My mandate was to create a safe and entertaining Halloween environment in the outside front and back areas of the City Hall Heritage Building and specified interior corridors, doors and stairs using the props provided by the Office of Protocol, providing a safe and enjoyable Halloween experience for children and their guardians in support of the Ottawa Food Bank, Baby Supply Cupboard. It didn’t take long for the 16 volunteers to help turn the Heritage Building into a Haunted House with cobwebs, ghosts and black cats, plus many surprises and special effects.

The evening weather set the perfect atmosphere with a drizzly mist and then a steady, warm rain. The stalwart group of over 2500 costumed kids and their parents waited in anticipation of the frightening events about to be unveiled, and they weren’t disappointed. When they passed through the ‘graveyard’ into Dracula’s cave, complete with coffin, they were treated to disturbing corridors leading to office doors that revealed ghosts and ghouls offering sweet treats to the trick or treaters. Our own Mayor, Larry O’Brien became the mad scientist with his office filled with intriguing potions. Outside in the grounds, hot chocolate was offered by the resident witch and reptiles and birds were displayed. The evening ended with a ride on a horse drawn wagon. If you missed it this year, then be sure to mark this spook-tacular event on next year’s calendar. See you there.