It’s Halloween time, and one house in Dorval is turning up the fright.
From creepy creatures to spooky surprises, there’s enough to keep visitors on their toes. It’s all part of the Haunted Gardens.
Ivan Dow has been transforming his property for nearly five decades, creating a Halloween experience he hopes visitors won’t soon forget.
“Halloween is always something that if you do it really well you always remember it,” he said.
Dow bought the house 47 years ago and has continued adding to the attraction over the years. From creepy dolls to clowns and decorations, there’s plenty to discover.
“There’s basically almost everything you can expect from a haunted house and haunted garden here because we’ve just got so much stuff,” Dow said. “It’s a 20-minute walkthrough. So you’re actually experiencing it. It’s all around you.”
A sweet treat
Behind the spooky sights is a much sweeter purpose: giving back.
The two-day event supports two charitable causes, with the first day raising money for West Island Citizen Advocacy (WICA) and Halloween night benefiting Sun Youth.
Donations are welcome, but they’re not mandatory. Dow says visitors can enjoy the attraction regardless of whether they contribute. For him, seeing people enjoy the experience is just as rewarding as supporting the charities.
“You have to have a purpose in life. And if you’re doing something that’s helping others, that’s great, because that to me that’s the real purpose in life anyways, to help other people,” he said.
A frightful amount of preparation
The spooky setup takes months of preparation, with work beginning July 1. Some decorations are permanent fixtures, while others are store-bought or made by hand.
Dow says new ideas are added whenever something catches his eye. This year, that includes ghosts made from chicken wire.
Volunteer Marc Provost says visitors can expect the unexpected.
“They can expect stuff that’s basically out of both a fantasy fever dream and a nightmare,” Provost said.
Scary good fun for all ages
For some families, the attraction is a chance to get into the Halloween spirit together.
One mother brought her six-year-old son, who is already a big fan of all things spooky.
“My son, he’s six years old and loves haunted houses, loves Halloween, anything Halloween. So we decided to come out and do something spooky today,” she said.
Another visitor was asked what he was looking forward to seeing, his answer was simple: “Scary stuff.”
Other young visitors weren’t quite as confident. When asked how they were feeling, two girls said: “scared.”
Another young visitor said she liked that the experience was both “funny and scary.”
Another boy was a little less certain about what was waiting for him.
“I’m here because my mom and dad wanted to be here, and I think it’s going to be scary,” he said.
There’s still time to get your fright on. The Haunted Gardens will be open Halloween night from 4 to 9pm.
Whether you’re brave enough to face the frights or just there for the fun, it’s a Halloween treat for the whole family.
Head over to 580 Bd Pine Beach, Dorval, QC H9P 2J6 for the fun!
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