The newly-formed Haliburton Highlands Volunteer Coalition is putting together a volunteer engagement fair at the Haliburton Legion June 16, from 3 to 7 p.m.

Brigitte Gebauer, volunteer coordinator for HHHS, is taking the lead. She said the coalition is composed of people from a variety of organizations that rely on volunteers.

“The coalition is new, and we are looking to create a strategy to build capacity and awareness across the board in terms of volunteerism in the community,” she said.

There will be booths for numerous organizations that rely on volunteers to continue to offer the events and services they do for the community.

“Such a variety of organizations, all under one roof, will give people a sense of what’s available,” Gebauer said. “Great for community connections, amazing opportunities that people may not be aware of, so many ways to get involved and feel good.

“Our community wouldn’t look anything like it does without volunteers,” added Gebauer. “They are part and parcel of having a vibrant and healthy community on so many different levels.”

County of Haliburton manager of tourism, Tracie Bertrand, said it’s a great idea as, “volunteers are the backbone of Haliburton Highlands. They are dedicated, passionate and amazing. Without them, the County would not be what it is today. They love their community, they’re very proud of it, and want to make an impact.”

Since COVID, however, she said a lot of people have stepped back from volunteering.

The fair will provide the organizations with an opportunity to re-engage with past volunteers, and connect with new people on a personal level who may not know much about how to get involved with their community.

There has been a change in how people and organizations work with volunteers, according to Gebauer, and that has, “opened up so many creative opportunities, volunteer lead positions, and event-based volunteering.”

Bertrand added, “this volunteer engagement fair is a step in the right direction in recognizing the significant impact volunteers make on all of the things we’re working on. They are indispensable to us.”

Shining a positive light on volunteerism, connecting with people who are new to the area, engaging seasonal residents, and re-engaging past volunteers is what the coalition is hoping to accomplish with the fair.

Bertrand said, “there will be volunteers talking to potential volunteers, about how amazing some of the events are, and how volunteering has positively impacted themselves and their community. We are looking to get previous volunteers involved again, looking for those new volunteers that want to try something fun and leverage their skill sets, strengths, and experiences.”

For more information, go to volunteering@ hhhs.ca.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members picketed on Deep Bay Road, outside the Minden Hospital, June 1, claiming the ER closure was not done in accordance with collective agreements.

Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) did not respond to e-mailed questions as of press time June 7.

SEIU union rep, Cindy Seaton, said her union is against ER closures, as it not only impacts their members but the public.

“Especially this time of year, being June 1, and we all know that tourist season is coming. I don’t know why they would be closing an ER in the busiest time of the year.”

She claimed HHHS did not follow the process it was supposed to as per collective agreement.

“If they were going to do closures or something else that would adversely affect our members, then they were supposed to have meetings with us way before they implemented anything and we got notification a day or two before the community and the members did,” Seaton said.

“If they were going to do closures or something else that would adversely affect our members, then they were supposed to have meetings with us way before they implemented anything and we got notification a day or two before the community and the members did,” Seaton said.

“If they were going to do closures or something else that would adversely affect our members, then they were supposed to have meetings with us way before they implemented anything and we got notification a day or two before the community and the members did,” Seaton said.

Ed Peterson believes tiny homes are the answer to Ontario’s housing crisis.

The Kingston-based entrepreneur has been pushing the idea for years through his nonprofit Tiny Town Association. Launched in 2017, he started out as an advocate for small pocket communities, lobbying governments big and small to embrace change.

The Kingston-based entrepreneur has been pushing the idea for years through his nonprofit Tiny Town Association. Launched in 2017, he started out as an advocate for small pocket communities, lobbying governments big and small to embrace change.

With no proof of concept, Peterson found it tough going and so, in 2022, he switched gears and decided to use his background as a contractor to pitch projects directly, committing to designing and handling development of new builds himself.

“Our mission is to build affordable housing all across Ontario,” Peterson said, noting this mission is personal for him. “I have three kids who are all facing the same problem many young adults are facing today in trying to get into a home of their own. I just didn’t see that happening for them.”

The tiny home concept has been around for decades, but hasn’t taken off in Canada, Peterson said. He made a pitch to Dysart et al council last month to become one of the pioneers for the movement in Ontario.

The non-profit looks to partner with municipalities, which would put up land that can be built on. Peterson said the company could build between 16 and 20 residences per acre, with each unit featuring 384 sq. ft. of living space. There are options for one bedroom, two bedroom and open concept.

“Once we have that first model community up-and-running that we can point to as proof of concept, we’ll have a lot of interest,” Peterson told The Highlander. “I want to change the way people think about housing in this province.”

Peterson noted he’s working with approximately 15 municipalities in Ontario on initial proposals, with four – for Elliott Lake, Mattice, South Dundas, and Tay Township – at an advanced stage.

Outlining the process, Peterson said once land has been identified and a design developed, he would apply for funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which he estimated would foot around 45 per cent of a build’s bill. The rest would come from alternate sources, most of them would-be owners.

Homes could be bought for $127,500, with monthly maintenance fees of $450. Affordable rentals would be available for $780 per month, with rent-to-own programs running $1,180 per month.

He said tiny homes would largely cater to low-income workers, seniors, and young adults.

Tiny Town Association is actively working with four architects and builders in Ontario, with another dozen industry leaders in urban planning, project management, manufacturing, and landscaping also on board.

Peterson said a pocket community could be designed and constructed within months.

“We can have a tiny home coming out of a factory and going into a community every week. There’s no other housing option that can do that,” he said. “We design all our units to be built on a pad or pier foundation, which would enable us to build year-round.”

“We can have a tiny home coming out of a factory and going into a community every week. There’s no other housing option that can do that,” he said. “We design all our units to be built on a pad or pier foundation, which would enable us to build year-round.”

Dysart mayor Murray Fearrey said he was interested in learning how these communities can be built in rural areas.

“This hasn’t been tried and tested yet, so we need to be careful before getting too excited. There are some small lots around Dysart, but if land isn’t serviced, they want a minimum of four acres so they can put enough units in to make it financially feasible for them to put services in themselves. That could be tricky for us,” Fearrey said.

The mayor noted staff have been directed to identify potential development sites, which will be presented to council later this month.

Peterson said he’d love to work with Dysart to help alleviate the community’s housing needs.

“The beauty about tiny homes is we can scale this to local demand. If we have enough land, we can bring as many units online as are needed,” he said. “I don’t see tiny homes competing with traditional forms of housing.

We’re not saying this will be perfect for everyone. We just want to provide another option to people who are struggling.

“We’re not making money off this. I see it as a service. My focus now is on getting some of these communities up and running so we can show the rest of the province, the rest of the country that our model works and is easily replicable,” he added.

To learn more, visit tinytownassociation. com.

A month on from a pair of incidents that left two local women fearing for their safety, and with investigations still ongoing, Haliburton Highlands OPP is reminding people to be vigilant while out in the community.

Mike Melnychuk, a constable with the Highlands detachment, shared some safety tips with media recently in response to situations where women were followed or approached by unknown males in broad daylight.

On April 25, at around 4 p.m., a woman driving from Haliburton to Minden believed she was being followed by a gold-coloured cube van. The driver changed course and went to the OPP detachment on Hwy. 35, at which point the van fled the area.

Then, on May 9, at approximately 1:30 p.m., a white pickup truck followed a pedestrian in Haliburton village.

Melnychuk said in both cases the women did the right thing staving off their assailants.

“Do not drive directly to your residence if you think you are being followed. Consider driving to a well-lit business location that is open, [such as] a gas station, convenience store or restaurant, or a police station, to wait for police,” Melnychuk said.

He recommended people keep their vehicles fueled to prevent breakdowns that may leave them isolated. Always communicate travel plans and consider allowing a trusted family member or friend to track your phone location to monitor travel.

If you have had any suspicious incidents in the past, Melnychuk said it’s important to document dates, times, and locations to help police with any investigation.

Speaking to The Highlander, the woman involved in the incident in Haliburton village said while she’s trying to put the exchange to the back of her mind, she wanted to come forward to warn other women. Granted anonymity to protect her identity, the woman said she brushed off the initial exchange as, “just one of those things women have to put up with.”

Walking alone down Maple Avenue, the woman said she was accosted by a man as she turned onto York Street.

“I thought it was cat calling initially, so I ignored him. Then the yelling grew louder and before I knew it, the guy was standing right behind me,” the woman said. “He just kept asking ‘do you want to make some money’, and telling me to get in his truck, or meet him in the park. I knew enough to say I wasn’t going anywhere with him.”

Panicking, the woman spotted a friend who chased the man away.

“It all happened so quickly, probably about a minute in total, but my heart was pounding. It was a very aggressive encounter. I could just tell the guy’s intentions weren’t good,” she said. “It made me think of those stories and reports out of the city about women being trafficked.”

John Hagarty, executive director of Kawartha/Haliburton Victim Services, said there have been no complaints of trafficking activity in the region since Jan. 1, 2022, though noted that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening, only that it’s not being reported.

The same can’t be said in nearby Simcoe County, where Kim Kneeshaw, executive director of North Simcoe Victim Services, said human trafficking is rife.

“We see more instances of labour trafficking (forced to work) than we do sex trafficking,” she told The Highlander.

In March, OPP charged a 59-year-old Orillia man with 11 counts of human trafficking after abusing 15 victims, ranging in age from 21 to 54.

“There can be a lot of shame and embarrassment for victims… that’s why a lot of times women who have been trafficked don’t come forward,” Kneeshaw said.

The Haliburton woman said she wasn’t going to report the May 9 incident before friends and family encouraged her to do so. She noted the experience reminded her of the need to be cautious while out and about.

“It’s scary for things like this to be happening here. I’ve lived in Haliburton my whole life, but this is something new,” she said. “I want to make sure other women know about the dangers out there. Hopefully by talking, we can raise awareness and make sure women know what they should do if they’re ever approached.”

Highlands residents have been put on alert after Environment Canada updated its air quality health index June 6, with conditions County-wide deemed to be high-risk.

Smoke plumes from forest fires in Algonquin Park, east of Bancroft, and Quebec have resulted in deteriorated air quality across much of southern Ontario this week, with the federal agency marking conditions in the Dorset area eight out of 10 in a special air quality statement released Wednesday. It’s expected to reach nine by Thursday evening.

“High levels of air pollution are possible… wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations,” the statement reads.

Richard Ovcharovich, manager of environmental health with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) district health unit, recommended seniors, children, and people with heart and lung conditions avoid strenuous activities outdoors while bad conditions persist.

“Stay inside if you have breathing difficulties. Find an indoor place that’s cool and ventilated. Using an air conditioner that cools and filters air may help,” he said. “If your home isn’t air conditioned, consider going to a public place like a library or recreation centre. Keep your indoor air clean by keeping doors and windows closed.

“For the general population, if you experience irritation of eyes, nose or throat, shortness of breath or other respiratory symptoms while outdoors, you should take action to reduce your exposure to outdoor air pollution,” he added.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s (MNRF) forest fire info map, as of 3 p.m. June 7 there are two active fires raging in Algonquin Park, totalling approximately 32 hectares, and a 50-hectare blaze burning roughly 40-kilometres east of Bancroft.

Environment Canada, in its air quality statement, noted, “people respond differently to smoke. Mild irritation and discomfort are common, and usually disappear when the smoke clears. Drinking lots of water can help your body cope with the smoke.”

The agency said running fans and HEPA filters at home can help air quality indoors, recommending against vacuuming, frying foods, or burning candles.

A complete fire ban remains in place across Haliburton County, after being implemented June 1. Forest fire danger ratings for the County, as determined by MNRF, are high, with some parts of Highlands East marked extreme.

Campfires, bonfires, fireworks, charcoal BBQs, outdoor candles and lanterns, tiki torches, propane fire pits, chimineas and the burning of leaves or brush are all prohibited County wide. Burn permits assigned prior to June 1 have also been suspended.

The Haliburton County Development Corporation (HCDC) is using the ageold mantra ‘if you build it, they will come’ while preparing to move to a new location that executive director, Patti Tallman, says will bring several services together under one roof.

‘The Link’ will be a “go-to place for new and existing entrepreneurs to find the resources they need to start, sustain, relocate, and grow,” Tallman noted.

The space, located beside Haliburton Timber Mart on County Road 21 in Haliburton, will house all HCDC operations, including its business incubator, the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce, the Arts Council, the County’s economic development and tourism staff, and services from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

“We’ve really seen this concept work elsewhere in Ontario, some of our [Community Futures Ontario] colleagues in Belleville and Kawartha Lakes have launched new spaces with big partnerships, and we really see the benefits,” Tallman said. “This is about creating greater awareness in the community of who we are and what we do.”

Since 1985, HCDC has approved more than $88 million in loans to support hundreds of business and non-profit endeavours, and a further $9.7 million in local community economic development initiatives. Staff provide free guidance to start-ups, assist with developing a business plan, financial projections, expansion and more, Tallman said.

Through its incubator, located beside Dysart town hall on Mountain Street, the organization has nurtured 10 startups and assisted more than 15 other developing businesses and entrepreneurs since its launch in 2010. The co-working space provides access to high-speed internet, personal working spaces, private offices, and a meeting room for operations without a home base of their own.

“There are a lot of people working from home up here, who are looking for opportunities to connect with other entrepreneurs in a professional setting to have meetings, or even just for networking. The incubator space has been a great way for us to find out who’s working at the dead ends of all the dirt roads in our County,” said Heather Reid, HCDC program and operations coordinator.

“This move is going to bolster our incubator, allow us to get more people in and connect them with one another,” she added. Reid noted HCDC worked with eight businesses through its incubator in 2022.

Kat Schouten, who oversees operations at the incubator, told The Highlander the move brings several benefits.

“Just the speed of developing ideas – if someone who’s working in a co-working space has an idea, they can go directly to the chamber, they can go upstairs and have a conversation with one of our specialists. There’s an opportunity for us to get things off the ground so much quicker than we can right now,” Schouten said.

ACM Designs and North of Seven Custom Carpentry are leading the redevelopment of the space, which used to house Patient News. Tallman said the ground floor will be home to the incubator, the Chamber’s operations, and County staff. It will boast five rentable office spaces and eight coworking desks. Upstairs will feature offices for HCDC and BDC staff, and a boardroom.

Tallman said renovations should be finished in the fall, with HCDC planning to unveil the space at its annual general meeting Oct. 4.

“We’re thrilled about this expansion. I think it sets up HCDC for years to come,” Tallman noted.

It’s a muggy Friday, the sky threatening rain, as Mel Abberger spots a turtle on a road in Highlands East.

“That’s a Blanding’s,” she says with a tense voice, bringing the Subaru to a stop on the shoulder, and hitting the hazards. She slumps a little towards the steering wheel, as if steeling herself for what is to come.

The Blanding’s is smashed, its shell completely busted and cracked eggs spilling out of its innards. There is a pool of blood beneath it.

“Please don’t be alive,” Abberger says, as despite her love of turtles, she cannot stand the thought of this female being in so much pain.

But Turtle Guardian staffers have a job to do.

Setting emotions aside, Abberger and Emily Smart look for signs of life. They gingerly poke the turtle. What’s left of one back leg slightly twitches. It doesn’t mean she is alive. Turtles die very slowly. Their hearts can beat for more than two days before they succumb.

Abberger calls Turtle Guardian’s founder, Leora Berman, who is also in the field. Berman instructs her to drive the turtle up the road, to where she herself is in the process of bandaging a male Blanding’s that has been hit by a vehicle.

Abberger does the best she can to scrape up the turtle, cautiously trying not to damage any salvageable eggs. The Blanding’s is placed in a plastic bin. The mood in the car is sombre.

The Blanding’s Berman is working on has a chance as no internal organs are spilling out. But looking at the female requires a call to Jeff Hathaway from Scales Nature Park to ask if he thinks she needs to be euthanized.

“I think she’s gone,” Berman says into the phone. “Her front legs are not responding; one egg is hanging out. She’s in about 20 pieces.”

An afternoon with the Turtle Guardians

A decision is made she may have a viable egg, one chance of a new life from her crushed mother, so Berman takes her for a later egg extraction at headquarters on Gelert Road.

Abberger and Smart get back in the car. There is a post-mortem. Not for the turtle, but for them. Covering a large area, they often wonder what would have happened if they hadn’t stopped for the turtle before. Or the turtle before that one. Would they have been in time to save the Blanding’s?

Because the Blanding’s are “super at-risk, it’s somehow worse,” Abberger says. “Could we have prevented that?” But Smart reacts with emotion. “You know who could have prevented that? The people who hit her.”

It’s another wild night in June, as turtles are on the move in Haliburton County.

Turtle road crew

Driving out for a 4 p.m. shift, Abberger said, “I’ve been waiting since last September to handle some more wild turtles.”

Turtles are more comfortable moving in the rain, and slightly cooler temperatures, as they are not as much at risk of dehydration.

They find a Painted and it’s research time. Despite it peeing on them, they take measurements of the carapace (upper shell) and the plastron (under shell) and weigh it. They see if it’s gravid, or has eggs, by poking a finger under the shell. They also note any abnormalities. They record the time, location, air temperature, and weather. When they’re done, they mark it with a code, take a photo, and release it.

Blanding’s, because they have a distinct underbelly shell, get a name for tracking. Smart named her first one, Poppy, on June 1.

On the highway between Minden and Kinmount, the two are just finishing walking the shoulders of a wetland when a Painted turtle is spotted nesting. They quickly retreat about 10 metres so as not to spook her. Smart stays to guard the nest, while Abberger heads back up the road.

She comes upon a badly injured Painted and calls Berman for advice. “If there’s no organs outside, there’s hope there. She can make it. Try and piece her shell together. Dry her up,” Berman says.

Put to work

I’m suddenly no longer an observer. As Abberger triages the turtle, I drive back to check on Smart, who emerges with two more Painted turtles in her hands. I help her to process them. I then leave Smart at the nest, and return to Abberger. She’s done her best to patch the Painted but is now at a nest site digging for eggs.

She jumps in the car to Kinmount to meet up with a turtle taxi to Peterborough’s Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. As she is driving away, she yells back to me and I see a Painted crossing the highway. I quickly run to help it cross the road.

Then, a driver stops to tell me there is a large Snapper at the side of the road. It’s my turn to nest sit. Standing there for the better part of an hour, I feel adrenaline pumping.

Eventually, Abberger returns. We mark the site of the Snapper, who could be laying for hours, and go to get Smart.

“This is a crazy night,” says Abberger, admitting to her stress. “A lot all at once.” On this night, there are only three crews, or six people on the road, including Berman. They are patrolling hundreds of square kilometres.

By now, it’s getting on dusk. We’re all running on adrenaline and scratching numerous bug bites. We stop for other turtles. Live ones, including a big Snapper on the 503 in Highlands East, are processed. Dead turtles are removed from the road so the patrol doesn’t stop for them again. There’s little time to mark these deaths but the mutilated bodies are at least put back to the earth. Nests are checked for eggs. In the fog, Abberger has to brake quickly when a moose walks out in front of the car.

The last call is down a winding cottage road in Highlands East. Someone had called in a nest site. When the crew arrives, it’s pitch black and there is sand everywhere. They grab flashlights and wander but realize they’ll never find the nest. About 11 p.m., it’s time to call it quits.

Though they should be exhausted, from the pace and trying to see in the dark, the two are strangely awake, chalking it up to adrenaline.

Reflecting on the night, Abberger says she can’t help but wonder what could have been done differently but, “I try really hard to focus on the saves because you just can’t be everywhere at once. You have to focus on the good you can do and hope that’s enough.”

ABBERGER AND SMART’S TIPS:

• Brake and stop for turtles – help them cross the road. If worried about Snappers, you can learn how to move them from the Turtle Guardians. Don’t assume a turtle is dead. They can survive traumatic injuries. Eggs can also be harvested. For critical care, call the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre 1-705-741-5000.

• Reconnect with nature – turtles help new plants grow and ecosystems thrive; they bring new seeds and the necessary plant fertilizers across wide expanses as they travel between ecosystems, through their droppings. They also remove parasites from the water.  For more on the Turtle Guardians, see  turtleguardians. com; call 1-705-457-1222 or email info@turtleguardians.com. They are headquartered at 6712 Gelert Rd.

Simon Payn is getting his hands dirty as he creates a garden at the corner of Maple Avenue and Mountain Street in downtown Haliburton.

Passers-by might have seen work progressing at the historic Lucas House, which houses the Corner Gallery, Lebo Law and The Highlander.

Payn said he is creating a garden that not only appeals to him but also serves the interests of nature as a whole.

“I’ve carefully selected plants that will create an ecosystem, benefiting everything from invertebrates to birds,” he said. “I hope it will be beautiful to nature as well as to us.”

Payn said this approach to gardening will reduce maintenance. He has removed the lawn and replaced it with native plants from Haliburton County and the wider area, including little bluestem, pale purple coneflower, and swamp milkweed. These plants are suited to living here, meaning they don’t need much care.

He ordered 1,200 small plants from a nursery and expects in a year or two they will cover the ground and eliminate the need for weeding.

“As the plants are getting established, they need to be watered in hot and dry weather,” he said. “But as time goes on, all it will require is a little tweaking as the plants mature.”

Instead of gardening to please humans, Payn said his landscape considers the environment too.

“It’s a different approach to how we live in the world,” he said. “You do things for the benefit of the wider world – wider biodiversity, wider ecosystems. When they benefit, it benefits us too.”

Payn said his garden shows how people can adopt sustainable practices that go beyond our own needs. He hopes his garden serves as an inspiration to those who are trying to make a positive impact on the world around them.

Payn is co-owner and former publisher of The Highlander.

The Haliburton County Master Gardeners launched a self-guided tour of the Minden Riverwalk May 26. Called ‘stepping into nature’, it can be accessed through a smartphone app called PocketSights.

The Master Gardeners have been working on the project for around six months. Master Gardener Shelly Fellows said they have planted approximately 45 native plants along the riverwalk. Some of these native plants are joe pye weed, sedges, and spruce.

Minden Mayor Bob Carter, County Warden Liz Danielson, U-Links executive director Andrew Gordon, HCDC program and operations coordinator Heather Reid, along with the Master Gardeners, were in attendance to officially kick off the event by cutting ‘the rope’.

Fellows said, “the multi-media walking tour includes photos, detailed descriptions of plants, insect information and gardening tips, along with audio stories.”

When walking beside the Gull River listening to the self-guided media tour, it gives an in-depth description of what people are experiencing. It vividly describes things such as the rainbow bench in honour of Sinclair Russell, who created Minden Pride and passed away in 2020.

There has been a massive population of geese surrounding the Gull River, which can have many health risks to humans, other natural species and water. The Master Gardeners and the township of Minden Hills have worked hard to reduce the population.

They started with letting the grass grow naturally at the edge of the river and not cutting it. This stops the geese from eating the other native plants on the riverwalk. It may take two to three years for this to be effective because geese tend to return to the same nesting locations.

The Master Gardeners gave out a free native plant to everyone, along with free tours. You can access the guided walk anytime by downloading the PocketSights app and scanning one of the QR codes on the multiple signs located along the riverwalk.