Dysart gets dire warning on recycling

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August 19, 2019

JQ - Recycling crash - 1-web — Waste Connections of Canada plant manager Ludwig Biliko warned about increasing recycling costs during a presentation to Dysart et al council Aug. 8.

The recycling sector delivered a warning to Dysart et al’s environment committee that costs to manage recyclables are going up.

Garbutt Disposal and Waste Connections of Canada both presented to the committee Aug. 8. Due to a crash in worldwide recycling commodity prices, both companies spoke to the increased cost of doing business that is soon going to hit municipal budgets harder.

“We’re facing severe cost pressures,” committee chair John Smith said. “Nobody’s buying most of the stuff that goes into a recycling container.”

Garbutt Disposal sought municipal compensation for the cardboard hauling it currently provides to local businesses. Garbutt previously did this as no cost to the municipality, but now seeks $100 per tonne.

Owner Jim Garbutt explained that they now operate at a loss hauling two to 2.5 tonnes of cardboard away from Dysart et al each week. The alternative will be the municipality having to pay to haul that cardboard from its landfills itself.

“Not a feasible thing for Dysart to do,” Garbutt said. “Better off to pay us.”

The recycling market has plummeted the past couple of years due to the world’s largest recyclable importer, China, cutting down on what it is willing to take. Garbutt Disposal also told Minden council May 30 the company was closing its Lochlin recycling facility but could continue doing cardboard if Minden council could pay a $100 per tonne processing fee.

He also suggested Minden Hills could take over the recycling facility itself, which he echoed to Dysart et al.

“Maybe Dysart and Minden should think about talking together and they can process,” Garbutt said.

Smith said the committee plans to speak with local businesses about the amount of waste and recycling they produce.

“Our model frankly was set up to serve individual residents,” Smith said. “We need to find another model.”

He told Garbutt Disposal to put a proposal in writing for municipal staff to work through.

Waste Connections warns of costs

Waste Connections of Canada plant manager Ludwig Biliko also presented to the committee to talk about rising costs of recycling. The company is contracted to handle recycling for Dysart et al until the end of the year.

Biliko said the contract would be honoured at current prices. But he warned when the municipality puts out a request for proposals for 2020, the prices will be different.

“There’s changes in the world coming. Huge changes,” Biliko said.

One of those changes is the province shifting to a producer-led recycling system. The province announced Aug. 15 it would proceed with transitioning to a producer-responsibility model over the next six years. Under the plan, producers would take on the responsibility as early as 2023.

With that, Biliko said the municipality need not necessarily take drastic action.

“We’re going to try to do our best to curb our costs,” Biliko said. “At the end of the day, that number is going to be what it is.”

Waste Connections also has recycling contracts in Algonquin Highlands and Highlands East.

Dysart reverses stance on Hydro herbicide usage

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Lisa Gervais

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August 15, 2019

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Garlon ban — Dysart et al Mayor Andrea Roberts said delaying a ban on Garlon would be a fair compromise. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Dysart et al’s Environment Committee is recommending a temporary end to the ban preventing Hydro One from spraying the toxic herbicide Garlon in the municipality.

The committee voted Aug. 8 to recommend Hydro One be given until 2021 to come up with alternatives to using the substance for vegetation control. In the meantime, the setback from water bodies for the chemical’s use would be 300 metres.

Council must approve the recommendation before it comes into force.

“You don’t stop something just overnight,” committee member and Coun. Larry Clarke said. “You got responsibilities. The way I look at it, Hydro One’s got responsibilities for protecting those corridors.”

Clarke referred to a presentation made by Hydro One to the committee May 16. Hydro One argued alternatives to their use of Garlon, which they use to prevent trees from extending into power lines, are not more environmentally-friendly. Hydro One said machinery like chainsaws, which they would use instead, are polluters.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said the municipality has to consider the concerns of both lake associations and Hydro One.

“That’s a very reasonable compromise,” Roberts said of the resolution.

Garlon has fallen under scrutiny for several months, as the product is known to be highly toxic to aquatic habitats if it gets into water bodies. That prompted Dysart et al to ban Hydro One’s use of the substance April 23.

Committee chair John Smith highlighted the health and environmental risks associated with Garlon. He also referred to a series of messages from local lake associations who spoke out against the chemical.

“People care so much about this and there’s so much emotion involved,” Smith said.

Redstone Lake Cottagers Association past president Harvey Bates has spoken out about Garlon and previously presented to the committee about it. He questioned whether this would really incentivize Hydro One to find new alternatives.

“It’s a part measure, it’s kind of a goodwill gesture that lets them off the hook in Haliburton,” Bates said.

Haliburton Lake Cottagers’ Association (HLCA) president Glenn Scott voiced opposition to Garlon in an email to the committee.

“The HLCA does not support the use of Garlon by Hydro One. As an association we simply do not wish to accept the risk of known or unknown consequences in the use of Garlon, to our greatest asset or wildlife, which may not surface for years,” Scott said.

Hydro One media relations spokesperson Richard Francella said the company cares deeply about community safety, including environmental stewardship.

“We remain committed to working with the Dysart et al community to develop an approach that follows the parameters set up by the municipality,” he said.

Coun. Walt McKechnie, who agreed with the resolution delaying the ban, said everybody cares about lake health. But he added he would like to see evidence of Garlon and other contaminants getting into Haliburton’s lake waters.

“I know there has been many, many, many water tests done on all our lakes, thank goodness. I’m just wondering in those tests, is there evidence? Is there a way to tell?”

Dysart et al council is next scheduled to meet Aug. 27.

Bark Lake makes progress on rebuild

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Lisa Gervais

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August 15, 2019

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Bark Lake Centre — Highlands East municipal planner Chris Jones presents before council Aug. 13. Jones said all indications are that Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre will be able to proceed in the fall with rebuilding a burnt down reservation centre. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

The Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre is progressing on plans to rebuild its recreation centre which burned down in 2016.

Highlands East council approved a new zoning bylaw for the property Aug. 13. The bylaw changes the zoning for the area which once housed the recreation centre to allow the rebuild to proceed.

Municipal planner Chris Jones said after an appeal period, a site plan should come before council in September. If council approves that, the centre can apply for a development permit.

“All indications are they should be able to get going on this in the fall,” Jones said.

The recreation centre burned down along with a museum structure on June 29, 2016, causing more than $1 million in damages. The area has gone undeveloped since then but the centre announced Oct. 31, 2018, that they would rebuild.

“The new building, overlooking Bark Lake, will be a multi-use, energy-efficient building. We expect to have it completed by the end of 2019,” the centre said on its Facebook page.

The centre’s general manager Pat Harley said “We thank the Highlands East council for their foresight in approving the re-zoning application.”

In a report at the July 23 council meeting, Jones said the lands at the centre were previously zoned limitedservice residential. That was to accommodate a potential recreational development with cottage lots and several communal facilities.

“However, the transitional development proposed for Bark Lake has recently evolved and the owner is now proposing to revise the draft approval to accommodate a mixed-use concept that would maintain some elements of the leadership centre while also developing lands for recreational cottage developments,” Jones said in the report.

The new bylaw changes the zoning of the centre and a neighbouring parcel to a tourist commercial exception zone.

The proposed new building would have a ground floor area of 6,598 square feet. The zoning bylaw also allows for auxiliary structures such as a storage building, bathroom facility, one tuck stop and two staff accommodation buildings. Parking will also be added with the building, Jones said. T

The bylaw said the rebuilt structure will be used for administration, programming and activities of the Bark Lake Leadership Centre. It may also be used for banquets, retreats and other special events.

TORC races roaring back to Head Lake waters

By

Meagan Secord

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August 15, 2019

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Barb Hammond, organizer of the Haliburton Outboard Powerboat races, said she brought the races here because she remembers going to them as a kid.

“They used to boat race I think in the 70’s,” she said. “As a kid I can remember them coming to Haliburton Lake and the noise of the boats.”

This is the fifth year the Toronto Outboard Racing Club is bringing a race to Head Lake and Hammond’s seventh year as a member of the club.

She said the lake is a great spot to host the event because it has perfect conditions for racing.

“Haliburton is a fabulous venue because with this type of boat racing it’s important that the water be calm and the wind be ideal,” said Hammond. “Socially it’s a great spot because you can park where you’re racing and have access to the town, stores and places to stay. A lot of the venues … you can have a lake but there’s nowhere the racers can go for food.”

Although the town is a great venue, there are always concerns about noise levels when the racing begins. Hammond said she loves holding the event here but also understands where people are coming from.

She said the race in Haliburton is one of the only races that doesn’t allow testing the day before and they make sure to start later on Sundays out of respect for church services. T

he Haliburton race won two awards last year for its circuit and dedication to the sport. The race won the Jack Abel Memorial Award, an award presented to a person or organization that, in the opinion of the selection board, has made an outstanding contribution to the Canadian Boating Federation, as well as the Best Race of the Season award.

According to Hammond, all the money from T-shirt sales, raffle tickets, entry fees and some sponsorships goes to the Haliburton Hospital Auxiliary.

Raffle prizes include a signed Matt Duchene jersey. The event has 41 sponsors and approximately 90 racers involved.

“We try to make it a fundraiser for the Haliburton Hospital Auxiliary,” she said. “Some of the sponsors didn’t want to give money. They’d rather donate a gift, so I ended up with a bunch of gifts that I didn’t know what to do with so I ended up raffling them off.”

The races are free to the public and will take place Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Aug. 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will also be a meet and greet Aug 16 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. where the public can meet the racers and see the boats outside of the water.

Readers gearing up for the big book club

By

Meagan Secord

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August 15, 2019

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MS - BIG BOOK CLUB — Photo by Meagan Secord

Susanna Kearsley, author of the novel Bellewether, said it’s important to bring authors to small communities and encourage young writers.

“When I was young, I always wanted to write. Living in a small community, we never had writers do book talks or come to our schools,” she said. “I think it’s really important for, especially school aged children, to see that writers don’t just live in the city, but they’re normal people doing a normal profession.”

Kearsley is the writer in residence chosen by the Haliburton Highlands Literary Arts Roundtable for this year. The program brings a Canadian writer to Haliburton for a week to help them focus on their writing.

In exchange for the time to write in the Highlands, the author is asked to speak to the community about the profession and their own work.

“This gives an opportunity for people to start to see the Haliburton Highlands as a community of the arts with respect to writers as well as visual and performing arts,” said Marie Gage, a member of the Haliburton Reads and Writes Committee. “It brings people into the community for a writerly or readerly event.”

The Haliburton Reads and Writes Big Book Club will be on Sept. 15 and give people the chance to speak with Kearsley about her novel Bellewether, directly.

Kearsley applied to the program and was selected for her work in the historical fiction genre.

“I write dual time stories that generally involve modern characters dealing with mysteries of the past,” she said.

Most of her novels are two stories, one past, one present, in one. According to Kearsley, the inspiration for the novel came from her own families’ history with war. She had a lot of questions and decided to write a book about what it might have been like for not only them, but the people they were fighting as well.

She said being a curator for Scugog Shores Museum also helps spark inspiration for her stories. Reading historic letters and journals gives her ideas for characters and plot lines that are based on real events.

Gage said the residency encourages authors to work on their writing surrounded by nature and Kearsley plans on doing just that with her newest novel called The Vanished Days, a prequel to The Winter Sea.

The Big Book Club is being held at the Haliburton Legion from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and is admission by donation. People interested in attending don’t have to read the novel but can buy it at 20 per cent off at Master’s Book Store if interested.

There will be light refreshments, a book signing and a silent auction taking place throughout the evening.

Riding the rails down to the waterfront

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 13, 2019

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Cottage inclinator — Inclined Elevation president John Weinstein stands in front of an elevator he built at a cottage on Blueberry Line on July 11. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Nestled at a cottage on top of a steep hill lays a mass of metal fashioned into a track plunging towards a lake.

Peering down from atop a lift makes it resemble a rollercoaster. But riding down to the waterfront at Drag Lake is slow, steady and minimizes the sense of a plunge. The 346-foot structure is Dysart et al’s first built by Inclined Elevation, which gives hillside cottages a way to directly access the water. The $200,000 device was completed last month at 2016 Blueberry Line, which is for sale and had an open house July 10-11.

Inclined Elevation president Dr.John Weinstein said his work building the elevators makes a major difference.

“These people had to go load a fourwheel-drive vehicle, drive out and down this really dangerous road to get to the water,” Weinstein said. “Now, it’s a fourminute ride and it’s totally safe.”

Weinstein has built more than 80 lifts since 2003, scattered across cottage country including Muskoka, Kawartha Lakes, Huntsville and Quebec. The theoretical particle physicist said there are difficulties to overcome when designing a lift such as this.

“How do you pick this route? How do you find where to go?” Weinstein said. “There’s lots and lots of challenges.”

But the man said he relishes that.

“It’s so much fun. I have to think. I have to solve problems. Not the kind of problems I did as a physicist, but similar.”

The lift is a value-added proposition for the property, listed at $3,999,000. Realtor Chilla Riddle said the elevator is a fun ride.

“It’s nice and smooth and you see everything. It complements the surroundings.”

The lift required a variance from Dysart et al to build. Weinstein said the structures are largely unregulated, but designed and engineered with safety in mind.

“We’re only unregulated if we don’t have an accident,” Weinstein said. “We check every nook and cranny … because we love being unregulated. We don’t have to follow rules that other people, bureaucrats have set out.”

To date, no accidents involving the lifts have occurred, he added.

Although it is a first for Dysart, this is not the first in Haliburton County. Jim Carnegie had one built at his cottage in Minden in 2010. Carnegie said his wife has a disability. He added the lift has allowed them to go from two or three waterfront trips per year to more than 20.

“If it wasn’t for that, we probably wouldn’t have a cottage,” Carnegie said. “Had zero problems with it and it was exactly what he promised it would be.”

“It transforms people’s lives,” Weinstein said. “It’s a really neat thing to be able to do.”

Highlands East cracking down on messy properties

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Lisa Gervais

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August 13, 2019

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Highlands East council narrowly passed a new clean and clear bylaw July 23 which aims to help address messy properties and clarify waste standards.

The new bylaw is an update to one from 2004. It changes the definitions of what refuse is disallowed on yards. The municipality can also now dish out penalties without going through the court systems by using notices.

In a May staff report, bylaw enforcement officer Wayne Galloway said the bylaw has been worked on since September 2018 due to issues enforcing the old one.

“After several attempts to work within the confines of the bylaw, it was decided that it would be better to draft an entirely new bylaw,” Galloway said. “There have been several complaints in regards to various properties within the municipality not conforming to the Clean and Clear bylaw.”

The new bylaw allows the municipality to clean up a property itself, should a notice not be adhered to. In that case, any costs associated can be added to tax rolls, Galloway said. The new bylaw also narrows the definitions of waste disallowed on property. Galloway said the 2004 bylaw’s definitions were so broad, that every property could be found in violation.

But the bylaw did not pass cleanly. In a recorded vote, Deputy mayor Cec Ryall and Coun. Cam McKenzie voted against it, while Mayor Dave Burton, Coun. Ruth Strong and Coun. Suzanne Partridge voted in favour.

The bylaw forbids the presence of any refuse in any yards, which includes garbage, construction materials, appliances, furniture, derelict vehicles and discarded boats. Weeds and grass are also to be limited to 20 cm and under, but exceptions are made for naturalized areas like shorelines and agricultural.

McKenzie said he voted against due to a clause on road allowances. The bylaw makes an exception for road allowances, meaning grass on them can be longer than 20 cm.

McKenzie referred to Cardiff and Bicroft Heights. He said road allowances there have been maintained by residents for more than 50 years and it’s become “next to impossible to tell where the road allowance ends and the actual privately-owned lawn begins.

“This new bylaw states that these road allowances will no longer need to be maintained by anyone,” McKenzie said in a prepared statement at council. “The impact on our small community could change its appearance greatly. The front half of the properties could be allowed to turn into hay fields and weed patches.”

Violators of the bylaw also face potential fines up to $5,000, which remains unchanged from the 2004 version.

The full text of the new bylaw is available through the July 23 council agenda at haliburton.civicweb.net.

Former arts college getting demolished

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 13, 2019

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Old College Teardown — Workers begin demolition at the old arts college building at 1 Sunnyside Street. Submitted photo.

Carole Finn said it does not bother her seeing the demolition of the former home to the art college she helped found.

Workers have begun tearing down the building at 1 Sunnyside St., which once housed what is today known as Haliburton School of Arts and Design. Garden Retirement Developments Inc. plans to build a new 74-unit seniors residence on the property.

The building housed the college for many of its formative years, between the 1970s and 90s. But it has sat unused since the school moved to its current location at College Drive in 2004. Finn said she has fond memories of the old building but is fine with what is happening.

“The village has to move on,” Finn said. “The village is growing and certainly, the school grew with the village. It changed, the property changed and now it’s got another use.”

The college did not start out in that structure, known as the Lakeview Centre. The school began around 1967, with a group of people teaching classes out of cottages and other assorted buildings.

The Lakeview Centre previously housed the township elementary school. But when the school board bought a property and moved that elsewhere in 1972, the centre was open for the college to move in.

“We had no home,” Finn said.

The arts college moved into the front part of the Lakeview Centre. There it grew, attracting hundreds of students. Arts groups would use the structure for the winter months, while the college would operate more classes in the summer. There was a lot of camaraderie amongst artists at the time, Finn said.

“The college was really the conduit for all the local artists to grow. That was where they met,” Finn said. “It was just a real family of people.”

But the Lakeview Centre was an ageing building and was hard to maintain, Finn said. She served on the college’s board of governors from 1982-1989 and said she fought to get investment in the building.

“Keeping up an old building was a huge expense for the college,” she said. “There wasn’t the political will to keep arts funded.”

But the school was helped when community came together to build the current new campus, Finn said. Now, the Sunnyside Street property is ready for a new purpose.

“It’s good that it’s still there to be used for the needs of the community. At the time it was a school, it did a tremendous thing for the growth of the community,” Finn said. “Same thing now. We need places for seniors to go.”

Project stuck in limbo

The property still remains in legal limbo due to a holding provision, stemming from an Ontario Municipal Board ruling.

Although the developer has a demolition and site-servicing permit, they cannot build there yet. Garden Retirement Developments Inc. approached Dysart et al council July 23 to address the situation. The municipality can lift the holding provision, but only when certain planning requirements are met.

Although no resolution was found at the time, staff and councillors expressed a desire to keep working to ensure the project proceeds.

Municipal manager of planning Sue Harrison said that work continues.

“Staff are working diligently with the developer to keep the project moving forward in a timely manner,” Harrison said.

Dysart’s playgrounds put smiles on families’ faces

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Lisa Gervais

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August 12, 2019

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JQ - Dysart et al new playground - 1-web — Dysart et al staff, councillors and Eagle Lake residents celebrate a new playground at Eagle Lake Beach. Left to right: Coun. John Smith, Andrew Wilbee, Ryan Akey, Andrea Mueller, Peter McLuskey, Allan Bagg, Ellenor Bagg, Shane Thompson, Deputy Mayor Patrick Kennedy. Coun. Walt McKechnie. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Children at Eagle Lake Beach and West Guilford have new playgrounds to explore thanks to Dysart et al and the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).

The municipality celebrated the completed installation of the new playground equipment Aug. 1. Eagle Lake Beach playground was almost entirely redone with new equipment, while the West Guilford Community Centre got a new disc swing and tetra climber. The OTF largely funded the installations through an $86,500 grant.

Recreation program co-ordinator Andrea Mueller said the playgrounds needed the items, especially at Eagle Lake Beach.

“Pretty much everything needed to be replaced. It was old, it was falling apart, it wasn’t safe,” Mueller said. “We needed to put in a few items here to bring it up to standards.”

Eagle Lake Beach also got new washrooms, including an accessible one. At West Guilford, Mueller said the aim was to make the playground better for all ages.

“It was adding in those extra elements to make it attractive,” Mueller said. “They say 5-12 years old but a 12-year-old doesn’t really want to go down a tiny little slide.”

The municipality finished he Eagle Lake Beach playground at the end of May, while the new West Guilford equipment was completed July 30.

The funding was originally confirmed in early 2018. Mueller said there were delays such as weather and a fire at the factory which produced the equipment.

“We had hoped to have it finished sooner,” she said. “But the parks staff have worked extremely hard and put in a lot of hours, a lot of sweat equity, especially for the last few weeks.”

Eagle Lake resident Allan Bagg helped develop the beach. He attended the opening and complimented the municipality on the work.

“It’s come a long way,” Bagg said. “I have to commend the municipality for this, it’s fantastic.”

Dysart et al parks and recreation worker Ryan Akey said children have already enjoyed the new ways to play at the beach.

“We finished it and came outside and were all just packing up, ready to drive away and the camp kids came outside,” Akey said. “They were all over it instantly.”

Mueller said the municipality wants to continue to improve its playgrounds.

“It’s just trying to make sure we stay up to date and current,” she said.

Community rallies for burnt out neighbours

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 12, 2019

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Minden House Fire — Haliburton firefighter Ryan Akey rotates out of hotspot management at the scene of a house fire in Minden Hills Aug. 5. The home was completely destroyed. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Friends are rallying to support a Minden family whose home was destroyed in a fire Aug. 5.

Minden and Dysart firefighters responded to the home of Sharon and Rob Luke at Tilley Trail. They were unable to save the home, which was fully engulfed in the fire.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Family friend Jesse Lynn West has started a GoFundMe to help the family. Minden Home Hardware, where Rob Luke works, is also collecting donations for the family, West said.

“They both strive for the community and constantly volunteer where they can,” West said. “They just do so much for anyone in need. It’s our turn to help them.”

Minden Hills fire chief Mike Bekking said the homeowner was on the property at the time. He said paramedics took one person to hospital due to minor smoke inhalation More than 20 firefighters responded to the call, which began around 3:30 p.m.

“The structure was fully involved,” Bekking said. “The guys isolated the fire, contained it to the structure and we stopped it from spreading to a grass fire or a forest fire.”

There was no saving the home, Bekking said, but firefighters were successful in containment. The Algonquin Highlands fire department also helped by covering another call at the time.

“The teamwork between the different fire departments was outstanding as usual,” Bekking said. “Our guys did as much as they could.”

Firefighters were on scene for several hours to manage hotspots and investigate. Before the probe, Bekking said the fire seems to have started from the garage. He further said it is unlikely the cause will be found.

“Just because of the total loss,” Bekking said. “This is the hardest part of the fire.”

Anyone who would like to donate to the family GoFundMe can do so at gofundme. com/f/robandsharonluke.

“They have done so much for their community and friends,” West said. “It’s time for us to give back and help them rebuild what they lost.”