TEMAGAMI - The spirit of Temagami is alive and well, and will be coming fully to life on Saturday, October 29, with The Haunting of Caribou Mountain Fire Tower Trail.
The Temagami Recreation and Parks committee, with the help of community volunteers, individuals, service groups, and businesses, is creating a series of community-built horror scenes with live actors. Participants will have the use of the museum to construct and store props.
Admission to the event will be a cash donation to the Temagami Food Bank or a donation of a non-perishable food item.
In case of rain, the evening's event will be moved to the Temagami arena which will be transformed into a haunted house.
Parks and Recreation Coordinator John Shymko stated in an email that he came upon the idea for the Halloween community activity when he and his wife lived in Burlington and were exploring the surrounding area. They came upon Elora and discovered the Twilight Zoo established in 1996 by resident Tim Murton, a film industry scenic artist.
"He created a number of little ghouls and put them on the corner of his house. The neighbourhood response was wonderful and each year he continued to add to the display," Shymko said.
The Twilight Zoo has since expanded with a number of Elora community activities now taking place throughout October.
Shymko related that he called Murton and asked if he would mind if Temagami did something along the same lines, and Murton gave him his support, but urged Temagami "to remain yourselves. Give it your own twist."
The Haunting of the Fire Tower Hill will bring people from the Temagami Train Station by shuttle bus to the site where there will be Zombie Territory signs, Go Back warning signs, and strobe lights. No other vehicles will be allowed on the road to the Fire Tower Hill after 4 p.m., but the shuttle bus will be making continuous loops between the two sites.
Those arriving at the train station by vehicle are asked to park at the train station or a municipal parking lot. Living Temagami will have the train station open where there will be a Halloween display. Washrooms will be available at the train station. There are two outhouses at the tower but there is no running water, noted Shymko in a press release.
"Be prepared to walk the 750-metre length of the trail," he stated. "This may be a frightening experience, so we do not recommend young children and those who frighten easily attend."
When visitors return to the parking lot, the shuttle bus will be available to return them to the train station in downtown Temagami. Guests are welcome to snap their own pictures while there.
Earlier in the day, at 2 p.m., there will be a daylight walk at the site, "where we will be happy to show the little ones what we are doing and how everything works," Shymko added. At that time the Temagami Public Library will have someone to read spooky stories to children at the tower museum level parking lot, he added.
Shymko envisions a future regional activity where neighbouring communities might participate and monsters might roam the entire area, going from town to town to share the spirit of Halloween.
For more information call 705-948-1001 or email [email protected].
Darlene Wroe, is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with the Temiskaming Speaker.
LJI is funded by the Government of Canada.
