January

02 The Town of Gravenhurst has exceeded its record for most building permits issued in one year by more than 50 permits.
According to statistics recorded by the department, 737 permits were issued in 2007, compared to the former permit record of 681 permits in 2005. Co-ordinator of development services Ian Sugden said the town saw its highest construction dollar value of $44,988,863 since the department started compiling statistics in 1975.
“The number of permits is great and the dollar value and return to the community is exciting,” said Mayor John Klinck.
09 A feud over a speeding ticket has resulted in a dispute between Muskoka district chair Gord Adams and the president and CEO of the Ontario Provincial Police Association. After witnessing two unmarked police cars travel at 120 km/h in a 90-km/h zone, Adams filed a complaint and later testified against the officers. In what Adams now calls “retaliation” for the complaint, he was charged with speeding by Karl Walsh, OPPA president. Walsh used evidence from Adams’ sworn testimony to file the charge. The charge was later withdrawn.
16 Residents of west Gravenhurst, portions of northern Bracebridge and around the community of MacTier now have the ability to accelerate their Internet connection from dial-up to wireless. Muskoka Community Network said areas including west Gravenhurst and portions of Springdale Park, Falkenburg Station and Stephenson Road 1 near Hwy. 11 in Bracebridge are the first areas to be serviced by the project to bring high-speed Internet access to Muskoka with government funding from FedNor.
23 Gravenhurst town council has set a pre-budget consultation meeting in response to requests that the municipality gather more public input before town council receives the draft budgets.
Earlier this month, the Greater Gravenhurst Residents’ Association met with corporate services chair Lou Guerriero, vice chair Mark Clairmont and councillor Paisley Donaldson to convey the association’s wishes for a public consultation on the 2008 budget. The pre-budget approach will allow for input to be received prior to the competition of the first operational and capitol budgets.
30 A Monday afternoon car accident on Muskoka Road North, near the fire college, has claimed the life of an 80-year-old Gravenhurst man. According to police, the collision occurred when a Plymouth Voyager slammed into the front bumper of a large cement truck parked across one-and-a-half lanes of Muskoka Road. A flagman was on the scene to guide southbound traffic, but the driver of the Voyager, James Laskey, failed to negotiate a turn around the cement truck and collided with the vehicle.

February

06 Trillium Lakelands District School Board has passed a motion chastising trustee Norah Fountain for “improperly disclosing in-camera/private session information.”
The board discussed the issue at a meeting on Jan. 29. Fountain did not attend the meeting in person, but by teleconference. “I request written copies of all that has transpired, including, in writing, the direction of the legal advice sought by the board and the name of the lawyer,” Fountain protested.
Board chair Rick Johnston said no one had advance information about the text of motion other than the chair’s council.
13 Gravenhurst Curling Club president Walt Smith confirms that Bell Mobility approached the club with a proposal to lease space on the property for a cellphone tower. A letter was sent to the 300-or-so shareholders asking their thoughts on leasing the property next to the curling club to permit the building of the tower. The pros of the proposal are the annual rent of $5,000-$7,000 from Bell Mobility that would be additional revenue for long-term upkeep of the club’s facilities. The cons of the proposal include constraints to future changes to the building.
20 Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) chair Gary O’Connor has overturned the Gravenhurst committee of adjustment’s decision to reject a severance application on Seehaver Road. The OMB’s decision came following a hearing that decided the application met the four tests of the Planning Act. The decision was issued Feb. 5, 19 days after the OMB hearing was held in council chambers to deal with the appeal by applicant John Byrne. Byrne was denied a consent application to create new residential lots. O’Connor’s written decision supported the town planning staff’s recommendation for approval, noting the criteria of the Planning Act had been met.
27 Gravenhurst town council has renamed Gull Lake Park.  Last October, representatives of the Gravenhurst Rotary Club asked the town’s community services committee to rename the park to acknowledge the longstanding contributions made by Rotary. Committee members decided to rename the public space Gull Lake Rotary Park. The committee also voted in favour of establishing a new sign with the Rotary logo.

March

05 Fenbrook Institution remains in state of lockdown as staff and police comb the facility in search of contraband.
“The OPP were here with their dogs on Sunday. I’m not sure whether they will continue to be involved,” said Pam Gray, acting assistant warden management services. The search started when the prison’s security officer received information that there was contraband inside the institution. The institution will reopen when it is safe for the public, staff and inmates.
12 A tractor-trailer travelling south on Hwy. 11 in Gravenhurst rolled over onto its side shortly before 12 p.m on Monday. Traffic was brought to a complete stop for two hours. The accident was the second tractor-trailer mishap in six days. The tractor-trailer was carrying food supplies and rolled over onto its side near a fruit stand, blocking both sides of the highway. Bracebridge OPP charged 32-year-old Rajvir Virk of Brampton with careless driving. A female driver was taken to hospital for minor injuries.
19 Gravenhurst Curling Club president Walt Smith says the board of directors will be starting negotiations with Bell Mobility after 82 per cent of 162 proxies voted in favour of leasing space on the club’s property for a microwave tower. Smith said the results give the board the mandate to begin discussions with Bell. The lease agreement could provide annual rent of $5,000-$7,000 from Bell Mobility, which the club could use as additional revenue for upkeep of its facilities. There could however, be some constraints to future changes to the building.
26 The 2008 draft budget for Gravenhurst is back to forecasting a 6.92 per cent increase on the municipal portion of the tax bill. The tax increase climbed two per cent last Tuesday during the corporate services committee meeting when a majority of town councillors agreed to add $234,000 to budget for the reconstruction of the gateway arch. Replacing the arch was a project that survived the cut, while other projects that were not recommended in the 2008 budget are still subject to council approval.



April

02 Sixteen municipal employees across Muskoka made over $100,000 last year, including 11 at the District Municipality of Muskoka; together, the public employees took home more than $1.3 million.
Ontario’s Public Sector Salary Disclosure Report shows salaries for many top employees dropped in 2007. The report indicated that only Muskoka’s chief administrative officer, commissioner of finance, commissioner of planning, and commissioner of community services showed increases in salary over 2006. The report indicated that salaries for the commissioner of engineering and public works and the district solicitor amounted to less in 2007, versus 2006.
09 The 2008 budget is to be considered for adoption by town council at a special meeting. Early indications show a 7.17 per cent increase on the municipal portion of the 2008 tax bill. The budget proposes spending $10,698,208, of which $6,821,206 will be levied from ratepayers for operating expenses. Ratepayers’ tax bills will show an extra $22.83 per $100,000 in assessment, or a total Gravenhurst tax bill of $333.40 based on a property assessed at $100,000. Replacing the gateway arch represents a two per cent tax increase.
16 A trust fund has been established for a family, after they narrowly escaped a house fire that started in their basement in the early morning hours on Saturday. Volunteers from Gravenhurst Fire Department Stations 1 and 2 received the call for a residential structure fire at 260 Kingswood Drive at 12:09 a.m., said John Black, deputy fire chief. Twenty-four firefighters arrived on the scene to try and control the fire. Sherry Reaume and her children were asleep when the fire started but were quickly evacuated, escaping the fire with minor injuries.
23 Gravenhurst town council has backed down from an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing by choosing not to support its original decision to deny a zoning amendment that would permit a new sheet-metal operation on Winhara Road.
The zoning amendment application from Barry Lynn and Sandra Smith sought to rezone the property at 1355 Winhara Road from rural to rural industrial to allow a 1,900-square-foot gabled workshop building to be used for storing materials and bending of light gauge steel.
30 Fenbrook Institution is back to normal operations after a search that recovered contraband from various areas of the facility, including a large reserve of tobacco, sharp objects and parts for a still, to brew home-made alcohol. On April 22, inmates at Fenbrook were placed under lockdown status after information was received indicating there was contraband within the institution that may have been connected to the previous search in March. Five days later, Fenbrook Institution staff concluded their search.

May

07 The Gravenhurst Minor Hockey Association (GMHA) is circulating a petition to gain support from town council for more ice time during the week. GMHA president Ted Watts explained that GMHA had asked for 24-25 hours and, last year, ended up with only 21 hours each week. The petition references an Ontario Minor Hockey Association recommendation to hold two ice practices for every minor hockey game played. The extra time would also be used for an OMHA skills program with specialty clinics for player development.
14 Gravenhurst town council has approved a bylaw to create a management board for Muskoka Wharf. The community-based Muskoka Wharf Board is an effort to manage the day-to-day operations and municipal interests at the Wharf in a cost-effective and co-ordinated manner. Concerns were raised by the Gravenhurst Business Improvement Area (BIA) that the wharf board will use public money to market the private sector. Councillor Lou Guerriero said the public funds will be used for operations only, not for marketing, and all monies will be well identified and accounted for.
21 Gravenhurst councillors are renewing the contract for the Gravenhurst Youth Centre administrator for another year and making a commitment to keep the youth centre operational until at least the end of 2010.
Councillors recently decided to include the centre in the town’s 2009 and 2010 budgets.
Mayor John Klinck said the centre is a unique facility that other communities don’t have.
28 More than 60 people attended a recent public meeting to discuss town council’s interest in purchasing property at the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) in Gravenhurst.
If the purchase goes ahead, it would allow for the construction of a stand-alone 14,000-square-foot medical clinic to house physicians in the Cottage Country Family Health Team and allied health professionals. Mayor John Klinck said the purchase of the property would address five items in the town’s strategic plan.

June

04 A Gravenhurst resident helped his neighbours escape a house fire early Friday morning. The fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. at the home of Mike and Hannah Smith, on Segwun Boulevard. Bruce MacFadden discovered the blaze while working in his garage and ran into the Smith’s house to wake up the three family members. MacFadden and Smith attempted unsuccessfully to put the fire out, while Smith’s daughter called 911. Crews fought the blaze for several hours but unfortunately, much of the home was destroyed, said John Black, deputy fire chief.
11 A proposal for a float-plane operation at Muskoka Wharf has sunk beneath a wave of opposition.
Council unanimously agreed to end negotiations with Seguin Aircraft Charters and Tours, which was seeking to lease dock space for a four-aircraft sightseeing operation at the wharf. In early May, council agreed to enter into negotiations to lease dock space for the float-plane venture. Mayor John Klinck voiced his opposition to the operation on Muskoka Bay and council agreed.
18 It has taken almost two years but the Town of Gravenhurst Official Plan is finally ready for approval by the District of Muskoka. One of the major changes in the plan will be only a “modest” expansion of Gravenhurst’s southern urban boundary to accommodate a request by the Muskoka Bay Development Corporation. District planning staff did not support the boundary change because population projections did not demonstrate the need for such a large expansion to the town’s housing market. The district and Muskoka Bay representatives, however, reached a compromise.
25 Two Gravenhurst men are being recognized for heroic acts that earned them Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner’s Citations for Lifesaving. Jake Chambers and Kurt Arnold put their lives on the line last spring, in separate acts of lifesaving that occurred in perilous waters. On April 5, 2007, Chambers was involved in rescuing a 19-year-old snowmobiler who plunged through thin ice on Muldrew Lake. A month later to the day, Arnold displayed a similar act of courage when a canoe capsized on Lake Muskoka, throwing its two occupants into the water.

July

02 Gravenhurst Mayor John Klinck is disappointed he was left out of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit to Muskoka. Harper held a round-table discussion for the community during his recent visit to announce that Huntsville will host the 2010 G8 Summit. Klinck knew nothing about it and said he found it “odd” that he wasn’t informed. “Especially, when I heard it was a round table, I would have liked to participate in that sort of thing, if it were appropriate,” Klinck explained.
09 Town councillors only had 16 hours’ notice before Chinese ambassador Lan Lijun arrived in Gravenhurst on June 28. Mayor John Klinck said the ambassador decided to make the trip to Gravenhurst one of his first journeys in Canada. Once here, he requested a meeting with the town’s mayor. Lan is currently trying to form a partnership with Parks Canada to expand Bethune House’s footprints to include a visitors’ centre for Chinese tourists, a visitors’ lobby, an artifact display area, and a dining area, among other things.
16 Thirteen people received medical treatment Sunday evening, after a multi-vehicle collision closed the southbound lanes of Hwy.11 near Kilworthy. A female passenger was extricated from her vehicle by Gravenhurst Fire Department and airlifted to Toronto for treatment of non-threatening injuries. Seven people from six vehicles were taken to Bracebridge and Orillia hospitals to be treated for minor injuries, police reported. The police investigation determined that the cause of the collision might have been a dog running across the highway.
23 Gravenhurst councillors are sending a strong message that they would no longer support forgiving municipal fees for worthwhile causes. Council waived a total of $7,343.74 in fees and charges as of May, leaving a balance of $12,656.26 for fee waiving in a budget council agreed to in 2008. When the account was created, there was no policy with guidelines as to how the money would be fairly spent.
30 It took two enormous cranes, two flatbed trucks and dozens of workers over two days to raise the roof of the Residence Inn by Marriott at Muskoka Wharf.
The roof was prefabricated by Marriott’s preferred design/build contractors, and was cut into five pieces before the lifting process began Friday. The first piece was taken to the Marriott site where it was lifted by crane onto the five-storey hotel. The remaining four roof sections were lifted Monday, with flagmen on the site. Gregg Evans said he hopes that the hotel will be opened by May 1, 2009.

August

06 Wenonah House, a facility for young offenders in Gravenhurst, will close its doors in September, according to a spokesperson.
The home provided open-custody programs for male youths from 13 to 18 years of age. In the future, youths will go to Barrie.
“Unfortunately, we had no idea (this closure) was happening,” said Lorie Vogels, director of Wenonah House. Vogels said the last resident was released July 4. On July 15, the ministry informed Wenonah House that they would not be getting any more referrals for new residents.
13 A contractor is on board to construct a replica of the Gravenhurst Gateway arch for the south end of town.
Kilworthy’s Cross Bay Construction will build the arch, after its bid of $222,365 was selected by town. The arch will span all three lanes of Muskoka Road South, just south of the Howard Johnson motel. Steel support columns and rolled aluminum stock will be bonded to plywood and painted with aircraft paint for the structure.
20 As of early 2009, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) will no longer be providing community-based lab services. On Monday, the organization issued a media release stating it would be moving its community lab services to the provincial model, which calls for all testing requested by local physicians to be done at the central lab of Gamma-Dynacare in Brampton.
27 Gravenhurst town councillor Terry Pilger is concerned the town isn’t getting enough publicity from A Channel, although it is paying close to $250 million for the news agency’s promotional services.
A five-year agreement with A Channel was to guarantee the town over $1 million in annual media airtime but, two years into the deal, problems have arisen. Councillor Sandy Cairns said she has difficulty convincing the television news network to cover items of interest in Gravenhurst. “I think we’re holding up our end of the bargain and we’re exceeding the requirements of the community happily,” A Channel news director Ruth Anderson said.

September

03 On Aug. 31, an eastbound Canadian Pacific freight train hit a 26-year-old man, later identified by police as Warren Mangan of Washago. Police said Mangan was sitting on the train tracks near The Kee to Bala, when the accident occurred. He was transported to South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge where he was later pronounced dead. Muskoka Lakes fire chief Jim Sawkins said he believes protective rails should be installed around the train tracks at the Kee to prevent similar deaths.
10 A blaze has destroyed the Northern Gate Variety Store on Hwy. 11 North, in Kilworthy. Firefighters arrived on the scene around 3 p.m. Monday and, just before 4:30 p.m., flames burst through the roof and the building became fully engulfed. By 6:30 p.m., the fire had spread through the residential unit on the southern end of the building because of the shared roof. As of 8:30 p.m., firefighters were going through the building to make sure the fire was out.
17  Friends of Warren Mangan, the 26-year-old Washago man who was hit by train near the Kee to Bala, are questioning the role Kee staff played in the events leading up to the fatal accident.
Mangan’s girlfriend, Erika Cole, said Mangan had been drinking before the concert. She said she got him a glass of water when they arrived at the Kee, but he must have consumed more alcohol once he got there. Cole wondered why Kee staff didn’t tell one of their 36 friends that Mangan had been kicked out of the concert hall.
24 Bride Tannis Pedwell describes the moment the third-floor balcony of the Bala Bay Inn collapsed Saturday as truly frightening.
Pedwell’s bridal party was posing for photos at the inn when the accident occurred.
“I remember the split second before it fell because the board separated from the wall, like it was just rotten wood, and we heard one crack, then a smash and everyone was screaming,” she recalled. Eleven people fell from the upper balcony onto the second-floor balcony. Seven people were taken to Bracebridge and Parry Sound Hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

October

01 A Segwun Boulevard resident, who woke up his neighbours when a fire started in their garage, said being called a hero is the biggest honour he’s ever had in his life.
Bruce MacFadden was recognized by the Gravenhurst Fire Department and town council in a surprise ceremony last Wednesday night. MacFadden was presented with a certificate of merit. “Mike Smith approached the fire department about doing something for Bruce because Mike said, if it wasn’t for him, (the family) wouldn’t necessarily have gotten out,” said firefighter Tracy Jocque.
08 Almost every seat in the Gravenhurst Opera House was occupied Wednesday night as members of the public tuned in for the federal all-candidates forum. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Gravenhurst Banner, the forum turned out to be a tame yet informative discussion among the panel of five candidates vying to be the next Member of Parliament for Parry Sound-Muskoka. Each candidate was given time at the beginning and end of the forum to directly address the audience.
15 Gravenhurst town council will be doling out more than $1.1 million for the expropriation of four boathouse properties in Muskoka Bay, which allowed for the redevelopment of the Muskoka Wharf. Ian Sugden, chief planner for the municipality, said the owners of the boathouses appealed the expropriation to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). Sugden said the payout of $1,164,117 should cover what has been established as the fair market value of the four properties. The Expropriations Act maintains that the owners of expropriated properties should not incur any loss or expense.
22 The fight to stop a hydroelectric project at Bala Falls hit a roadblock at a Muskoka district council meeting last week. Council voted in favour of a resolution to build the hydroelectric facility on municipal land located near the falls during its Oct. 14 meeting. The company spearheading the water-power project, Swift River Energy says that if the generating station proceeds as planned, it will generate up to 4.3 megawatts of power.
29 A 33-year-old man is facing jail time after pleading guilty to distributing child pornography. In Huntsville court on Thursday, Judge John Evans sentenced Tarig “Ty” Bur to serve 16 months – 12 months for distribution of child pornography and four months for luring. He was also ordered to serve three years’ probation. Bur is required to attend any rehabilitation or counselling programs recommended by his probation officer. He will be on the National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years.

November

05 Blissymbolics Learning Centre, an organization that helps non-verbal cerebral palsy students with communications and literacy skills, plans to permanently shut its doors in a few months. The centre opened in Bala in 2002. Its main source of funding, from the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, ended this year. “We want to close leaving our students in the best possible shape that we can,” said Anna Mallin, acting chair for Blissymbolics. Muskoka Lakes Mayor Susan Pryke said she was sad to hear about the closure.
12 Veronica Steele, the owner of the Southwood Church, was granted an extension until next August to move the 70-year-old building. Steele plans to move the church approximately nine kilometres from its current location in the Church of Our Lady Cemetery on Southwood Road to a vacant lot she owns on the south side of Morrison Lake. She had hoped to move the structure earlier but learned that contractors were booked six months in advance.
19 Terry Pilger, the town’s economic development committee chair, is upset that A Channel failed to appear before Gravenhurst council last month.
A few months earlier, Pilger alleged A Channel was not covering enough Gravenhurst events as per its agreement with the town. In a September meeting, A Channel provided evidence that it was exceeding the terms of the agreement. John Klinck disagreed, adding that he believes the town is getting exactly what was expected.
26 Gravenhurst town councillors agree with town staff in opposing an economic development department within the District of Muskoka. Community economic development officer Lance Sherk said he would rather see the district’s planning and economic development department work more closely with municipal economic development staff than create an enhanced role for the district in economic development. He said the district was “putting the cart before the horse,” in discussing a possible department structure before coming up with an economic strategy.

December

03 The town’s committee of adjustment has agreed to create seven new lots on the Baseline Road property of Shirley Adams, wife of Muskoka District chair Gord Adams.
The move flies in the face of a June recommendation by town planning staff that only two new lots be approved.
10 The Segwun steamship was taking on water Sunday morning at the Muskoka Wharf, after the ship began to list. John Miller, general manager of the Real Muskoka Experience, said a faulty valve caused water to penetrate the ship after it had leaned too far to one side. During winter, due to changing water levels, steamships typically rest on the bottom of the lake and rarely sit straight up and down, said Miller. As of Monday morning, the Segwun was standing straight, thanks to volunteers and firefighters from Gravenhurst, who were summoned to help.
17 Development charges could increase by as much as 65 per cent for new residential construction and 169 per cent for non-residential construction.
The proposed charges were presented by Gary Scanlon of Watson Associates Economics Ltd. The proposed rates provide the first opportunity for the town to collect development charges since the development of Muskoka Wharf. Rate treasurer Ken Watson said development charges are driven by the town’s anticipated capitol needs.
24 A 25-year-old Bracebridge man has pleaded guilty to impaired operation of a vessel causing death. Andrew Betteridge made the plea in a Bracebridge courtroom last week in relation to a June boating accident that killed 24-year-old Steven Hamel of Oakville. The accident occurred on Lake Muskoka, near Bala.
Court heard that Betteridge, Hamel and another man bought 20 drinks at the Bala Falls Pub on the day the accident occurred.