Halloween home map highlights spooky Winnipeg homes
An online map highlighting some of Winnipeg’s best-dressed Halloween homes is taking the guesswork out of finding spooky decorations across the city.
The map, now going for about five years, began as a localized neighbourhood initiative. That changed with the arrival of the pandemic.
“I’d drive around and find these houses on my own and then share it with my local community group,” said Carol Cassell, creator of the Winnipeg Halloween Map. “The pandemic spurred me to do it for the entire city.”
Boasting about 36,000 views online, the map is proof Winnipeggers have an interest in viewing Halloween homes. The Winnipeg Halloween Map Facebook page has also gone from about 1,000 members on October 1, to close to 6000.
Cassell is no stranger to Winnipeg map making, having already made some showing Christmas homes, weekly garage sales, COVID-19 window gallery maps and ones for playgrounds and other attractions.
“I really like to see other people be happy,” said Cassell. “Putting the maps together and knowing those maps were going to bring some people joy really helps me get through the pandemic.”
Cassell said the maps take a bit of work, and with this year’s Halloween home submissions sitting at 162 so far this year, it keeps her busy.
That’s 162 forms with addresses that Cassel has to find time to enter into the map, but the work doesn’t stop there. To ensure the homes are worth a visit Cassell will ask for pictures. Sometimes she will even take the trip herself.
It is an extra step but a worthwhile one, according to Cassell. It is based on experience gained with the Winnipeg Christmas Map where some submissions didn’t live up to expectations.
“There were some submissions that I was like, ‘Oh, some lights on a bush. That’s really not worth driving across the city,’” said Cassell.
This year, homes featured on the map are graded, with a black skull and crossbones taking the top spots. Homes with that label are “very decorated right now.”
Pumpkins indicate low-to-moderately decorated homes and then you have the moons, which are decorated on Halloween night only.
Decisions on where a home sits on the Halloween scale often rests on the shoulders of the person who submits the map entry. While not scientific, Cassell said enjoyment for children is a contributing factor.
“I think anything that gets kids excited to see is something I put down as very decorated. Inflatables, cool lighting, animatronics, stuff like that,” Cassell said.
When asked about Winnipeg’s top Halloween home Cassell pointed to a Harry Potter-themed house in Transcona. Not only is the house covered in Hogwarts décor and homemade props, it is also raising money for research and treatment of a rare disease one of its young residents has.
“They’ve even done a scavenger hunt. There’s a bingo sheet that’s been made available to print out, so people can come by with their families and look for everything in their yard,” Cassell said.
The map can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
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.
Canadian government 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.