Gene Brahaney, who has been a councillor and school board trustee for much of the past 40 years, announced at the Trent Hills council meeting on Tuesday that he won’t run again this fall.

It’s time to step down, he said after the meeting.

Brahaney, 83, has represented Ward 1, northeast of Campbellford. Karen Ulrich is currently the only candidate for that spot.

Mayor Bob Crate thanked Brahaney, a retired dairy farmer and insurance adjuster, for his years of service and his devotion to the local sports scene. Brahaney and his wife can often be seen selling Catch the Ace tickets for the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation’s lottery at Sharpe’s Food Market, or the farmers’ market in Codrington.

He was on council for more than a decade before his defeat in 2014. He was re-elected in 2018 and 2022.

Ward 2 Councillor Rob Pope is the only current member of council who has not announced his intention for the upcoming election.

New clerk on hot seat with Warkworth plan

On Tuesday, Mayor Bob Crate welcomed new municipal clerk Jessica Polley to her first council meeting with a big smile.

But then he handed her several tricky agenda items to stickhandle the councillors through as they deferred some decisions, stuck to their guns on a longstanding tough one, and in an usual move had two recorded votes designed to make their individual positions clear on hot topics in this election year.

One of the recorded votes was on a motion to defer a hot potato in Warkworth. In early May, about 75 residents packed a public meeting to hear plans for a 43-unit subdivision on the western edge of the village at 122 Mill Road.

The project involved a plan to sever an existing 3.3 hectare (8 acre) lot, leaving the current home and buildings on a 0.47 lot and use the remaining three hectares for 43 town homes, semi-detached and detached homes.

After a four-hour meeting and lots of opposition, the developers said they would reconsider what they want to build on the lot. They still haven’t decided, but applied to council to move ahead on Tuesday with the severance of the lots. They would both need to be rezoned for residential use before construction.

Councillor Rick English, who represents Warkworth, led the opposition to the severance idea.

“I can’t support this, there are too many unanswered questions,” English said. “We promised people a public meeting on this. I’ve already had a call this morning asking what’s going on.”

Under the Planning Act, no further meeting are needed or possible, Planning Director Jim Peters said. “We’ll need to find a way legally to have a meeting.”

English recommended the severance be deferred and the developers return to council with an updated plan for the site.

“We heard loud and clear from the public,” English said. “This seems kind of sneaky.”

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Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf and Councillor Dennis Savery both agreed that they would prefer to decide on a package, not piecemeal.

The move to defer got caught up in several minutes of confusion and discussion because if council had simply deferred the severance motion that was on the table it could have been construed as a rejection, which a developer can appeal to the province.

In the end, council withdrew the motion to accept the severance plan and asked staff to bring an updated report to its meeting on August 20, the last real meeting for this council as it coasts into the election. Councillor Rob Pope was the only one to vote against the deferral.

Island Park RV told no expansion

Councillors then turned their attention to a project that has been the bane of the planning department for 13 years or more – the Island Park RV Resort, located on Wilson Island in the Trent River.

The entire island is a wetland that would never be developed now, but in the 1960s the RV resort was created. Problems with its septic system led to a lengthy legal battle and negotiations that resulted in the installation of a sewage plant to handle the 201 trailers located on the site.

But once the sewage system was finally in place, owner Jerry Luczynski and his agent Bob Clark came back to council seeking approval to add 10 trailer spots on the grassy area that had been the septic bed since it was no longer needed. The website says each of those lots rents for $4,200 or more per year.

The municipality asked the Lower Trent Conservation Authority, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of the Environment and Northumberland County to comment.

“Seeing as every agency has suggested denial, I don’t think we can go ahead,” Metcalf summed up.

“While the park has existed in some form since the 1960s, it was subsequently expanded by the current owner,” Peters said in a report. That expansion created the sewage problems that ultimately required construction of a treatment plant and an agreement to cap the resort at 201 units.

Island Park was seeking an amendment to the zoning bylaw so that it could expand to 211 units.

Planner Cameron Law said drone photos appear to show at least two trailers already on those lots hooked up to the sewage system with BBQs in place suggesting they are in use. Neither Luczynski nor Clark disputed the evidence that the existing rules were being ignored.

Brahaney was the only councillor to vote to allow the extra units, arguing it was the best way to finally end the lengthy fight.

“Aw, shit,” muttered Clark, consultant for the owner, when the final tally was made and he left the chambers.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Two more candidates have announced they are running for election this fall in Ward 3, Campbellford.

Viv Smallwood, owner of Viv’s Glass and Screen Shop on Front Street, and Nader Eid, a story coach and owner of Own Your Story, filed their papers on Friday, July 24. They join Sandra Walls as candidates in that ward. She filed her papers a month ago.

Smallwood is also a director of the Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce and a volunteer at the Aron Theatre Co-op.

Eid is providing information about himself and his ideas on his website and planning to hold coffee chats with residents. The first will be Saturday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. in the Campbellford Town Square. He also writes a Community Voices column on Substack.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, August 21 at 2 p.m. and the election will be held on Monday, October 26.

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Three candidates are running in Hastings – Ethan Armit, Bob Crate and current councillor Dennis Savery. Mike Metcalf, currently the deputy mayor, is the sole candidate for mayor and Rick English, currently councillor in Ward 4, Warkworth, is the only one running for deputy mayor.

So far, no one has announced plans to run in Wards 2, currently held by Rob Pope, or Ward 4, now represented by English.

Ten days ago, Karen Ulrich announced her candidacy in Ward 1, which has been represented by Gene Brahaney. She is retired from the Durham Catholic District School Board after 31 years. She was Financial Assistant for the Facility Service Maintenance department and Health and Safety officer Chairperson. She has been working part-time at Rabethge Jewellery Ltd. since the fall of 2023.

Thousands of homes in Northumberland County that don’t have high-speed internet access won’t be helped by the current $120-million broadband project because the federal government has decided their service is good enough, the county says.

The county is spearheading the broadband project that will serve about 11,000 underserved homes, but it acknowledges that about 1,500 homes, including 300 here in Trent Hills, will not be helped.

Many of those residents have received letters urging them to fill out a survey online if they can, or on paper, by this Friday to help the county mount a campaign to extend the service.

Just two weeks ago, the county issued a news release trumpeting the one million metres of conduit and 600 kilometres of fibre-optic cable that has been installed over the past year. In most areas, the project is now focused on hooking homes up to the cable.

But not everyone is included. Some people in the Warkworth area have discovered that their neighbours can connect for free to the internet service that will be provided by the private company Axle Telecom, but they aren’t included.

The letter from Dwayne Campbell, Director of Economic Development, Planning & Strategic Initiatives, says that in 2021 the county identified 13,000 households that were unserved or underserved by high-speed internet. The project that started in 2025 was designed to serve 11,000 of those homes.

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“Since the project was initially designed, about 1,500 of the original 13,000 homes are now considered ineligible to be part of the project,” his letter says. “This is because the federal government has determined these properties have sufficient broadband services. Your property is one of these locations determined to fall outside of current eligibility criteria.”

“This includes 75 out of 300 remaining locations in the Municipality of Trent Hills,” says Communications Director Kate Campbell.

The county’s letter says that while homes may have internet service, it may not be adequate for current needs.

“We understand that even if you do have internet access today, advertised speeds do not always reflect reality for your actual day-to-day household or business experience.”

“The county has since been engaging funders in discussion about a Phase 2 project to cover the remaining 2,000 households and businesses,” Kate Campbell said in an email. “Since the study was originally undertaken in 2021, however, the service landscape has been evolving, and the federal government has recently determined that about 1,500 of these 2,000 locations now have sufficient broadband services.”

The numbers show one thing, we need to show the reality, the county’s letter says. It asks residents to measure and record their actual internet speed so that information can be used to push for more service.

“All of these responses will be used to develop a detailed report to share with provincial and federal funders this fall, to provide a more accurate picture of any connectivity gaps that remain in Northumberland,” Kate Campbell said.

“The county will be sharing this with both elected officials and public servants at both levels of government as part of our ongoing advocacy to make the case for a Phase 2 project – one that includes all of the originally-identified (2,000 remaining) locations,” she said.

“The goal is to ensure rural geography is no longer a barrier to participation in the digital economy,” the county’s news release said. “The county does not consider its work finished until every resident and business can access the high-speed internet they need.”

The federal government contributed $18.4 million and Ontario $45.8 million to the project, the remainder is from the private sector.

Two women have been nominated for spots on Trent Hills council in the October election.

Sandra Walls, who lost to Daniel Giddings in 2022, is running again in Campbellford. Karen Ulrich is a first-time candidate in Ward 1, which is the former Seymour Township. That seat has been held by Gene Brahaney, who has not indicated whether he plans to run again.

Ulrich lives in the hamlet of Trent River, while Walls lives in Campbellford.

Walls is currently Senior Administrative Assistant to the Chief of the Alderville First Nation. She previously worked at Career Edge.

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Walls and Ulrich are the only candidates in their wards. So far no one is running in wards two or four. Current ward two representative Rob Pope has not announced his plans.

Current deputy mayor Mike Metcalf is the only candidate for mayor at this point. Councillor Rick English is running for deputy mayor. The only race is in ward five, Hastings, where current mayor Bob Crate is running against current councillor Dennis Savery and newcomer Ethan Armit.

Other candidates are rumoured to be gauging their support. Candidates have until Monday, Aug. 24 to submit nomination papers for the Oct. 26 election.

You can check the list of candidates on the municipal website.

Twenty-six homes sold in Trent Hills in June with a median price of $547,500.

Sales were up slightly from 24 in May and but were up dramatically from 14 in the same month last year.

Last month, 24 detached homes sold with a median price of $531,500 and two townhouses sold with a median of $593,900. In May, the median price was $628,500, while it was $532,500 in June 2025.

There were 81 new listings in June and 152 active listings. Homes that sold had been on the market an average of 42 days, up from 32 days in May. In comparison, in June 2025 homes that sold has been listed an average of 51 days.

So far this year, 64 homes have sold with a median price of $610,500, an average of 98 per cent of their listed price. In the first six months of 2025, 114 homes sold with a median of $560,500, so sales are down 44 per cent but prices are up 9 per cent.

In all of Northumberland county, 152 homes sold in June with a median of $641,250. For the first half of the year, 618 homes sold with a median of $649,500. In the same period last year, 688 homes sold with a median price of $670,000. So this year sales are down 10 per cent and prices are down 3 per cent.

In its news release providing the latest sales numbers, the Central Lake Association of Realtors said that market conditions vary across the region.

The news release also touched on the politically sensitive topic of development charges that municipalities levy on each new home that is built. The federal and provincial governments have been urging municipalities to cut those fees so that developers can lower home prices.

On June 1, the governments opened up applications for municipalities that cut their development fees to apply for money from an $8.8 billion program.

Municipalities had until June 19 to apply for the funding. They were required to cut fees by 30 to 50 per cent for at least three years.

Trent Hills currently charges builders $23,021 for each detached, or semi-detached unit. The largest part of the fee is the $17,973 that goes toward parks and recreation services.

Trent Hills decided not to apply to join the program, said Chief Administrative Officer Karen Frigault.

“After reviewing the program, the municipality chose not to submit an application,” she said in an email. “Participation would have required the municipality to commit to a significant reduction in residential development charges while competing for a limited pool of infrastructure funding. Staff were not satisfied that participation would provide a clear financial benefit to Trent Hills residents or adequately offset the reduction in development charge revenue.

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“Development charges are an important funding source for growth-related infrastructure. We were not prepared to reduce that revenue source without confidence that doing so would be in the best financial interests of our community and our taxpayers.”

During a recent council meeting, Mayor Bob Crate said he had met with developers who indicated that the current development charges here are lower than they face elsewhere and are not a barrier to home construction.

In its release, the realtors’ association spoke in favour of cuts.

“We commend the municipalities across our region that have taken proactive steps to apply for funding from the new joint provincial and federal program to help offset development charges and support the creation of new housing,” said association CEO Wendy Giroux. “Reducing barriers to new housing is an important step toward improving affordability and increasing housing supply.”

Bonnie Clark, warden of Peterborough County and chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, also supported the program.

“This investment, coupled with the flexibility provided to municipalities, will help communities deliver the housing and infrastructure needed to support growth,” she said. “We look forward to working with our federal and provincial partners to ensure eastern Ontario has the resources needed to build more homes and support sustainable growth.”

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, chances are that in recent days you have seen a colourful graphic from Campbellford Memorial Hospital warning that its emergency department is extremely busy.

The post suggests you go elsewhere, if possible.

“Our Emergency Department is currently experiencing higher-than-usual patient volumes. Those with non and less urgent conditions may experience significant wait times.

“If your concern is non-urgent, please review your care options before coming to the ED.”

They offer a list of alternatives here.

These signs and announcements are now routine across the country. In his latest book, The Casino Shift: Stories from an ER on the Edge, Dr. Brian Goldman, author and CBC journalist, shows how the system has gotten much worse over the past 15 years. (You can buy a copy of the book at Spencer Books in Warkworth.)

One thing that’s clear from reading Goldman’s book and talking to managers at Campbellford Memorial, these warnings urging patients to go elsewhere are dealing with wrong end of the problem.

The reason our emergency rooms are so full that care is being provided in waiting rooms and hallways, is not that we have a sudden unexpected jump in emergencies. The problem is that our hospitals don’t have enough beds to care for everyone who needs help.

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The biggest challenge is that many people, especially the elderly, are stuck in hospital waiting for a long-term care bed to become available. Some of these folks can be sent home, with extra care, but not all.

With no open beds, it is difficult for patients to be admitted to hospital, so they are kept in the emergency room, here and everywhere else in Canada, it seems. That means there is no room for new patients.

So, expect to see the social media posts more frequently, but don’t accept this situation. We need to push harder to get politicians to build the long-term care beds and other services we require. And to add more hospital beds, Ontario ranks near the bottom of any list of beds per capita.

Annual deficit shrinks, but hospital remains in the red

The hospital recently held its annual meeting and posted its 2025-26 financial results online. While the public focus is largely on all the work being done to get a new hospital built, staff are still working hard every day in an antiquated, under-sized facility that is under-funded by the province.

A recent study of the financial health of Ontario hospitals by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, found that 61 per cent of small hospitals ran a deficit in 2024-25.

The numbers at Campbellford Memorial for the year ended March 31, 2026, were actually much better than the previous year, but it still wound up in the red. Its budget for the current year projects a fifth consecutive annual deficit.

The hospital reported a loss of $1.1 million in 2024-25, down from $3.4 million the previous year. Legally, hospitals aren’t allowed to run a deficit, but the health ministry can grant special dispensation that waives any penalty.

Total revenue was $38.3 million last year, up from $33.9 million the previous year. The increase came from $4.5 million in increased funding from the health ministry to $34 million from $29.5 million.

On the expense side, costs rose to $38.9 million from $37.1 million. By far the largest expense, no surprise, is salaries and wages. They were $23.2 million, up from $22.7 million.

The second highest category was physician transfer payments and medical staff at $5.7 million, up from $4.9 million.

The notes that are part of the financial statements prepared by KPMG LLP highlight the financial challenges the hospital faces.

“At March 31, 2026, the hospital’s current liabilities exceed its current assets by $2,238,948.

“The hospital has reported financial deficits in each of the last four years, including the current year, with the hospital’s budget for the year ending March 31, 2026 reflecting a forecasted financial loss.

“As a result of these losses, the hospital has incurred a reduction in its working capital and net asset position. Management has identified a number of factors that have contributed to its recurring operating losses, including but not limited to the impact of recent wage settlements, inflationary cost increases and financial pressures resulting from patient volumes and capital commitments.”

The report notes that the hospital has to borrow money each year in order to meet its operating needs.

“As a result of its ongoing financial deficits, the hospital has an increased level of reliance on the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health to assist in meeting its operating and capital requirements at current levels,” it concludes.

The report says the hospital has worked with the ministry to develop a three-year forecast to achieve a balanced budget by March 31, 2028. The projection is based on continued 2 per cent funding increases from the ministry and cost-cutting by the hospital.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

The photos above show how Northumberland County has transformed two Campbellford homes into a small parkette.

The homes on Second Street at Saskatoon Avenue were demolished in hopes that money will be found somewhere to pay for the planned new bridge across the Trent River. Demolition has not yet started on a third home on the west side of the river, but it should happen soon.

Several times recently I’ve been asked: Are we ever going to get a bridge and a new hospital? How can we afford both?

My current answer is that the money comes from different accounts and different levels of government, not all out of the same pot. Although, ultimately there is only one group of taxpayers. I think we will have a new hospital constructed by 2033, or so. No idea what the cost will be. Higher than we can imagine, is a safe bet.

My current best guess is that we’re unlikely to see a new bridge built in that same time frame. The estimated $56 million cost is too much for the county to bear on its own, as I’ve written before, and neither Queen’s Park nor Ottawa seem likely to cough up $50 million.

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In the past couple of years, the county has asked the province for support each summer at the convention of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario when they get a chance to lobby cabinet ministers. The response has been a firm no.

This year the bridge isn’t even on wish list the county reps are taking to the conference in August. But maybe it can persuade Prime Minister Mark Carney that a bridge here would be a major economic project. Maybe.

Meanwhile, the county will announce soon the dates work will start on several projects in Trent Hills.

Communications Director Kate Campbell says the county has awarded the tenders for three projects in the municipality – paving a large section of County Road 30; replacing a culvert on County Road 25 South of Hastings; and repairing the bridge across the Trent River in the hamlet of that name.

I’ve written about the details of those projects here.

“We will put out formal communications sharing the start dates for each project once known, and signs will be posted well in advance,” Campbell said.

I wrote last week about the confusing signs on CR 30 for the paving project that said the work would cost $1.5 million in French and $2 million in English. They are no longer confusing, but the solution was to settle on $2 million in either language. Oh, well.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Is it really cheaper to pave a road in French?

That odd question has arisen because Northumberland County has posted two signs on County Road 30 north of Campbellford to highlight a project I wrote about recently.

Drain Brothers has won a $2.1 million contract to repave a large section of the road, south of the hamlet of Trent River between the 8^th Line West and the 11^th Line West and is expected to start work shortly, hence the county signs.

Most of us zipping by at 80 km/h or more wouldn’t have really noticed the signs and certainly not read the small print closely enough to note that they say in English that the project cost $2 million, while en francais it says $1.5 million.

But eagle-eyed subscriber Marcus Curle spotted the oddity on both signs and sent me photos. I went and took a look, thinking that perhaps the signs would be fixed or updated right away. But he was right.

I email the county’s communications director to ask for an explanation, but didn’t get a response. Will let you know if I hear anything, even if the response is en francais.

In his email to me, Marcus said: “Wondering what oversight goes into installing these signs.”

I think the answer is not much.

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Junk mail flyers fill postal boxes

For the past several years it has been clear that The Community Press didn’t cover news in this area but it was delivered each week so that companies could get their sales flyers out to potential customers.

In fact, the lack of news from the Press is one of the main reasons I started this Substack newsletter back in 2023.

So, it wasn’t really a surprise last week when Postmedia owners of The Community Press, shut it down completely. They noted that no journalists would be losing their jobs as a result, which also wasn’t surprising since none worked on it. The stories were repurposed from the Belleville Intelligencer.

All this is a long preamble to a problem created by the death of the newspaper. Companies still want to get their flyers in front of us, so more and more of them are turning to the post office. This means our mailboxes are getting stuffed with paper products many of us don’t want.

If you get home delivery, you’re stuck with carting the junk mail in and dumping it in your blue bin. But for years as the flyer business has grown, many residents who gather their mail from the post office on Bridge Street, have dumped their flyers in a blue bin there.

But now the bin and a table that was handy for sorting out what you wanted from the many things you didn’t have been removed. In place there are a couple of hand-written signs urging people to “take your flyers home.”

The problem with that admonition is that for most of us, we don’t think of those flyers as ours. We didn’t ask for them, didn’t agree to accept them, and just want to get rid of them.

When I saw the signs the other day I got to thinking about how the government has regulated email junk mail, the electronic equivalent and it has largely disappeared from my inbox.

Much to my surprise, when I went looking at the Canada Post website I discovered it has a somewhat similar policy.

“How to stop receiving unaddressed advertising mail,” the page says.

“To stop receiving unaddressed advertising mail, simply put a note on your mailbox stating that you do not wish to receive it. Place the note in or on your mailbox where your delivery agent can see it, or on the inside lip of your community mailbox, group mailbox or postal box.”

Canada Post calls this its consumers’ choice program.

“When you choose to be part of the Consumers’ Choice program, here are some examples of items that we will not deliver:

• Flyers and restaurant menus

• Free product samples and coupons

• Unaddressed magazines and store catalogues

• Notices from non-profit organizations

• Offers from banking institutions and telecommunications services

Even if you choose to be part of the Consumers’ Choice program, we will continue to deliver:

• Community newspapers (without commercial inserts/enclosures) – only inserts in the public interest are acceptable

• Mailings in the public interest from government departments and agencies at the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels, as well as band councils

• Materials from Elections Canada, provincial/territorial chief electoral officers and municipal election officials (or the deputy returning officer), including material from political parties and electoral candidates during an election

• Any addressed mail, including addressed advertising materials”

When I went to the post office today, I found one letter that I needed and a few flyers that I didn’t. I haven’t provided the notice yet to stop the flyers, but seems like it should end my problem. Will report back if it doesn’t.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Jessica Polley has been hired as the new clerk of Trent Hills. She starts her new position on July 13.

Karen Frigault has been the clerk since January 2025. She was appointed Chief Administrative Officer in December 2025 and has been filling both positions since then.

Frigault remains CAO and has been appointed as a deputy clerk, which allows her to fulfill certain legal duties if necessary. Dawn Welch is also a deputy clerk.

Polley has been deputy clerk in Brighton since January 2024.

She studied public administration at Seneca Polytechnic and has taken several advanced courses through the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.

Extension granted for Hastings development

Trent Hills council has given the developers of the Hastings Estates project three more years to complete a subdivision plan for a 48-home fifth-phase, but it expects the work to be done much sooner than that.

“The Batavia/Hastings Meadow/Hastings Estates Plan of Subdivision was first brought forward and approved in 2012, with four phases being approved under that application,” a staff report said.

In 2021, due to changes to the planning act, a new application was submitted for the fifth phase. That plan was given draft approval in 2023 with all conditions required to be completed by June 30, 2026.

In recent months, municipal staff raised questions about the plans for handling stormwater and a final decision on how to proceed has not been reached. So, council approved an extension.

Planner Cameron Law said Kyle Beacock, the municipality’s manager of water and wastewater, raised concerns about the stormwater system’s ability to handle the entire development. A revised plan is being reviewed.

Law said he expects the project to come forward for full approval later this year or early next, but the three-year extension is what they requested and it’s the maximum the municipality can do.

The homes are now on sale starting at $550,000. The lots will be accessed by Darnley Street and a new interior street that will connect to Church Lane. The homes will be a mix of one-and two-storey units.

No new candidates

In case you have been wondering, no other candidates have filed their papers to run this fall. So, at this point, Mike Metcalf is unchallenged as mayor and Rick English is the sole deputy mayor candidate, while Bob Crate, Dennis Savery, and Ethan Armit battle it out for Ward 5.

I know other possible candidates are discussing their options but aren’t ready to announce anything yet.

Alto rail update

The federal government appears to be leaning toward the southern route for Alto High Speed Rail. That’s the one that would cut south from Peterborough through Trent Hills heading to Kingston.

On Monday, Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said he’s told Alto to consider a stop in Kingston. The previous plan looped north of the city on its way to Ottawa without stopping.

“I have asked Alto to further assess an alignment option that could include Kingston as a potential stop as we continue advancing this transformative project for communities across the Toronto–Québec City corridor,” MacKinnon said in a statement.

Alto said on its website that a proposed stop in Kingston is subject to technical feasibility and project requirements.

“This is an important next step toward building a faster, cleaner and more connected rail network for Canadians,” MacKinnon said.

Alto has also released a 134-page report on its consultations so far, called What We Heard.

“While there was criticism of the project, many participants in the south corridor expressed conditional support for Alto if it were to include a station in the Kingston area, where there is already a VIA Rail station,” the report says.

“They argue there is enough demand in this city to support ridership. If the alignment were to move to Kingston, it would also avoid many communities that are currently in the south corridor.”

Overall, a majority of respondents to the online survey said the project would have a very positive (45 per cent) or somewhat positive (10 per cent) effect on the region. Thirty-five per cent of respondents said it would have a very negative effect, while 6 per cent said it would be somewhat negative.

“High-speed rail would reduce travel times between Kingston and Toronto to approximately 90 minutes while establishing Kingston as a key regional mobility hub, improving connections and placing up to 80 per cent of residents between Peterborough and Ottawa within a 25-minute drive of a station,” Alto said on its website.

“Alto’s objective is to develop a project that delivers the greatest collective benefits, while minimizing impacts on communities and the environment,” said Martin Imbleau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alto.

One paragraph in the Alto report echoes a lot of comments heard and seen around here.

“Opposition to and apprehension about land acquisition was voiced, especially in rural areas. Farmland protection and the preservation of agricultural connectivity were raised as concerns on many occasions, as were considerations about impacts on environment, wildlife, and natural habitats.”

Alto says the detailed comments are being analyzed and will be incorporated into the next phase. This fall it will present a narrower corridor, no more than one-kilometre wide, for the section between Ottawa and Montreal, which will be the first to be built.

Alto notes there was a difference between the response in urban areas, especially those with stops, and rural areas where few people saw benefits.

The section on farmland protection says:

“The farming community expressed a range of concerns regarding the potential impacts of the alignment on farmland.

These related to:

• Timelines & process: When route decisions will be made; when construction could start; how much notice farmers will receive.

• Crossings & access: What will happen to existing at-grade crossings; how crossing locations will be determined; how long detours will be; how size and weight requirements of farm machinery will be taken into account; what the transportation impacts during construction will be.

• Severance & fragmentation: What kinds of efficiency effects could result and if these could impact long-term viability of farm operations; in cases of partial land acquisition, a desire for compensation that considers impacts to the whole-farm.

• Drainage & water: a desire for clear standards, responsibilities and long-term maintenance commitments; clarity on whether Alto is subject to the Ontario Drainage Act obligations.

• Agriculture in the Impact Assessment: requests for a dedicated agricultural impact lens during the regulatory review process.”

Details are still being ironed out, but pencil in Thursday, August 6 for a parade around downtown Campbellford to celebrate the Memorial Cup victory of local player Carson Campbell.

Dave Dunk appeared before Trent Hills council on Tuesday to make the pitch for a parade to mark the victory by Campbell’s Kitchener Rangers.

Dunk said Campbell is scheduled to have the cup on that day, so he’s hoping to arrange a parade.

Council supported the idea and suggested Dunk follow the normal procedure for applying to hold an event.

Campbell, a defenceman, has played in the Ontario Hockey League for four years. He’s set to attend Bowling Green University in Ohio this fall.

“The Memorial Cup is the hardest one to win,” said Councillor Daniel Giddings, part-owner of the Trent Hills Thunder. Long-suffering Leaf fans might disagree.

Donnybrook a success

A mountain of stuff was redistributed to new owners last Saturday evening as the always entertaining Donnybrook Auction sale took place in and around the Warkworth Arena.

I have far more stuff than I need, but enjoyed catching up with friends I haven’t seen for years. Oh, and I did bring home four books. But that doesn’t count. Right.

Loopers appear in greater numbers

The boating season has been a bit slow, in part no doubt due to the high water levels, but there were a dozen boats tied up in Campbellford on Wednesday evening. Water levels are still quite high in the Trent and tributaries. For example, the Crowe Bridge park has been closed.

“Water flows are currently above seasonal averages, and the Crowe Valley Conservation Authority is releasing increased volumes of water downstream,” the municipality says in a note on its website. “These conditions create serious safety risks for bathers, swimmers, and anyone entering or approaching the water.”

Rezoning set for landscape business

Council has agreed to rezone the property on the 10^th Line East where Althouse Ltd. landscaping operates. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the ongoing dispute with some neighbours who felt the business was too active and too large for the rural area.

Planner Cameron Law told council that a landscaping business is permitted under municipal bylaws and rezoning this site will bring it into compliance with bylaws and allow the municipality to keep a better eye on operations. It will have site-specific controls that will permit a larger than usually permitted workshop and storage area.

Councillor Gene Brahaney voted against the rezoning.

“It looks like there has been a lot of work by the Althouses that’s in the CYA category to make this agreeable,” he said. “But the fact is this isn’t what I think a small in-house proposition. I think I was misled to believe this was residential.”

The bylaw will be brought to the next meeting for approval.

Council rejects BYOB option

During its meeting on Tuesday, council agreed with a staff recommendation that the municipality not get involved in approving events that allow individuals to bring their own bottles.

Last month the province permitted events where people could bring and consume their own alcohol, but left it up to municipalities to determine whether they would allow them.

Council considered the idea, but agreed that it was better to reject the idea, since enforcement would be difficult and most events in the community are operated by volunteers.

The existing system “would also maintain the current approach to alcohol use at events, which is based on more controlled settings, defined service areas, and oversight by permit holders or trained personnel,” the staff report said.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

We’re about to enter detour season in Trent Hills as road repairs and construction get under way. You’ll be able to get there from here, but it will take you longer on a scenic route.

Northumberland County has approved contracts for several road and bridge projects in our area totalling $4.6 million in spending.

Two projects I’ve written about before, will replace large culverts on County Road 25, one at Killoran Creek, just south of Hastings, and one at Salt Creek, just south of Norham. Drain Brothers Excavating Limited won a $1.8 million contract. It was the lowest of seven bids, $740,000 less than the second-place bid.

The county plans public meetings in Hastings and Warkworth in coming weeks to explain the work and hear any comments. There will be detours while each culvert is replaced. Each project will close the road for about 10 weeks.

Drain Brothers also won a $2.1 million contract to repave a large section of County Road 30, south of the hamlet of Trent River between the 8^th Line West and the 11^th Line West. Six bids were received and Drain Brothers was the lowest by $140,000.

As I wrote last week KB Civil Constructors Inc. of North York has won a $710,000 contract to repair the CR30 bridge over the Trent River north of that area. That project will also close the bridge for 10 weeks, resulting in detours.

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During the county council meeting on Wednesday, Port Hope Mayor Olena Hankivsky asked what will happen if the paving and bridge projects go over budget or take longer than planned.

Her query followed a discussion of how the cost overruns at the Golden Plough Lodge were impacting county finances.

Denise Marshall, Director of Public Works, said she was confident that the work would be done for the contracted amount, noting that her staff was experienced handling such projects, which are straightforward and relatively small. Left unsaid was the contrast with the Golden Plough Lodge construction project with was large, complicated, late and millions over budget.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Northumberland County is at a financial crossroads as it faces annual deficits and a huge long-term debt, but it will be up to the next council to find a way forward.

At Wednesday’s meeting, during a review of the county’s financial situation at the end of 2025, some councillors expressed regrets that they hadn’t done more to cut costs and reduce spending over the past four years.

Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland and Scott Jibb, mayor of Hamilton Township, both said they had high hopes early in their first years on council but admitted failure.

Port Hope Mayor Olena Hankivsky recalled earlier council discussions that talked about the need for a cultural change and courageous decisions to save money “and here we are. It has really hit, we’re at a critical crossroads and we know that we cannot be putting any more onto the taxpayers.”

It’s a new situation for the county, said Director of Finance Matthew Nitsch.

“I’ve been here 13 years, and I think, as an organization, we have been used to having that flexibility to be able to take on projects or opportunities or challenges because our reserves were healthy and our debt was low,” he said. “We no longer have that flexibility.”

Nitsch said a key thing for councillors to understand is that the county’s financial liabilities are growing, primarily due to the cost of the new Golden Plough Lodge and the $95 million in debt that it took on to pay for the facility.

He noted that the long-term care home is an asset for the county, but paying for it will limit future options, such as building a bridge in Campbellford.

“Northumberland County is in a period of needing to use significant amounts from reserves,” his report says. “This, combined with higher debt levels, will result in reduced flexibility for future projects/challenges.”

In 2025 there was an operating deficit of $1.6 million driven by $1.2 million in extra expenses for winter maintenance and another $1.2 million in extra costs for agency staff at the existing Golden Plough Lodge. High-cost agency nurses and personal care workers are hired to fill gaps when staff are not available. Council agreed to use reserves to cover the deficit.

Long-term debt increased in 2025 from $9.3 million to $103.6 million, due to the $96.8 million that was issued for Golden Plough.

Nitsch said the county’s internal financial controls limit its annual debt payments to about $12 million and with the new Golden Plough debt it is paying $9 million, closer to the limit than ever before.

Cleveland said he wanted it on the record that in the past council tried to limit tax and spending increases but it wasn’t always effective.

“How can we possibly be entering into any large-scale infrastructure projects in the future?” Hankivsky said. “There is no room to manoeuvre here, if we have any cost overrun or anything similar to what happened with Golden Plough Lodge.”

There is some money in reserve for the new Campbellford bridge but not enough to pay the estimated $56 million cost and the provincial and federal governments have rejected requests for help.

Hankivsky asked whether it was time for the county to consider selling assets to raise money, but Nitsch pointed out that it doesn’t own much real estate that is not needed.

Cleveland suggested the county needs to look at reducing service levels, which would allow it to reduce staff. By far the county’s largest expense is staff, largely due to the cost of operating Golden Plough.

“This is something we have been playing with and toying with for the past four years but haven’t had the conversations that we need to,” he said. “This is now going to be the next term of council’s difficult task to decide what service levels are changing and what assets need to be sold in order to address the fact that we have a large amount of debt.”

“I look forward to the challenges in the upcoming years of saving money,” Jibb said. “Just simply not spending. If that means service cuts, that’s great. If that means efficiency, that’s even better.”

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

We live in river country so keeping our bridges safe is an essential and constant job.

This week Northumberland County has closed the Wilson Island bridge on First Line East so that work can be completed replacing the deck. The project was started last fall but not finished.

The road was closed on Monday and is expected to be shut until Friday.

Island residents can access their properties by using the Anderson Island Rd. bridge, heading west on Forsyth Rd. and going north through the Island Park RV Resort.

“The county worked closely with the owner of the park to carefully map out the route,” says Kate Campbell, Director of Communications. “Within the boundaries of the park the speed limit is 10 km an hour – residents are asked to drive according to posted limits, and keep watch for pedestrians.”

The county is also moving ahead with plans to rehabilitate the bridge on Country Road 30 in the hamlet of Trent River this summer. Last week, a council committee backed a $710,000 repair plan that will shut the bridge for 10 weeks later this summer. A final decision will be made by county council at its meeting on June 17.

As I wrote last year, the bridge required repairs because the expansion joints at the north end had deteriorated. Emergency repairs were made and the work was postponed last summer but needs to be done now.

Bids were sought for two options: keeping one lane open while work was done and closing the bridge completely. The winning bid by KB Civil Constructors Inc. of North York showed that a full closure was cheaper and would get the work done quicker. .

“The detour routes would be approximately 20 minutes in length for both the local detour and heavy truck detour,” a report to council said.

The full closing will cost $710,565, 37 per cent less than the $1.1 million for a staged closing. The company said it will take 50 working days to complete the job, while the staged closing option would take 75 days.

“A public information session will be held in the coming weeks in the hamlet of Trent River to provide the public with information on the project and the opportunity to ask any questions,” the report said.

It’s expected construction will start in mid-July, Campbell said.

The third bridge under discussion recently is the proposed new Campbellford crossing that appears to be stalled by a lack of money. Two homes on the east side of the Trent have been demolished and a third is slated to be torn down soon, once rental tenants have moved out.

During the county’s public works committee meeting last week, the committee went into a closed session to discuss a number of private matters including “confidential negotiations (Trent River Crossing).” The notice said it was about the acquisition or disposition of property.

I asked Campbell what there is to negotiate at this point, but didn’t get a response. Here’s the last story that I published about the now $57 million project.

You can check updates on current county road operations here.

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You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

If you stand on the shoulder of County Road 30, north of Campbellford, and stare at Jim Curle’s field of dreams you can almost see the outline of a hospital.

At least that’s the way it feels following recent actions that make it feel that the dream of a new facility will become reality in just a few years.

On June 2, Trent Hills council approved the severance of Curle’s 19.7-hectare (48.7- acre) donation for a new hospital. That sets the stage for him to finally get to donate that piece of land. It will still need to be rezoned from prime agricultural land to institutional use and the planners and lawyers are still figuring out the best way to do that.

Last Thursday, the consultants hired to make the new hospital a reality spoke in glowing terms of how their work is going. Their enthusiasm and confidence that “this project is a no brainer for any government” as one told me, helps inspire belief that this will happen.

The information session at the Sunny Life Recreation and Wellness Centre was light on financial details, since the ministry has advised hospital executives not to repeat previous comments about a $400-million facility because the actual cost will likely be much higher once it is completed.

The session also didn’t talk about a target completion date, but Jeff Hohenkerk, CMH’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and John Russell, Executive Director of the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation, told attendees at a fundraising concert at the Aron Theatre Coop two weeks ago that they are targeting 2032, a short six years from now, for the opening.

But the information session did outline the research that’s been done so far and how it is guiding the plan that the hospital hopes to submit to the Ministry of Health in November.

Data expert Gavin Wardle, a partner in Preyra Solutions Group, who has a PhD in health services research, outlined what he’s learned about the area our hospital serves, what we can expect demographically, and what that means for the services we’ll need.

No surprise, there are a lot of old people here. But the surprise may be how many of us are soon going to be really old.

Wardle says that over the next 20 years the number of people over the age of 85 will increase by 170 per cent. Our redeveloped hospital will focus on providing care for those seniors.

On the other hand, for sure we won’t need a maternity ward.

Dialysis is one service that will be in the forefront of the recommendation to the health ministry since providing care closer to home saves time and money.

The need for more long-term care beds so that people aren’t stuck in hospital waiting for a bed, already a major problem, is not going to go away, Wardle said. The planned new long-term care facility adjacent to the hospital will help, but more will be needed.

The campus of care plan with long-term care and assisted housing nearby is our “magic potion” that will drive the hospital redevelopment, said Nash Syed of Trans4mation Solutions Consulting.

“The campus of care is a differentiating factor and the underlying foundation for an exciting opportunity,” he said.

“Seniors will be at the centre of the new facility,” Syed said, adding that there will be an increased focus on mental health services as well.

He stressed that in years to come the new hospital will have to continue to develop partnerships with other facilities in order to meet our needs.

Syed explained that the new facility will have space for a different approach to emergency medicine that will focus on flexibility and individual care.

Shannon Crowder of Resource Planning Group Inc. outlined the multi-step planning process that’s under way. She predicted three years of planning, followed by three years of construction.

The goal is to have a detailed plan to submit this November that will answer most questions the health ministry is likely to have, she said. The next phase after that will involve detailed planning and architectural work that will get closer to a firm cost estimate.

You can get more information on the hospital’s redevelopment website or follow it on social media. Or take a drive up CR30 and dream a little.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Home sales were down 27 per cent last month in Trent Hills, but prices were up 6.5 per cent, compared with the same month last year, in a trend that we’ve seen all year.

Twenty-four homes sold in Trent Hills in May with a median price of $628,500, compared with 33 sales in the same month last year with a median price of $589,900, according to the Central Lakes Association of Realtors.

There were 81 new listings and 142 active listings at the end of last month, compared with 75 new listings and 123 active ones a year ago.

The market showed some life, since homes that sold had been on the market an average of 32 days this year, much quicker than the 56 days last year.

So far this year, 64 homes have sold in Trent Hills with a median price of $610,500, compared to 100 sales and a median price of $563,000 in the same period last year.

Looking back to 2024, 21 homes sold in May that year with a median of $686,900 and 96 homes sold with a median of $595,000 in the first five months of the year.

In all of Northumberland, 128 homes sold last month with a median price of $656,500. In the first five months of the year, 463 homes sold for a median $650,000, compared with 558 sales and a median of $661,000 last year.

In a report to council last week, Chief Building Official Stephen White said that in the first three months of 2026, the municipality issued 47 building permits with a value of $9.1 million, compared with 53 permits worth $5.8 million in the same period last year.

There were 39 residential permits issued valued at $4.6 million; 13 permits for new homes valued at $3.4 million and 18 for $1.2 million in renovations.

There were seven commercial/industrial permits issued with two for new buildings valued at $2.2 million and five for upgrades valued at $2.3 million.

“Where are we at this year with permits?” asked Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf. “Is there a slowing down with the economy?”

“There is a slowdown throughout Northumberland County,” White replied, noting that some larger municipalities are still seeing gains because of efforts to build more affordable housing.

“We are doing better than other municipalities in Northumberland in terms of permits,” he said.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Trent Hills council has approved a $2.5-million project to replace and upgrade the water and wastewater pipes in Campbellford’s Tanner Subdivision.

The water pipes have broken and sprung leaks countless times over the past five years. Last summer the municipality undertook some emergency repairs, but an unexpected provincial grant has allowed the full rebuilding of the pipes and the addition of paved shoulders and proper ditches. The roads, which have been dug up repeatedly to allow repairs, will be properly repaved.

Behan Construction Limited of Cobourg was awarded a $2-million contract during council’s meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Jewell Engineering Inc. of Belleville was awarded a $101,000 contract to administer the contract work and inspect what is done.

Tanya Redden, Manager of Capital Works and Asset Management, told councillors that the province will pay 73 per cent of the cost, leaving the municipality to pay 27 per cent.

The reconstruction work will include Tanner Road, Parkview Boulevard, Gair Street and Ibey Court.

“It’s unfortunate for residents that they have had to go through so much for so long,” said Councillor Rick English.

Pumper price shocks councillors

Council agreed with a recommendation from Fire Chief Shawn Jamieson to acquire a new pumper truck a year early in an effort to save money. The sticker price they agreed to was $1.2 million, but Jamieson warned that delaying the purchase to 2027, as planned, would likely lead to a price at least 20 per cent higher.

The truck being replaced is a 2008 and the fire department usually keeps its vehicles for 20 years, but Jamieson warned that new emission standards taking effect in 2027 and a generally high rate of inflation would likely push the price higher.

Council agreed to take $122,500 from the fire department’s reserves to make the down payment and to use the reserves for the balance when the truck is delivered, likely in early 2027.

Jamieson said the current truck cost $308,000 when it was purchased in 2008. Prices have skyrocketed since COVID.

Insurance requirements and industry best-practices require the department to replace trucks every 20 years, even though they are in excellent condition and have life left. The pumper will be retained as a rescue pumper, Jamieson said.

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“We’re held captive by the insurance industry,” said Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf.

“Essentially, yes, and the regulations,” Jamieson responded.

He warned councillors that within a decade the Campbellford station will likely hit callout volumes that will trigger a decrease in the acceptable ages to 15 years.

The next pumper purchase is currently targeted for 2032.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Thanks to $74,600 in donations from local residents last year the Aron Theatre Coop is in good financial shape, says General Manager Russ Christianson.

“Our financial situation is much stronger because we got donations of bonds” and other donations, he says.

Those donations helped turn an operating loss of $34,609 into a net income of $42,685 for 2025, Christianson says.

The coop theatre will hold its 14^th annual general meeting on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. and will get a financial update from Christianson. He encourages members and non-members to come hear about what’s happening.

While operating revenue declined last year to $191,034, down from $194,872 in 2024, the theatre made some financial moves that put it on stronger footing.

When community members helped finance the purchase of the theatre 15 years ago and its opening as a cooperative, they held $133,000 in bonds that paid annual interest. The bondholders were owed $57,00O in interest, plus the bonds. Over the past year the theatre persuaded many of those bondholders to donate what they were owed to the organization.

The Aron turned to the Community Foundation of Campbellford/Seymour and Northumberland for a $138,000 mortgage.

“It helps the balance sheet because we don’t have that debt and that interest from that debt hanging over us,” Christianson says. “Now we’ve got a very reasonable mortgage with the community foundation, and we did that very consciously. We didn’t do it with a financial institution, because we want the community to maintain the assets. So, if something does go wrong with the theatre, the assets will go to the mortgage holder, which is a community foundation. That’s kind of a nice backstop.”

In 2025, as operating revenue declined by about $4,000, operating expenses were $141,088, up from $135,784, resulting in a net operating loss of $34,609 in 2025, up $14,583 or 72 per cent from $20,026 in 2024.

”Our cash flow is okay, and that’s always important for any kind of business, not-for-profit or for-profit,” Christianson says. “It’s not like we’re having any trouble paying the bills, but for the theatre to really thrive, We need people to leave the couch and come to the theatre.”

The theatre was hammered by COVID, which forced it to close for 18 months. Viewing habits changed with the growth of streaming services and getting people back into the building remains a challenge.

“I think people are coming out a bit more than they did say a year or two ago, so that’s good. But we’re still up against, you know, mammoth competition with streaming services and that’s challenging.”

But the theatre is busier than ever. It offers Hollywood movies Fridays to Tuesdays and has either movies, concerts or events most Wednesdays and Thursdays. He notes that the Aron is operated largely by volunteers who are stretched to fill all the spots.

“Our fundraiser on May 7 featuring local musicians Ken Tizzard and Music for Goats with Matthew Holtby, raised $1,325 for the theatre,” Christianson said in an email to members.

Ticket prices remain the best bargain in town with adult members paying $8 and senior members paying just $6.

Christianson says the theatre is reluctant to raise prices because it knows many people are on tight budgets and the movie companies take a large chunk of any ticket fee. If you really want to support the theatre, buy a popcorn and drink, that money flows straight to the coop.

Christianson sees the Aron as an antidote to the widespread feelings of isolation and loneliness that many people feel.

“The main thing is for people to just come out and have some fun, forget about their troubles and socialize with other people,” he says.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Trent Hills paid the Northumberland YMCA $394,000 in 2025 to provide classes and manage the pool at the Sunny Life Recreation and Wellness Centre.

It expects to pay $331,000 this year, as part of a five-year plan agreement to meet the YMCA’s costs while it gets established and adds more members.

The YMCA said it had about 2,400 members at Sunny Life at the end of 2025. It would need about 3,500 in order for memberships to cover all its costs.

Memberships for a family or group of five costs $1,699, or $340 per person; the rate for adults is $889; and for seniors, anyone over 55, it’s $761.

Trent Hills paid the YMCA $176,000 in 2024 when it was just providing services at the outdoor swimming pool on Ranney Street.

Other municipalities with YMCA facilities also contribute payments annually. In 2025 Cobourg paid $112,000 and Brighton paid $40,000.

Tracking memberships is complex because people can pause or cancel monthly, or switch from one group to another, says Kathryn Harrison, Director of Marketing and Philanthropy. The organization calculates what it calls its member survival rate and in Campbellford last year it was approximately 87 per cent, “which is which is on par with our other locations.”

Last summer its camps served 130 youngsters and it has more programs on tap this year. Details on the summer camps are available in this brochure.

“During the summer on the arena floor, we will be offering a new youth floor hockey program as well as indoor pickleball.” Harrison said.

“We will be launching the Campbellford Y Art Project soon, working with the Apple Route Studio Tour to turn part of the facility into a gallery where we display local artist’s work on our walls,” she said.

The 2026 municipal budget also shows increased fees and ice rental fees at the Sunny Life Centre that will generate $1.1 million in revenue, up from $820,000 in 2025.

Donating bread bucks to food bank

About 10 days ago I got a present from Galen Weston Jr. Well, not exactly a present since it wasn’t voluntary.

Like thousands of other Canadians, including several in Trent Hills, Weston sent me $49.11 to settle a class action lawsuit over the way Loblaw Companies Ltd. and George Weston colluded to keep break prices high from 2001 until 2021.

As a bread lover and general opponent of monopolies and big business, I was quick to sign up to get a share of the money they agreed to pay back.

I donated my small hunk to the Campbellford Fare Share Food Bank and I’ve heard from other readers who did likewise. A few years back I did the same with my $25 gift card that was phase one of the settlement.

“We are sending your payment in the Canadian Packaged Bread Class Actions Settlement,” the email said. “This payment represents your share of the Loblaw/Weston Packaged Bread Settlement, calculated in accordance with the applicable orders of the supervising court.”

You may also have seen social media items about an interview between Weston and CBC anchor Adrienne Arsenault. It purports to show Weston storming out of an interview after she asks him some tough questions about how he is making money.

Be forewarned, that video and related items are a scam designed to get people to provide their personal information in hopes of joining the fake investment scheme Weston supposedly used. The CBC has prepared a video explaining the way it was faked using AI, what else.

The Trent Hills Family Health Team celebrated the official opening of its renovated space at the Warkworth Medical Centre on Thursday.

The improvements to access and workflow and the fresh paint were actually done last year but the official recognition of the work was delayed until a new exterior sign was installed outside the office on George Street.

Doctors Emilie Belys and Kelly Parks shared the giant scissors as they cut a ribbon, then thanked the Warkworth community for the time, money, and effort that turned the renovation ideas into reality.

Trent Hills Mayor Bob Crate, Scott Newman of the Warkworth Community Foundation and Sonny Lennon of the Warkworth Community Service Club helped with the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Belys and Parks also unveiled a plaque thanking all those who helped with the work. Parks quickly adjusted the plaque to make it straighter.

“My first day working here when I walked in and looked around, I thought: ‘This needs work’,” Belys said. The new colours certainly are an improvement. A new door and other changes have improved access and movement.

Legion branches celebrate 100th anniversary

Royal Canadian Legion branches in Trent Hills and across the country are celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the creation of the organization.

It was founded in 1925 at a conference in Winnipeg that brought together several veterans’ groups so they could work together to serve veterans. The Legion began with a clear mission — to support veterans, advocate for their rights, and ensure the act of remembrance continues, its website says. On July 17, 1926, the Legion was officially incorporated by an Act of Parliament.

To mark this special anniversary, membership in the Legion is free this year and branches are encouraging everyone to come check out their many community activities – from euchre, to pool, to music – and join their organization. Anyone 18 or older can join, no need to be a veteran.

Next Thursday, May 28, the Campbellford Legion Branch 103 will be holding its executive elections to select the leaders for the next year. If you join now you’ll be able to vote. Most candidates are retired or current veterans who clearly understand the needs of veterans, young and old.

“Strong leadership ensures we continue delivering vital support for veterans, serving our community, and creating a welcoming space for all members,” the branch says on its Facebook page. “Come out, make your voice heard, share your ideas, and let’s keep building on the positive momentum we’ve created together.”

Branch 103 on Bridge Street West has become a thriving, active spot in recent years, driven by its focus on music as a way to continuously bring people into the building and get them involved. Its Sunday afternoon jam sessions are usually packed with musicians and fans.

Music organizer Steve Runions says all the proceeds from those sessions are donated to local community groups such as the Bridge Hospice and the food bank.

“A Legion is strongest when it becomes more than a building — when it becomes a gathering place for community, friendship, service, and remembrance,” Branch 103 says on Facebook. “That spirit is alive and well at the Campbellford Legion.”

On Facebook you can also follow Warkworth Legion Branch 380 or the Hastings Legion Branch 106, which also offer a wide range of community activities.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

The water and wastewater systems in Trent Hills can handle the current demand, but about $75 million will need to be spent over the next 25 years to expand them so they can accommodate expected growth, a new report says.

The 186-page report by consulting firm Civica Infrastructure Inc. recommends eight wastewater improvement projects with an estimated cost of $35 million and 49 water projects with an estimated cost of $39 million.

“The capacity in all the systems is good,” Planning Director Jim Peters said during Tuesday’s council meeting. “Our water plants are well below capacity.”

Fears were raised at a recent meeting that a proposed Warkworth development would exceed the system’s capacity in the community, said Councillor Rick English. Another Warkworth subdivision was reduced from 40 to nine units to avoid the cost of upgrading a pumping station.

“We feel we are in good shape, whether we are considering development in Warkworth, Hastings, or Campbellford,” Peters said. “But we certainly have a lot of draft-approved development in Hastings, that’s why we are focused there first.”

Council agreed to have staff work with consultants Engage Engineering to determine what work needs to be done first in Hastings to upgrade the wastewater system, since that is the top priority.

Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf noted that the report recommends $48 million in spending just on new pumping stations for the wastewater system.

The wastewater systems are fine except in extremely wet conditions, primarily the spring, when groundwater leaks into the system and the flow exceeds capacity, Peters said.

A priority is to examine the current pipes to find ways to reduce the amount of infiltration and reduce the stress on the wastewater treatment plant.

Councillor Dennis Savery asked whether developers help pay for system-wide improvements that are needed to accommodate growth.

Peters explained that developers pay to install water and wastewater systems to serve any new homes and in addition they pay a system-connection fee per unit that is used to expand and improve the existing systems so that the cost doesn’t fall on current taxpayers.

The service capacity review was requested in April 2023 but was delayed when senior staff at Trent Hills resigned and then the consultant also changed jobs.

“Through this review and in conjunction with the review of pending development proposals, it was concluded that each urban area faces particular challenges,” said a report to council. “The capacity of the water system does not appear to be an issue in any of the urban areas. Depending on the development, the extension of municipal water may create a challenge in maintaining the required level of domestic and fire flows.

“The relationship between potential new development and wastewater flows is most critical in Hastings,” the report said. “There are a number of developments approved for the community and there are portions of the year when the capacity of the plant is exceeded.”

Arena sale discussed

It seems that selling an old arena site is not as easy as you might think.

I wrote two weeks ago that the municipality is working on the site of the former Hastings arena to get it ready for its sale to finally close after 18 months. The sale was announced in November 2024 with a price of $650,000.

On Tuesday, council went into private session to discuss “the appraised value of the former Campbellford arena.”

You might wonder why they are discussing an appraised value when it was announced last July that the arena was being sold to a numbered company for $275,000. Usually, you get an appraisal before a sale.

I didn’t bother asking for an explanation, since I know from past experience that the answer would be: ‘That’s private.’

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.