By Emily Stonehouse

When you meet John Watson, you can’t help but smile. 

Whether it’s passing him by on the street, standing in line with him at a coffee shop, or bumping into him at his work at the municipality or the gym, he’s always bringing an energy that’s contagious. 

And, when asked about his zest for life, it largely stems from calling Haliburton home. 

“I always joke that when I retire, I’d move up here,” he laughed. “But one day I thought, why wait?” 

Watson is the environmental manager for Dysart et al. He is also a coach at Sweat Social fitness, a recreational stage manager, and, most recently, Haliburton County’s Highlander of the Year; an award he was honoured with during the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce awards night on Oct. 25 at the Haliburton Legion.

According to the Chamber website, Highlander of the Year is someone who has shown dedication to their community for years. They have played a major role in the region, making a difference on the environment, people, the arts, or in business. Their commitment to the community must be seen in a range of involvement, above and beyond their business role. 

“I am so honoured, so humbled,” he said. “To be recognized with some of those other nominees is such an honour.” 

After 15 years of cottaging in Haliburton, Watson officially made it his home just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. At the time, he was working as the communications officer for SIRCH, which provided him with the opportunity to explore some of the initiatives that the not-for-profit offers, such as the Repair Cafe and the Thrift Warehouse. 

These ideas got his gears turning. 

Once his contract ended with SIRCH, Watson jumped into the role of environmental manager for the municipality. “Everyone always makes waste,” he said. “It’s something we all have in common, and we all have to play a part in minimizing that.” 

With a background in theatre production, as well as a contract with SIRCH community services under his belt, Watson dove into the position with a zest for a new chapter in waste management. “I thought to myself, this is kind of like putting on a show,” he said, in reference to the many outreach programs he has offered to the community over the past four years. 

One of these programs is to visit schools, and educate kids about the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling. “Those programs are really well received,” he beamed, noting that he is always open to new partnerships and opportunities to work with the youth in our community when it comes to environmental education. 

Another initiative that Watson has moved forward was the Great Haliburton Clothing Swap, which took place this past fall, and was met with tremendous success. The idea of the swap was for folks to drop off gently used clothes at Haliburton School of Art + Design, and swap them out for something new, to you. With thousands of garments donated, Watson noted that even with over 200 people shopping through, over 350 pounds of clothing were remaining, which Watson was able to divert from local landfills, and recycle or donate respectfully. “I am trying to find ways we can make efforts to divert waste,” he said. “And just trying to get as much material out of landfills as possible.” 

When he’s not wading through used textiles, you can often find Watson at the gym, where he works as a coach. “I grew up in an arts school,” Watson laughed, “so anything sports related was frowned upon. But it’s such a great community, everyone is fantastic, and it fuels another part of me.” 

Watson joined Sweat Social on a whim, after seeing posts about it on social media. With a crossfit certification, he instantly felt at home in the space, and wanted to find ways he could get more involved in the business. “It’s really another passion of mine,” he shared. “Everyone there has goals, and I love seeing people push themselves to reach those goals.” 

But while environmental initiatives and coaching keep him busy, Watson is starting to reconnect with his early passion of theatre. “I was the stage manager for the Burlesque Ball this (past) summer,” he shared, noting that he loves the energy that surrounds a production like that; lights, colour, magic. 

With his recent nod as Highlander of the Year, Watson shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to his love of Haliburton County. He beamed as he shared his love for Thanksgiving in the county, with his family visiting, traditions they have started, and memories they have made. 

He’s also an elusive lover of the winter months, with his recreational passions of skiing, snowshoeing, and winter hikes. 

“Every time my family comes up to visit,” said Watson, “they always comment on how happy I am here. I just love living here, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”