A Nightmare on Wardlaw Avenue: Historic Winnipeg house decorated for Halloween
Old buildings can be a little spooky this time of year, but none like the Boyd House in Winnipeg’s Osborne Village.
Adorned in a dark green exterior, the two-storey wood frame house naturally blends into the others that line Wardlaw Avenue. But for the last two fall seasons, it’s been modified to stand out from the rest.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Winnipeg newsletters
“I turned around and cut out a couple of cardboard teeth, painted them white and threw them up on the house,” said David Park. “And that's kind of where it all began, you know, six cardboard teeth.”
Park bought the house in 2021 and lives there with his partner Matthew Frechette. According to the Manitoba Historical Society Archives, it was originally built in 1907 for grain inspector Melville Boyd and his family, but was eventually converted into a multi-tenant facility around 1967.
“It’s always a work in progress, maintenance. It’s a labour of love,” said Frechette.
In the years since they first started decorating, Park and Frechette said they try to amp up the décor and fully embrace the spirit of Halloween.
“The goal was, obviously, to animate the whole house,” Frechette said.
“Last year was the first year with all the wooden teeth,” Park added. “Then this year, actually, we put all the coloured spotlights on the house and permanently mounted them there.”
The pair also added a piece of plywood hand-painted to look like an eyeball to complete the face of the ‘Franken-house’ monster.
“It's kind of a growing evolution,” said Park.
Both Park and Frechette said their house has garnered a lot of attention from strangers and social media.
“They’re always stopping and chit-chatting about the house and about the decorations and, you know, it's been great so far,” Park said.
The couple invites community members to check out the outside of the house this Halloween, located at 484 Wardlaw Ave. While the decorations have been up for about a week, they’ll stick around until the first week of November.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau and Harris? Poilievre and Trump? Here's who Canadians think would work best with: survey
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
B.C. port employers launch lockout at terminals in labour dispute with workers
Employers at British Columbia ports say they are going ahead with locking out more than 700 foremen across the province after strike activities from union members began.
Months after VRBO booking, Taylor Swift fan told home 'not available' during Vancouver concert
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Felonies, assassination attempts and a last-minute change on the ticket leads voters to Tuesday's U.S. election
A campaign that has careened through a felony trial, incumbent being pushed off the ticket and assassination attempts comes down to Election Day on Tuesday.
Measles cases in New Brunswick more than double in three days
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
Prison sentences handed down for sexually abusive London, Ont. parents
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about a year ago. Here's how her condition was reversed
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
Surprise swing state? Iowa poll has Harris suddenly leading
Based on victories in the past two elections and polls leading up to Tuesday’s election, Donald Trump had seemed almost certain to win Iowa, but a new poll has Kamala Harris with a sudden three-point lead.
Russia suspected of sending incendiary devices on US- and Canada-bound planes, Wall Street Journal reports
Incendiary devices that ignited in Germany and the United Kingdom in July were part of a covert Russian operation that aimed to start fires aboard cargo and passenger flights heading to the U.S. and Canada, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday, citing Western security officials.