John Watson chose Haliburton County five years ago, to be close to nature and “a great community of people.”

He was embraced back Oct. 25, being named Highlander of the Year by the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce.

As Dysart’s environmental waste manager, and a trainer with Sweat Social Health and Fitness, Watson told The Highlander in an interview, “I just feel very lucky in both of my jobs that I get to help and contribute to our community.”

He admitted the award came as a “shock” saying he was honoured just to be nominated “and associated with all the other nominees, such powerhouses in our community. I am just feeling very blessed and honoured by this award.”

Some of the highlights of his day job this past year have included The Great Haliburton Clothing Swap in partnership with Haliburton School of Art + Design. He said it “was exciting and new for our community and a great way to divert textiles away from landfill.”

He is also proud of the outdoor battery recycling collection bin on York Street, only the second municipality in Ontario to have one. “It’s exciting and an innovative way to make recycling of household batteries more accessible to people.” Watson said.

Earlier this summer, the Municipal Waste Association, for which he is on the board, presented Dysart with a gold campaign award for its 2023 public awareness campaign “Recycling Is Easy!”, that encouraged the proper recycling of food and beverage cartons.

On a smaller scale, Watson says it’s important to preach the message early. Last week, he was at Stuart Baker Elementary School teaching Kindergarten to Grade 3 students about recycling, and encouraging them to take the message home.

He was delighted to see his other boss, Chelsea Adamson at Sweat Social, win businesswoman of the year.

“It’s awesome to be part of that team and help train people in our community in health and fitness,” Watson said.

“There’s lots of people who have success stories; improved resting heart rates, becoming much more stable and in a healthy range, people who have lost fat, people who have lost weight, people who have gained muscle and strength. We’re very goaloriented, thinking about individuals and what they are trying to achieve, so setting them up for success.”

Watson’s other fun community involvement this year was stage manager for the Burlesque Ball.

The not-for-profit award went to the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation.

Executive-director Melanie Klodt Wong said it had been an “incredible” year.

“Almost exactly a year ago, the ball started rolling on what has become the biggest and fastest campaign the HHHS Foundation has ever seen. This community raised the funds to bring CT and mammography to the County as well as replace other vital equipment – raising over $5 million dollars in less than a year – incredible.”

Meanwhile, the warden’s award went to the Haliburton County Home Builders Association.

President Kevin Hodgkinson said it was “an honour.”

“The hard work of our executive officer, Aggie Tose, and our executive has shown that as an association we are willing to be an active part of our community,” he said.

In the last two years, they have started a high school committee which focuses on promoting the trades to students. This is done by having a bus trip that takes the students to multiple job sites and businesses that can shed some light on one of the biggest industries in the County. They also talk to students about different avenues in the trades, such as project management, design, mechanics, electrical and HVAC. “We have had a great response to this program and hope to build off the results.”

The association has also worked with municipalities to build a relationship to be better engaged in the building department process and pass information to members and the community about changes that happen with bylaws and the building code.” Hodgkinson said.

The provincial government has appointed a temporary supervisor for the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society (KHCAS), saying, “we no longer have confidence in the society’s ability to address its operational issues and growing deficit.”

Minister of children, community and social services (MCCSS), Michael Parsa, made the announcement Oct. 23. On the same day, the board of KHCAS announced they had tendered their resignations.

Parsa said he’d appointed Rosaleen Cutler as supervisor to oversee and operate the society, “and help ensure the safety and well-being of children and youth receiving services.”

He added, “although the government does not direct children’s aid societies on placement decisions, we require them to ensure placements are safe, appropriate and meet the child’s needs. That’s not an option, it’s the law.”

The MCCSS said it had provided $4.6 million over and above the KHCAS’ funding allocation since 2020-21, while working with the society to address findings of various ministry-led reviews, they say have “identified a number of significant risks related to the overall operations and financial management of the society.

“In addition, the ministry does not have confidence in the society’s ability to make the necessary strategic decisions to address its growing deficit and operational issues, which may negatively impact the safety and quality of protection services that vulnerable children and youth depend on.”

Cutler will be responsible for overseeing the operations and managing the society in place of the board of directors and executive director, for up to a year.

Board ‘worked diligently’ to avert this

The minister said that during her term, Cutler will address the society’s “growing financial and operational issues and reinstate good governance and fiscal sustainability, while ensuring the continuity of services to children, youth and families.”

The board told media Oct. 23, “it is with profound sadness” they had tendered their resignations. They were notified a day earlier of the appointment of a supervisor.

“Board members can no longer meet their fiduciary duty when this happens. The board worked diligently to avert this from happening; however, the difficulties we experienced are echoed across the sector and were not repairable within the structures and guidelines we must work within.

“Although there will be difficult days ahead, we know that the staff and leadership team at Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid Society will continue to provide excellent care and service to the children, youth and families in our communities.”

In the summer, KHCAS announced plans to shutter its branch at 73 Victoria St. in Haliburton next year, and drop one fulltime staff member, while committing to still offering its services across the County. They were talking to partners about accessing space elsewhere. The changes were to have taken effect for April 1, 2025.

The KHCAS is currently working with approximately 30 families in Haliburton. Head office is in Peterborough with another branch in Lindsay. Most of the outreach work is done in client family homes, or within the community. They have remote work agreements with staff as a result of COVID and most employees work from home, with access to the office.

The KHCAS attributed the deficit to years of funding reductions, increased costs, increased complexity of need, and the lack of services required by legislation within the funding allocation.

100 Women Who Care Haliburton County have donated $10,300 to Turtle Guardians (TG) following an October meeting that attracted more than 50 members. Co-chair, Leslie Banner, said they now have more than 100 caring women who support charities in Haliburton County three times a year by donating $100 each time.

Turtle Guardians founder Leora Berman said they are developing curriculum for kids across the Highlands, and specifically Haliburton. She said they were working with Trillium Lakelands District School Board, who are partners of Turtle Guardians, but also “with a bunch of local teachers.

We really want to connect kids to nature, give them a sense of groundedness and confidence, and also really feel they’re part of the community. So, we’re looking at doing a passport to turtles, or nature, in Haliburton through this curriculum.

Meanwhile, 100 Women now has 114 members with 11 of those being in a team of two.

They will continue to invite new members, until they hit 200 and can split into two groups.

Big Hawk Lake Marina owner Sabrina Richards told the Haliburton County Housing Summit Oct. 24 she lives with four men – all employed by the marina – who can’t find housing.

She said the mechanic, apprentice, co-op student, and maintenance man, have all come from outside of the County since there is a shortage of skilled tradespeople. And while they are willing to work and live in Algonquin Highlands, the problem is “where to live?

“I’m looking to stop that and build a place for them to live on my land,” Richards said, adding, “there’s challenges with that. I live on water. The topography means most of my land that is accessible to build on is only accessed by a seasonal road. I’m looking at converting existing other buildings I have; however, it runs into needing a survey, a zoning amendment, change of use permits for the buildings, building permits, a review of septic; a lot right off the bat I have to face before I can even get there.”

She said she is on the wait list to have her property surveyed and hopes things will speed up after that. “But in the meantime, I’m living with four men.”

The all-day forum at the Minden Hills Community Centre was hosted by Places for People. It attracted speakers from the Town of Collingwood and Frontenac County, and featured a panel on working housing and another on densification.

Worker housing panelist, Xavier Masse, the dean of Haliburton School of Art + Design, updated a mix of municipal staff and councillors, as well as the general public, on the student residence. He said the builders will hand over the project to Fleming College on Dec. 20.

It consists of 47 beds in 26 units, with shared dining and living rooms. The college will have to furnish the residence and add finishing touches for a planned Spring intake.

Masse said they are discussing other uses for the residence when not being used by students, such as corporate retreats from the GTA with custom-made educational programs; and a lifelong learning academy model.

County of Haliburton CAO Gary Dyke, another worker housing panelist, brought the room up to speed on plans for the Wee Care property in Haliburton. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity, it hopes to broker housing on the site, as well as an expanded daycare.

They are looking at 68 residential units in addition to bolstering the daycare. Dyke said the two go hand-in-hand because if you are trying to attract workers, you have to support their families as well. It would also supply housing for daycare workers themselves.

He said they are going through the technical phase of the project now.

Dyke added that after listening to Collingwood and Frontenac staffers, it’s about innovation municipalities can bring to the table to address the housing issue.

“There is no one fix, and nobody can do it on their own.” He said municipalities can be nimbler. CAOs and planning staff across the County will soon be re-examining planning programs, identifying obstacles and coming up with strategies to eliminate or mitigate them. He added it’s about advocacy via the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus and Rural Ontario Municipal Association. He also poked the province and its “archaic” criteria of selling Crown land at market value. If earmarked for housing, he said the province should charge nothing or a reduced rate for available land.

“When you are managing a city or a county, things like housing and workforce, they’re key elements to economic development. It’s not just bringing in a new industry. It’s creating the atmosphere by which the existing industry can maintain and thrive, and that’s having workers and having places for workers to live,” Dyke said.

Kyle and Leanne Young have taken the reins at Youth Unlimited, and are now in the midst of setting up a youth centre at 2 Victoria St. in Haliburton.

They’re calling it the Building the Bridge Youth Centre and said a Nov. 9 fundraising concert will help their not-for-profit.

Leanne grew up in Haliburton for 14 years, until moving out west at 19 to get her degree in youth ministry. She and Kyle then spent the next 10 years working at a youth centre in Moose Jaw supporting at-risk youth.

“If you have grown up here, or raised kids here, you know that as wonderful as Haliburton is to raise a family, there’s also a lot of limitations living in a rural community. There are fewer recreational opportunities for kids, and economic and social barriers that come with living in rural Ontario,” Leanne said.

“One thing Kyle and I have noticed is there’s a lack of places for youth to go after school if they want to just hang out with friends.” She said that’s important for teens, but can be hard when they come from across the County. She said she recently observed some junior high school boys debating where to go after school, picking the library over the park due to poor weather.

She said it’s important for kids to know who they are, where they belong, and what their purpose is. She added trying to answer these questions can leave youth struggling with their mental health.

The Youngs think a centre could help with that.

Youth Unlimited has been in Haliburton County for the past 17 years, but hasn’t had a building for the past seven and there’s been leadership changes in the past five. They were able to lease 2 Victoria St. in August. They’d like to open Mondays and Thursdays after school starting mid-November. They will be encouraging Grade 6 to 12 students to drop in. They currently offer gym nights once a month for those grades at the high school.

With the Youth Hub on Dysart Ave., Leanne said they get asked how they are different. She said the hub offers clinical resources to help youth with their physical and mental wellbeing, something Youth Unlimited is not equipped to offer. “And they are already at full capacity for their drop-in hours,” she said of the need for another space.

They plan to host more recreational and social programs. “We’re really excited to be able to open the doors… to invite youth in after-school to a warm and safe place where they can hang out with their peers, connect with adult mentors, and learn some fun skills, such as cooking, baking, art, sports, wood working and eat good food.” They’re next to the park and its basketball court, and outdoor rink, and are working to restore the commercial kitchen once used by SIRCH.

“Our hope is to be another resource for youth because one youth centre isn’t able to support all the youth in Haliburton County.

“If you are ever in town from 3-4 p.m., you will see the herds of youth flocking to the park and to the downtown core.

“In the colder months, hanging outside becomes much less appealing and convenient.”

The Concert

Building the Bridge Youth Centre Saturday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m. at 9 Park St. Featuring Drew Allen and Karen Frybort, Ella Gooley and Up River Draw. Loonie auction, fresh baking, local maple syrup. $20 per person or $50 per family at yfc.ca/haliburton-highlands/concert-tickets. For more go to yfc.ca/haliburton-highlands.