By Chad Ingram

Representatives of Minden’s Guides and Scouts groups met virtually with Minden Hills staff last week to discuss options for a new home for the organizations.

As previously reported, the leaders of local Guides and Scouts groups were dismayed when they discovered through an article in the Times that what has been the Scouts hall at the Minden Hills Community Centre will be turned into a dressing area and offices for a new Junior A team. The Haliburton County Huskies are set to take up residency in the new Minden arena this fall. The hall space was created through a donation from the Minden Rotary Club, used by the Guides and Scouts organizations for decades.

Minden Hills Mayor Brent Devolin has stressed that user groups will not be left behind and late last week, township staff met virtually with Guides representatives.

“They have agreed to store our supplies upstairs for the summer once the construction begins on the Guide and Scout hall,” Amanda Austin, a unit guider for the Minden Sparks, Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders unit told the Times in an email. “They have said that they will continue to explore options for our meeting locations and will discuss this with the Minden council at a future meeting. We are looking for continued security for our stored items (we’re non-profit and replacing stolen items is a hardship). We appreciate their meeting with us and working towards a solution.”

Minden Hills community services director Craig Belfry has said the township is committed to working with the groups.