By Jenn Watt and Chad Ingram

Published July 24 2018

In the wake of incidents of vandalism in downtown Haliburton Village the municipality of Dysart et al is investing in an upgraded surveillance system.

Councillors voted during a July 23 meeting to purchase new rotating video cameras with low-light infrared technology that will allow for improved surveillance of the downtown area including Head Lake Park. With an expansion of the wifi area it is expected the project will cost between $15000 and $20000. Images from the cameras will be shown on the municipality’s website. There will likely be about half a dozen cameras with one mounted near the fountain in the centre of the park.

“We definitely need it” said Mayor Murray Fearrey.

The Lily Ann Thrift Store on York Street was broken into between July 2 and 3 and Head Lake Park was vandalized last week.

Repairs following vandalism in Haliburton’s Head Lake Park will likely cost more than $1000 and require hours of staff time to complete the municipality’s chief administrative officer said in an email to the Echo .

Several solar lights were stolen a swing in the playground cut down and graffiti spray-painted on a utility trailer and tree trunk sometime between the evening of Saturday July 14 and the early morning of Monday July 16.

“One of our parks crew noticed the trailer damage right away on Monday morning.  It had been parked down by the band shell” CAO Tamara Wilbee said via email.

So far graffiti has been removed from the parks trailer she said but she was “not sure how far they will go with trailer repairs as they are just dents not affecting safety.”

The swing was cut down but not stolen Wilbee said and it can be repaired with new straps.
“Overall not tons of money but a lot of work and aggravation to clean up after this type of destructive behaviour” she said.

There haven’t been any other instances of vandalism in the park this summer she said.

The Haliburton Highlands OPP is asking that anyone who has information on the incident get in touch with the police. Wilbee adds that it would be helpful if people report any unwanted or destructive behaviour to the police “as there could be connections that would help them out to get closure to this.”

If you have information the police advise you to call 1-888-310-1122 or 705-286-1431. Should you wish to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a secure web-tip at www.khcs.ca where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2000.