole a tip jar with approximately $40. Police are still investigating.

Gordon said the perpetrator also tipped over the cash drawer trying to get more money, to no avail. She said the repair costs are still uncertain but the damage is in the thousands.

“I’m disappointed. Disappointing that Haliburton has got now a crime rate,” Gordon said. “Got called from other business owners trying to compare notes.”

She said it is the first time since 2005 that someone has broken into the place.

“It’s just the whole feeling of violation,” Gordon said. “We were here from midnight to 4 a.m. … Just a long, disappointing night.”

The Kosy Korner is not the only business to fall victim to break-ins. The Parkside Laundry suffered thousands in damages Dec. 29 after someone broke into the facility to try to steal from the change machine – the second time it has happened in two months.

“It’s just a very frustrating thing,” owner Craig Gordon said. “They’re never going to get any money out of it but they can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage I have to replace.”

He said he expects to pay the damages out of pocket, for fear of having their insurance cancelled through multiple claims in a short timeframe. He added the systemic issues behind crime need to be addressed, whatever they are.

“If the motive behind them is drug problems, we need to fix that,” he said. “The crime is never going to go away until we can get to the root of why the crime happens in the first place.”

Co-owner Colby Marcellus posted pictures of the suspect from security footage on Facebook, wearing a dark coat with his face covered.

Ann Gordon said breaking in was ridiculous and few businesses keep much cash on site.

“If you get that desperate, there are always people you can talk to,” she said. “There are agencies, there are people, there are small communities. People care. Forty bucks is not worth going to jail.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Haliburton Highlands OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

OPP search for stolen cache of guns

The OPP is searching for a cache of 12 firearms stolen from Glamor Lake Road sometime between Nov. 1-8.

In a Jan. 2 press release, OPP said there were both restricted and non-restricted weapons taken from the residence. OPP continue to investigate.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or anonymously at Crime Stoppers.

Charges for breaking into school

Police charged a Highlands East woman with breaking and entering after allegedly discovering her inside a Bancroft school.

Bancroft OPP responded to a call Dec. 31 around 2:30 p.m. They found the school was forcibly entered and located the suspect inside the building.

The woman is also charged with possession of a banned substance, suspected fentanyl. She is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bancroft Jan. 28.