'A major disappointment': Spruce Grove charity haunted house shuttered after complaints
A family running a haunted house in Spruce Grove that supports the local food bank has been shut down after multiple complaints.
The Allens have hosted Spruce Grove Ridge Scare for five years and say they never received complaints about their haunted house until now.
“All we’re trying to do is help the foodbank,” Lindsay Allen told CTV News Edmonton.
“We never thought we were causing a nuisance,” Emily Allen added.
First, the spooky attraction received a noise complaint, but Emily said they quickly showed the city they adhered to noise bylaws by not operating beyond 10 p.m.
Then the haunted house received another complaint about the safety of its structure.
Emily said inspectors came and walked through the Halloween event and cleared it. Then they suddenly received notice from the city that it was to be shut down.
“They just said it’s a no-go, you can’t let people through,” Emily said. “They said if we do, they (the city) threatened us with a $100,000 fine.
“We are trying to find out what codes we have to meet.”
Last year’s haunted house event collected 1,800 pounds of food and raised $800 in donations for the food bank.
The Allens hope to have clarity from the city about what they need to do in order to be able to re-open safely in time for Halloween.
“We are just trying to do our best for the community in a fun way,” Lindsay said. “It’s a major disappointment.”
CITY WORKING WITH ALLENS
Carol Bergum, City of Spruce Grove director of planning and development, told CTV News that they are working with the Allens to ensure the haunted attraction is safe and open for Halloween.
Bergum confirmed there were complaints against the haunted house, including questions around whether it had a business license and over the safety of some of the structures in the backyard.
The complaints about needing a business license were dismissed, Bergum said, but inspectors are working with the family to ensure safety concerns are addressed.
Bergum added that the city focuses on education before levying any fines.
Supplied
During an interview with Edmonton rock station 100.3 The Bear, Emily said “they’re only trying to do a good thing here and help out,” by bringing the community together to support the Parkland Food Bank.
During that chat, the hosts surprised Emily with a $1,000 donation from the Bear’s Children’s Fund to recoup some of the donations lost while the haunted house is shut down.
“That’s going to help so many families, truly. That’s amazing,” Emily said.
As of right now Emily explained there’s no set date for when the attraction will reopen to the public.
“Hopefully you will hear good news soon.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.