...JOIN THEM AT thehighlander.ca DYSART ET AL NEWS

Head Lake Park jungle gym torn down

Head Lake Park is looking a little different this week after town staff removed a popular children’s play structure, stating it was no longer safe for use.

The jungle gym was torn down in stages last week, leaving a gaping hole in the downtown park. While some local residents were upset, taking to social media to protest the demolition, the move was months in the making, with Dysart et al council signing off on it last September.

Then, the township’s recreation coordinator, Andrea Mueller, noted the playground equipment was in a considerable state of disrepair and, when she reached out to the manufacturer to enquire about repairs, was told the only appropriate course of action would be a full replacement.

“The Head Lake Park play structure was inspected by a playground practitioner through the Ontario Parks Association and deemed to have many safety deficiencies. Due to the age of the structure, replacement parts were unavailable through the manufacturer and the manufacturer advised Dysart to remove the play structure,” Mueller stated in a post to social media.

An immediate replacement is not forthcoming. Mueller said the township had applied for various grants to help pay for a new jungle gym, but were unsuccessful.

Addressing council June 28, mayor Andrea Roberts said the earliest a new play structure could be in place is spring 2023.

“Like anything, you can’t order and have something delivered next week. It would need to be ordered this summer to be installed next year,” she said.

There’s no money earmarked in the municipality’s 2022 budget for a new a replacement, although Roberts mentioned there had been a “groundswell of community support” over the past week, noting part of the project could be financed through community donations. A report will be coming back to council next month.

Interim fire chief

Dysart et al has new interim leadership in charge at the local fire department.

Fire chief Mike Iles has taken a temporary leave of absence, leading the township to temporarily promote deputy fire chief Dan

Chumbley. Chris Iles has been appointed interim deputy fire chief.

“Chumley has excellent background and has been associated with the fire department for a long time, and Iles, [filling in as] the deputy position, is following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps,” said deputy mayor Pat Kennedy. “I think it’s nice to have a young fellow that’s taken up the challenge of trying to move up into the position.”

It wasn’t stated how long Mike Iles would be away.

Sweeping concerns

Harmony Road resident Mark Dennys said he and many of his neighbours are sick of being the last ones up when it comes to municipal street sweeping.

Each year, once the snow has melted, sand left over from the winter season piles up along many areas of the road, Dennys said, causing havoc for local walkers and cyclists. Due to the way the township prioritizes roads on its sweeping schedule, Dennys said it’s often late June or July until Harmony Road is cleared, if at all.

“We’ve been forgotten about before, and then in other years it’s been too late… The sand is slippery. We’ve had people fall. This is a concern,” Dennys said. “It’s a little frustrating to see Industrial Park Road done in mid-May, while residential streets like ours have to wait.”

He presented a petition containing 31 signatures, calling for the township to change its schedule. Currently, staffers start sweeping out by Pinestone Resort on County Road 21 and work their way back towards town. Dennys asked if residential areas could be given top priority, with outlying areas done last.

Mayor Roberts noted this was on council’s radar and a report will be coming to committee of the whole in August, at which point a change to the current system can be made.

Patio a no-go

Council turned down a request from new downtown business Tipples of Haliburton to transform two parking spots along Highland Street into a temporary summertime patio. The business, which sells gelato and other sweet treats, wanted to open a sit-down area similar to the one that exists in front of Maple Ave. Tap and Grill and what

McKeck’s had last summer. Council felt uncomfortable signing off on the request given that Tipples isn’t a full-service restaurant.

Mayor Roberts felt that, by approving this request, it could open the door for other establishments in the downtown core to make similar requests, which, if approved, would severely impact parking availability.

Another new mural

Chris and Marie Hodgson, parents of retired NHLer Cody Hodgson, are seeking council approval to commission a new mural for their son to be installed at A.J. LaRue Arena. The couple have offered to pay the full amount to replace the mural, and want the work to be carried out by Montreal-based artist Annie Hamel, who recently completed the new murals for Olympian Lesley Tashlin and former CFLer Taly Williams. Due to recently established guidelines for the mural wall, the request will need to be approved by Dysart’s cultural resources committee before council can sign off on it. It’s hoped that a new mural can be commissioned and installed by next spring. (Dysart et al news compiled by Mike Baker).