By Darren Lum

The following are briefs from the last Cultural Resource Committee virtual meeting via Zoom on Friday, April 23. The next meeting is in June.

Strong numbers for summer registration at the Haliburton School of Art + Design is promising a turn-around year after the pandemic prevented last year’s offerings.

HSAD’s Shelley Schell said within a week of registration opening there were 482 people registered, which included close to 400 registered on the first day, for 80 offered courses that will be held at the campus building and the remote location for blacksmithing on Mallard Drive, with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.

“It was just out of the gate crazy, as it normally is,” she said.

She adds, the maximum number of people for all courses offered would be 657.

At the time of the meeting, Schell said there was a waiting list with 70 people. As of Friday, May 7, the latest numbers for HSAD this summer: 499 students registered and 88 on the waitlist.

“It’s a clear indication that people are hungry to engage in creative and artistic activities and have some level of social interaction, so of course now we’re working hard on the whole operational plan in terms of safety,” she said.

The practices will include staggered entrance times, mid-break times, leave times, including restricting entrance to registered students and course teachers and staff.

She adds the college is well-versed in safe practices, having full-time students that attended the past year. Since this current provincial stay-at-home order was announced a few weeks ago, there has been a slow down for registration since the stay-at-home order.

“Interesting to me is that people are actually still registering and committing and optimistic and hopeful so we’ll see where that goes. But I think, if we can do it, if the province let’s us do it, I think we’re looking at a very successful summer school program this year, which is so heartening,” she said.

Sculpture Forest grows, developing new guide map
Sculpture Forest curator Jim Blake said there will be a new brochure for visitors to use when they come to the Haliburton attraction.

The new brochure addresses the rise in popularity among visitors to the Forest, which has become a draw for visitors, he said.

“It’s going to be twice the size of our former one with a beautiful new map and we also now have space to promote downtown Haliburton, to promote other galleries, museums and the college, and also the Sculpture Forest in the winter time,” he said.

He adds funding for the brochure came from the township.

Renowned Canadian artist Gord Peteran is adding a new sculpture to the Forest this summer.

There are more than 40 sculptures and creations at the Forest.

Peteran’s previous work can be seen at the entrance to the HSAD building, which includes the distinctive red doors.

Blake noted with the current lockdown that the Forest is technically closed, but access to the trails of Glebe Park are permitted for people to use.

“So that’s what our COVID policy is basically saying. Welcoming people to come in their family groupings, following all the criteria of COVID [restrictions],” he said.