Lisa Tolentino was leaving Todd’s Independent in Haliburton with a cart full of groceries one recent winter night when a stealthy visitor approached her from behind.

“The whole thing freaked me out,” she said this week.

Her encounter was with a young deer, whom Monika Melichar of Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary calls ‘Mooch.’

Tolentino said she is not afraid of deer, but there were only three vehicles in the snowy parking lot on that stormy night and the deer seemed to come out of nowhere.

“Have you seen Leave the World Behind? There’s this scene where all the deer close in on the women,” she added with a chuckle. The 2023 American film revolves around two families as they try to make sense of a rapid breakdown in phones, television, and other common technology, which points to a potential cataclysm.

“I turned around and he was right there. it just scared me. I didn’t see him come to the car. He was sniffing in my groceries. He was looking for apples or whatever. I thought, ‘this is really aggressive, I can’t believe this’.”

While she felt guilty, as the deer might have been starving, she said she knows better than to feed them.

Dysart enforcing feeding bylaw

She also wonders if Dysart’s deer feeding bylaw has contributed to ‘Mooch’ and other deer coming into town looking for food.

She snapped a photo and posted to Facebook – her most read and commented-on post in a long while. The feedback ranged from people telling her to feed it apples; to others saying they were in the process of cooking venison. “Two extremes: ‘oh, how cute, feed them’ and ‘let’s feed them so we can kill them’.

“I purposely did not feed him because I know it’s not the right thing to do. I felt badly if he may have been starving, especially in the winter, but I am aware that it is not good for anybody on a whole bunch of levels.”

Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary PSA

Melichar is advising people not to interact with, or give ‘Mooch,’ or any deer, food.

“He is looking for hand-outs and people are feeding and petting him and he is becoming way too tame,” she said. Lift your spirits at the WINTER SNOWFLAKE DINNER & DANCE What Wood Stove

“It’s important that we get the word out that this is like killing him with kindness, and it’s only fun until someone gets hurt.”

Melichar is scratching her head since she said there have been numerous media reports about why people should not pet and feed deer.

She is worried the new Dysart deer feeding bylaw is not being enforced enough and the fines are too low. She added people are getting away with feeding by saying they are baiting for deer hunting.

“People are catching on. Don’t get me wrong, there are people who understand and will follow this because they care about the deer. But the people who only care about themselves and their own little ego of having all these cuties come into their backyard are the ones that we have to somehow try and sway,” Melichar said.

Haliburton Highlands OPP had to euthanize a deer after it was struck by a vehicle in front of the new A&W on County Road 21 on Monday morning, but Melichar does not think it was ‘Mooch’. However, OPP Const. Rob Adams said, “the car/ deer collisions are significant in the County.” OPP had to dispatch the deer as it had broken legs.

Deer feeding bylaw

Hailey Cole is the Dysart bylaw supervisor.

She said they are continuing to enforce the bylaw and they are getting complaints.

“There are some people who have received tickets who are opting to stop feeding deer; and that is great, we have compliance. There are other people who just say, ‘give me a ticket and I’ll continue on my way’. Some people consider it a hobby and they are willing to pay whatever need be for their hobby.”

She said there were very few people who had only received one fine and, “anybody who is still feeding has received multiple fines.”

As for people saying they are baiting deer for hunting, Cole said the township does not have the authority to supercede the province. “People saying they are baiting for a lawful hunt; if there is a reasonable amount of wooded area on their property, and they have a hunting license and a tag, then during hunting season we’re hands-off.”

But, at this time of year, she said they would not be accepting baiting as an exemption. “We need to see the tag.

“We are enforcing the deer feeding bylaw actively. We try to get out as quickly as we can, as often as we can, but we’re not a deer feeding enforcement department; we’re bylaw enforcement. We are also dealing with parking, shortterm rentals, zoning violations, property standards, noise, light infiltration. We’re dealing with all of these things and there’s two of us.”

As for the effect of the bylaw during its first winter, Cole said, “I don’t truly think anybody can speak to that because nobody’s really monitoring it.”

When it comes to ‘Mooch’ she said, “feeding is not good for him.”

Members of the Haliburton Highlands detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to three snowmobiles going through the ice – on Gull Lake and Miskwabi Lake – Jan. 18.

One person was injured and OPP used the incidents to remind the public that no ice is safe ice.

Police said that on Saturday, just after 2 p.m., officers, with the assistance of the Minden Hills fire department, Haliburton County EMS and City of Kawartha Lakes EMS paramedics, responded to two snowmobiles that went through the ice on Gull Lake near Schaefers Road in Minden Hills.

“Officers learned that one snowmobile driver had gone into the lake with their machine and was able to get out and onto the ice,” OPP said. “A second driver had their snowmobile break through the ice but was able to remain on the ice and not go in the water. Good Samaritans attempted to rescue these parties but were not successful,” OPP said.

Minden Hills fire department members attended the scene with their rapid deployment craft (RDC). Firefighters were able to rescue the two persons from the ice, approximately 800 ft. from shore with the assistance of Haliburton OPP officers and paramedics. “Luckily, neither of the riders were injured as a result of the incident,” police said.

They added that almost all recreational activities involve some risk, especially the use of frozen lakes, rivers and streams. However, “it is important to remember that what appears to be frozen could, in fact, be ice that is not capable of supporting any weight at all.

“It’s critically important to determine the quality and thickness of ice before venturing onto it. Ice can change very quickly, and its appearance can be misleading. No ice goes without risks and snowmobiling over frozen bodies of water poses a significantly larger risk,” police said.

Meanwhile, OPP were dispatched to a snowmobiler that had gone through the ice on Miskwabi Lake in Dysart et al this past Saturday as well.

Officers, along with the Dysart fire department and Haliburton County EMS paramedics attended the area, “as multiple reports were received that a snowmobiler was yelling for help, stating that they were in the water,” OPP said.

OPP added Dysart fire department members utilized their ice/cold water rescue to search the lake for the person.

“Firefighters were able to locate the victim who was in open water and was pulled to safety and brought to shore. The victim suffered from hypothermia and was transported to hospital by Haliburton County Paramedic Service (HCPS).” They were later transferred to a Toronto-area trauma centre to receive further treatment.

According to a Jan. 20 media release, officers were continuing to investigate, and reminded residents, cottagers, contractors and any other potential ice surface users, to stay clear of area water surfaces “as very little ice, if any, has formed due to abnormal weather conditions.

“The lack of ice and vast areas of open water is creating possible dangerous situations for you and responding emergency services personnel. Every year, needless preventable tragedies occur on water and ice surfaces, and emergency services are counting on you to make that decision to stay off the ice,” OPP said.

They added any ice surface user must remember that no ice is safe ice and that any travel on the current water/ice surface conditions – if any ice should even exist – should only be done while wearing proper survival clothing, having a fully charged cell phone, and telling a friend, neighbour, family member or work supervisor, of their destination.

Haliburton County Snowmobile Association (HCSA) president, Neil Vanderstoop, reiterated, “no ice is safe ice. If it’s not staked, don’t go on it.”

People can check out the list of staked lakes on the HCSA website.

Vanderstoop said conditions in the bush are also challenging. “We’re still breaking through all kinds of places.”

He also asked sledders to abide by speed limits, and stop signs.

Vehicle break-ins

OPP said they are also currently investigating multiple thefts from vehicles in Minden Hills.

On Jan. 17, they said they responded to numerous calls reporting thefts from vehicles that had occurred overnight. Suspects entered vehicles in the areas of Ritchie Falls Road and Sedgwick Road.

“Suspects entered the vehicles and had stolen numerous items from the unlocked vehicles,” police said.

Haliburton OPP is asking residents in these areas to check their security cameras for any suspicious activity and report it to police.

Vehicle owners are reminded to always lock your vehicles and close the windows. Unlocked vehicles, and vehicles with valuables visible, are the first vehicles targeted. Perpetrators incur more risk of being observed, being identified, and getting caught if they are forced to physically break into vehicles,” OPP said.

Algonquin Highlands mayor Liz Danielsen said her number one priority for the township’s 2025 budget is to deliver as little an increase as possible to residents’ tax bills.

Council will convene to deliberate municipal priorities for the year ahead on Feb. 27 and 28. With some major projects both wrapping and coming up, including development at Stanhope Municipal Airport, the construction of a new public works garage, and consideration for a parking master plan, Danielsen said it will be an important year for the township.

Other focuses include investing in municipal docks and landings, management and implementation of the new license of occupation policy (LoO) and short-term rental bylaw (STR), and looking for ways to support affordable housing projects.

Department heads met with council in late November to discuss projects for the new year, with public works manager, Adam Thorn, saying there’s still much work to do at the municipal airport. Last year, the township replaced emergency runway and taxiway lighting, did some work to the main floor of the terminal building, and installed on-site security cameras.

In 2025, Thorn hopes to investigate options to have Hangar D repaired and brought back into operation – it’s been closed since 2020. Work will also wrap-up on the new $3.7 million public works garage in Stanhope.

Danielsen predicts it will be a big year for the parks, recreation and trails department, with a new parking master plan considered.

“We will be considering the development of a plan that can accommodate some of our boat launches and areas where water-access only properties can have improved parking areas,” Danielsen said.

With upgrades partially completed at the Russell Landing, and public consultation complete for works considered at Fletcher Lake, department manager, Chris Card, said the plan this year is to progress those two projects before turning attention to the Crozier Lake and Raven Lake landings.

The bylaw department has requested a set of Kevlar vests for bylaw officers and a new pet-safe containment unit for animal transfer. The township signed an agreement with Paws at Killara Station last summer, with the facility serving as the municipal pound.

Township staff will begin planning for the next municipal election, to be held Oct. 26, 2026, while communications officer, Chad Ingram, said one of his top priorities will be developing a new volunteer recruitment and recognition program. In the fall, council opted to disband its recreation committee citing poor participation from the public.

With the new LoO, shoreline preservation, and STR regulations causing a stir in recent years, Danielsen said the township intends to press forward with full implementation of new rules in 2025.

There will also be a renewed effort to support the development of affordable housing in Algonquin Highlands – last February, council discussed potential options with Habitat for Humanity Peterborough and Kawartha Region about allocating land for a new build in the community.

“It’s my hope we can work on some modest housing development,” Danielsen said.

With Aging Together as Community Haliburton Highlands (ATAC) now into its third year, co-founder Bonnie Roe said she’s proud of the things the organization has done to foster connection and improve life for seniors in the County.

Born out of a desire to educate the public about what she perceived to be a lack of care, and funding, for elderly residents in the province – first through the Haliburton Highlands Long-Term Care Coalition and now ATAC, Roe said her message has always been clear.

“We wanted to take a grassroots community perspective to get people to open up and share their stories, to find out what issues people are living through here and how we can try to help them,” Roe said.

2024 was a big year for the organization – last January it hosted a full-day conference at the Pinestone focusing on inspiring creativity and empowering change. Another event was held in June, bringing some of the world’s leading voices on dementia research to Haliburton County to help locals understand the disease and how best to cope with it.

After securing a $25,000 grant through the provincial Seniors Community Grant Program in the summer, ATAC hired Connie Wood to serve as its events coordinator. She launched a community survey looking for feedback from people on what they’d like to see from ATAC. The result was a five-part seminar series focusing on important issues for seniors.

The first, held in West Guilford in September, was all about using music to socialize and uplift people, with others investigating the types of healthcare services available in the County and the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle.

Around 75 people gathered at the Minden Community Centre Jan. 15 for a fourth event, with guest speakers offering tips on how to stay safe and connected online.

Haliburton Highlands OPP Const. Joel Imbeau spoke about the growing presence of online and phone scams, offering advice on how people can avoid being duped. He warned that things like caller ID, email addresses and websites can be altered to look legitimate, so never assume a name, or number displayed, is legitimate.

“Hang up and make an outgoing call when someone claims to be a financial institution, service provider, law enforcement, government agency or employer,” a recent OPP media release reads. “Never click on links received via text message or email… it’s always best to call the company or agency directly.”

Imbeau noted legitimate business or government officials will never ask someone to make payments via gift cards or cryptocurrency machines.

“If something does not feel right, it often is not,” Imbeau said.

Christine Keenan and Georgia Shank discussed opportunities available for people virtually through the Wellness Connection program, designed to help seniors learn healthy changes and choices to age well. The program is offered through Haliburton Highlands Health Services.

Graeme Soule, systems and technology coordinator with the Haliburton County Public Library, provided some general technology tips and promoted the resurgence of the library’s tech assistance program. People can book one-on-one or drop into group sessions at the Minden Hills, Dysart et al, and Wilberforce locations, he said.

“For a lot of people, it’s just help setting up new devices – this is a big time for that after the holidays. We also help with updating systems and software, helping people understand and learn how to use different programs,” Soule said. “I think this is a service there’s a lot of demand for.

“We want to provide a location people know they can come to, somewhere they can trust, to learn something and leave with a bit of a better knowledge of how to get the most out of things they use every day,” Soule added.

County resident Kim Stamp said despite not being a senior, she’s attended all seminars so far and has appreciated learning about new things.

“They’ve been incredible – I’ve learned how to play the ukulele, inspired after watching someone play Hotel California on one at an ATAC event. I’ve had urban pole walking lessons after learning about it at the health and wellness seminar, and now I’m going to sign up with the library to try and become more computer literate,” Stamp said.

Next steps

Next month, ATAC will begin the process of developing its first strategic plan, Roe said. That work is being done in collaboration with Haliburton County Development Corporation.

“Moving forward, we want to be clear about what we really want to achieve, what our goals are,” Roe said. “Like any group, we need to look back at where we’ve been and where we want to go. Not just over the next year – but in three years, five years, and more. We want to make sure ATAC is here for the long haul to keep helping and educating people.”

With a core leadership group boasting the likes of Roe, husband Greg, Brigitte Gebauer, Peter Ferri, Wood, Beth Hubbard and Paul Moore, and more than 500 people enrolled in a regular mailout list, Roe feels ATAC is filling a gap in the community.

“I’m really proud of what the team has done – we’re getting people involved in our communities, collaborating with different organizations to promote the amazing work and programs they do. Even something like our LGBTQ+ drop-ins we’ve been having at SIRCH – that’s created a place in the community where people feel safe and a sense of belonging,” Roe said. “We’ve come a really long way, but there’s still more to come.”

Another seminar focusing on strategies to balance support and living independently will take place March 21. For more information, visit agingtogether.ca.