Calgary homes turn haunted this Halloween

As the Halloween spirit settles over Calgary... As the sun sets on Thursday evening, a lot of scary ghouls and goblins will head into Calgary's neighbourhoods, looking for loot.

If you’re looking for a scare this Halloween, you don’t have to look far in Calgary with several homes across the city transformed into haunted houses.

Jordan Wheatley has been creating a huge display at home along Evansdale Way in the northwest neighborhood of Evanston since 2010, complete with spooky decorations and an interactive maze.

“Halloween is my birthday, so it’s always been a special time of year for me,” he said.

Wheatley is dressing up as a scary clown to greet the more than 400 trick-or-treaters that show up every year.

“If they’re scared and have a smile on their face - that’s the goal! I usually carry a big bag of candy on me for the ones that cry, ha, it’s a good time,” he said.

He’s not just giving out candy, but also collecting non-perishables for the Calgary Food Bank, a recent addition to the Halloween display.

“It’s absolutely pivotal (because) people are struggling,” he said. “It’s important for the city to have things they look forward to and community events that don’t cost them money and that’s what this is supposed to be.

"It’s a free event for community members and those around to have a free event and a good time.”

House on Haunted Heights

After 25 year run of spooking the neighborhood, House On Haunted Heights will close for good after the 31^st.

Michelle Krusk has been transforming her home and garage every year to scare children and adults along Douglas Glen Heights in the southeast.

“There has been lots of laughter, lots of tears, lots of screaming,” she said. “A lot of kids have grown up on it and are now coming around with their own kids.”

She said the haunted house started out as a housewarming party but has now grown to welcome hundreds of people from the community and afar, every year.

“There’s a magical door that takes you into an abyss of darkness with some unique interesting friends that may scare you,” she said.

Krusk has been collecting donations every year for a charity of choice and after 25 years expects to reach a million-dollar milestone this Halloween.

Donations this year will go towards B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs.

Haunted Harvest Hills

Trick or treaters are greeted with a giant dragon billowing spoke, spiders, and cemetery at a haunted home in Harvest Hills.

Tracy Spiers spent more than 120 hours setting up the display along Harvest Hills Boulevard.

“I love watching the kids' reactions. I love when they come all dressed up. Some are scared, some are terrified, some are so enthused with all that’s going on it’s just so much fun for the kids,” she said. “The cars, the people and it’s not just the kids loving it, it’s the adults that are also taking it all in.”

She had 960 trick or treaters last year and bought enough candy for about a thousand kids this year.

Spiers has been collecting donations for the Calgary Food Bank as well, with boxes filling up since she decorated at the end of September.

“It has been overwhelming. People have knocked on our doors and brought bags of food,” she said. “It’s just been unbelievable what the neighborhood has done.”