Artists and shop owners along New Westminster’s Carnarvon Street believe one of the city’s oldest buildings is frequented by visitors — of the ghostly kind. Woodland artist James Groening told CTV News that while painting alone in the basement of Native Art Renaissance, he often heard the sound of footsteps pacing above. “It was nonstop,” he said. “It didn’t really freak me out, it was more of an annoyance.” Next door, Grand Central Consignment owner Celeste Tan recalls seeing a “black or grey figure of a man” rise from the the basement door, and glide across her store. “I just froze,” she said. “I told it, ‘I’m just here to do my work, I’ll leave you in peace.’” Built in 1903, the stores in the heritage building sit above old tunnels once used for travel, deliveries, and possibly to move criminals. “It’s believed the prisoners were taken through the tunnels,” said Ghosts of Vancouver author Greg Mansfield. And paranormal investigator Amanda Quill believes the grey figure may be the spirit of a remorseful inmate. “I think it’s haunted,” she said. “It’s just in the bones of the city.”
