By Sue Tiffin
Published: Sept. 18 2017
The following are brief reports of items discussed during Sept. 12 meetings of advisory committees for Haliburton County.
The county hopes to access up to $1.7 million of top-up fundsto help with structural repair on Hawk Lake bridge on County Road 13through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. Horseshoe Lake Bridge on Cty Road 20 also requires work.
“The two bridges are similar in that they are one-lane steeltruss bridges both approaching 100 years of age” reads a report byCraig Douglas director of public works.
A structural evaluation suggested the Hawk Lake bridge be made a priority for replacement due to several reasons including that floodwater levels rise close to the bottom of the bridge that largervehicles can’t access the east side of the bridge and that replacementcosts have not been budgeted.
The work could begin in the fall of 2018.
If the application for funding is not approved load restrictions are a strong possibility.
EMS meeting or exceeding response time targets
From Jan. 1 to June 30 1219 calls were attended to by theHaliburton County Paramedic Service with an average response time of 11minutes and eight seconds as recorded by iMedic a data collection andcall-tracking program.
The data shows a total of 56 calls in Algonquin Highlands withan average response time of 18 minutes and 48 seconds 674 calls inDysart et al with an average response time of eight minutes and 54seconds 245 calls in Minden Hills with an average response time of 10minutes and 57 seconds and 96 calls in Highlands East with an averageresponse time of 16 minutes and 58 seconds.
Help Hometown Hockey
Approximately 80 volunteers will be recruited by a localorganizing committee helping to bring Rogers Hometown Hockey toHaliburton on Oct. 14 and 15. Organizers are looking for volunteers whoare 16 and older to help with a wide variety of tasks.
The event will be hosted by Ron MacLean and Tara Slone andwill include special guests before an outdoor viewing party of the live Boston Bruins versus the Vegas Golden Knights NHL game.
Haliburton is one of 24 communities across Canada selected tohost the two-day hockey festival. Rogers will “Paint the Town Red” forthe weekend with banners decorating selected locations in town.
