‘We’re here for the community’: N.B. haunted house ready for everyone

A haunted house in Irishtown, New Brunswick tones down the terror for a special night – so everyone can visit.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Marc Gagnon.

The programing director at the Irishtown Community Centre has been in charge of the annual haunted house for about a decade now.

It’s a winding maze full of demons, ghosts, witches, zombies and dancing aliens, which means there’s something for everyone during the scariest time of the year.

“I enjoy it and I also I like seeing the kids come in. Even the adults, just having a big smile on their face or getting scared and they’re enjoying it,” said Gagnon.

Gagnon and his group of volunteers from New Brunswick Community College, Moncton High School, École L’Odyssée and locals from the community have turned the hall into a house of horrors.

But it won’t be horrific on Wednesday night.

To get the week of events started, the centre will host a wheelchair accessible and sensory friendly night on Wednesday for those in need and those who scare easily.

“We’ll have the haunted house fully lit up. No fog machines, no strobe light, no big effects. So anybody can come through and enjoy the haunted house,” said Gagnon.

Gagnon said a lot of parents who have children confined to wheelchairs really appreciate the event.

“We have a lot of parents who call back and say thank you very much for doing this and that’s what we’re here for. We’re here for the community and it’s open for everybody,” he said.

It’s also a great evening for those who aren’t quite ready to have the living daylights scared out of them yet, or for kids who can’t handle the sensory overload of the visuals, sounds and animatronics.

“We’ll have people that can’t go through fog machines, strobe lights, that would interfere with them. It could be they’re scared of the dark. We want to get them the feel of how it is through the haunted house and have a good time,” said Gagnon.

Last Halloween more than 1,000 people visited the community centre just north of Moncton and Gagnon is hoping for an even better turnout this year.

“Hopefully 1,500 this year, 2,000. Who knows?” said Gagnon.

It’s a lot of work for Gagnon and his volunteers, who try to keep adding and updating the experience every year, but it’s all worth it.

“We had some people who came through last year two or three times so they’re really having fun,” he said.

There will also be a haunted trail behind the centre.

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