Update#4 State of Emergency – Downtown Minden Bridges Closing on April 17th at 7pm             Go to  www.mindenhills.ca/news for Flood updates and information

                  Next triple bingo will be on May 19th, 2026

                                    Canoe FM gives out free pens and bumper/guitar case stickers.

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News from HHHS Foundation

FEBRUARY 2, 2026 - The HHHS Foundation is excited to announce that together, our community raised more than $409,000 to strengthen local healthcare during the Believe in the Magic of Giving holiday campaign—this is the true Magic of Giving.
 
THANK YOU to everyone who played a part in this record-breaking achievement. THANK YOU for your extraordinary generosity, for your belief in caring for one another, creating a meaningful and lasting impact close to home.
Your donations support life-saving equipment and essential services such as Meals on Wheels, medically necessary transportation, and enhanced care for long-term care residents. Because of you, vital healthcare in the Highlands continues to grow stronger.
A special THANK YOU to Scott Pollard and Suzannah Patmios for their generous matching donation, which inspired so many to give, and to Larry Hewitt of Hawk River Construction for helping us spread the word and amplify our efforts.
For more information please visit our website hhhs.ca/foundation or call us at 705-457-1580
The HHHS Foundation would like to thank this generous and supportive community and wish you a year filled with hope, wellness, and prosperity.  

Ontario Senior Games

From Muskoka Region.com

This year the Ontario 55+ Winter Games are taking place in Huntsville from Feb. 3 to 5.

This biennial event, hosted in partnership with the Ontario Senior Games Association and the Province of Ontario, promotes active living and community engagement for adults aged 55 and older. Huntsville last hosted the Games in 2019.

More than 1,000 participants are expected over the course of the games, including another 300 people volunteering.

“Huntsville is proud to host these games, which celebrate health, vitality, and the joy of winter in Muskoka. Our community has embraced this event wholeheartedly, and we can’t wait to welcome athletes from across Ontario,” said Leslie Hutcheson, the Games’ general manager.

Other than hockey, the event will include 10 other competitive sports, including curling, alpine and cross-country skiing, volleyball and badminton.

While Huntsville is recognized as the host, this event will be played out at venues outside the community, such as Bracebridge, Lake of Bays, Gravenhurst and outside Muskoka, in Burk’s Falls.

 

Wiarton Willie’s prediction…

CBC reports that Wiarton Willie, along with most of his Canadian counterparts, has predicted an early spring after he did not see his shadow on Monday morning on Groundhog Day.

Groundhog Day is a long-held tradition of watching animals coming out of hibernation to predict whether there'll be an early spring or six more weeks of winter.

Every Feb. 2, groundhogs and even a crustacean emerge from their shelters to see if they see their shadows.

Here are some of the other Canadian animal weather prognosticators who made early-morning appearances:

  • Shubenacadie Sam, living at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park in Nova Scotia did not see her shadow, predicting an early spring.
  • Lucy the Lobsterin Barrington, N.S. is predicting an early spring.
  • Fred la marmotte in Quebec. predicts an early spring.
  • Van Isle Violet in Nanaimo, B.C. is predicting six more weeks of winter.
  • Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania predicted six more weeks of winter.

Legend has it that if a groundhog (a crustacean in Lucy's case) emerges from its burrow on a sunny day and sees its shadow, it'll return to hibernation for six weeks more weeks of winter. But if it's cloudy and there's no shadow, spring will arrive early.

Dorset Snowball

For Immediate Release
Algonquin Highlands, Ontario
Monday, Feb. 2, 2026
11 A.M.
Release #26-01
2026 Dorset Snowball Winter Carnival – Feb. 13 &14
The 34th annual Dorset Snowball Winter Carnival takes place Feb. 13 and 14.
The frosty fun kicks off with a community skating party at the Dorset Ice Palace (located in Lions Centennial Park) on Friday, Feb. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. Festivities for Saturday, Feb. 14 get underway with a pancake breakfast at the Dorset Recreation Centre at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Snowball Parade at 10:30 a.m. and official opening ceremony at 11 a.m.
A host of activities follows from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including but not limited to horse-drawn wagon rides, cardboard toboggan races, hockey shoot-out, inflatable axe-throwing, Great Canadian Lumberjack shows, wildlife calling and chainsaw carving demonstrations, face painting, a maze and silent auction. There will be a birds of prey show and Amanda’s Exotic Animals will also be on site.
Attendees will be able to peruse vendors’ booths, and a variety of delicious food will be available. The Dorset Heritage Museum at 1040 Main Street will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The carnival wraps up with Hockey Night in Dorset at 6 p.m. with the team from Dorset taking on opponents from Lake of Bays Township.
This year, Snowball includes a colouring contest for children up to 10 years or age. Colouring sheets can be picked up at the Dorset Recreation Centre (1051 Main Street) or downloaded from the Algonquin Highlands website at https://www.algonquinhighlands.ca/explore-play/dorset-snowball-winter-carnival
Pre-registration is required to participate in the Snowball Parade, carboard toboggan races and hockey shoot-out. Please call 705-766-9968 or visit the Algonquin Highlands website at https://www.algonquinhighlands.ca/explore-play/dorset-snowball-winter-carnival/
-30-
Staff Contact:
Sandra Rogers
Recreation Coordinator
Township of Algonquin Highlands
1051 Main Street, Dorset
705-766-9968
srogers@algonquinhighlands.ca

Schedule for the Minden Hills Library and Cultural Centre’s Roof Replacement

Release # 26-07

Subject: Library and Cultural Centre Roof Replacement Schedule

Please be advised the roof at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre (MHCC) and Library facility is being replaced. The construction is scheduled to start on Monday, February 2, 2026 at the MHCC and Library located at 174-176 Bobcaygeon Road.

The back entrance to the MHCC facility will not be accessible starting on Friday, January 30, 2026 as work begins on site preparation and during the construction. Visitors are requested to use the front entrance to access the Cultural Centre. There are no impacts to the Library entrance at this time. 

The Dawson Hamilton Outdoor Memorial Rink will remain open, weather permitting. Access to the rink will be from the Parkside Street gate or Library parking lot.

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News from Minden Hills

Canoe FM's Elizabeth Oakley reports that Minden Hills Mayor Enacts Strong Mayors Veto on Budget Amendments for Monday, Jan. 19
5 pm newscast:

Balancing priorities and preparing for the unknown, while keeping the taxpayers’ burden as low
as possible is a tough job, but it’s one Minden Hills Mayor Bob Carter takes seriously. That’s
why he’s chosen to enact the Strong Mayors power he’s been given to veto eight amendments
already passed by council during the 2026 Budget deliberations.
Carter and Dysart et Al Mayor Murray Fearrey are the only two heads of council granted the
Strong Mayor powers in May of 2025. Among other specifics, this power allows them to veto
any budget amendments they feel do not meet the needs of their communities.
When Mayor presented the proposed budget to council on Dec. 15, the tax increase for
residents was 3 point nine five per cent. Councilors then passed 25 amendments to this year’s
budget to include charges that were unknown or unavailable at the time of the original budget.
Others were to correct errors or omissions.
Carter spoke with CanoeFM earlier today to explain what amendments he vetoed and the
rationale behind them. The majority of these involved adding back items that appeared in the
first draft of the budget but had been voted out by councilors.
Carter chose to bring back the Riverwalk lighting project, the sidewalk/crosswalk project, a
pickup truck for plowing of public lots along with a new staff person to operate it. Carter
reinstated both the moloks and the organics program in order to divert and extend the life of
the landfill. He also included a bulldozer for use at the landfill site and halted plans for the old
fire hall.
The tax increase for Minden Hills under the latest iteration of the 2026 budget is 4 point four six
per cent.
Mayor Carter said unless council voices opposition to the vetoed items, the budget will come
up for passage at the January 29 th meeting.