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An elaborate family-operated haunted house fundraiser in Orléans will remain open for one more trick-or-treat season after questions about its future for violating a bylaw.
Every October, Patrick Albert and his family transform their two-storey home on Pintail Terrace into a spectacle that attracts thousands of people.
Over the past 25 years, the Albert family has raised thousands of dollars for the CHEO Foundation which supports the eastern Ontario children’s hospital.
The haunted house sprawls across the property and has grown to include permanent structures, which drew the attention of bylaw officers after a complaint.
The bylaw department determined that certain elements of the attraction break rules around the location and placement of structures on residential properties.
The family told CBC News that it concerned a large plywood castle that stands in his driveway throughout the year, and that dismantling and rebuilding it would be too much work.
WATCH | The situation earlier this month:
Charitable haunted house could be shut down by neighbour complaints
A complaint from a neighbour could shut down a haunted house in Ottawa’s east end after more than 25 years of scares. The annual spooky spectacle has raised thousands for CHEO. However, non-compliance with city bylaw regulations could end the charitable tradition. David Fraser has more.
The family reached an agreement with the city on Wednesday to continue operating the attraction in its current state this October.
“The agreement means that this Halloween will be the final opportunity for residents to experience the Albert Halloween display in its current form,” Orléans East-Cumberland Coun. Matthew Luloff said.
“I believed that there had to be a better approach than simply enforcing a bylaw without a conversation.”
Choosing to end it
Luloff said the city will work with the Albert family to “ensure future displays would comply with zoning bylaws while preserving what has become one of our community’s most cherished traditions.”
However, the family told CBC News that meeting the requirements would require hours of work and significantly reduce the size of the attraction, so they’re bringing the haunted house to an end after this year instead.
“To everyone, thank you so much for fighting for us and for the support throughout these past 26 years,” the family wrote in a statement.
“This year let’s make this the biggest turnout and biggest donation we have ever given CHEO.”
A petition to save the Halloween house had nearly 4,000 signatures. The family said they were grateful for everyone who supported them throughout the years.