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WA’I‘EleCHIONICLl-I-Wednesday, October i9, 20“ ~15 ‘ I l w ' I Mr. Halloween ‘ ’ a 0 Local man turns passron for Halloween costumes into haunted house BYB()I%VRB:LN:\(. loween experience he can he's ‘_._”‘I_“’L”‘I."M__._. used his Waterloo home as his lab- ‘ I. oratory. : hat started out as it way w He even had some of his neigh- l W“) win the many llalr ‘ bours confused by his more elabo- I loween costume coinpe- rate props built out of reclaimed tiiions that creep up at this tinieot ‘33 items like wood pallets. “They \t‘dl’ has turned into a "nightmare" 5&1 thought I was putting up an addi~ business for the Waterloo titan 1.. tion with all the wood I was using." called Mr. Halloween. \ said Townsend with a laugh. ”They ‘ lamie l'ownsentl. aka. Mr. llul- 3‘ . L obviously don't know what the louecn. has alntiys had (1 creative ‘ ° building codes are." ‘ bent expressing himself through He claims to have ratcheted up 1 paintings and than ings since his ‘ . the spook factor by 50 per cent this l high school day s. lint it wasn't until . . year. and devised a few tricks to get I he suit ti costume i oinpeiition V .7 people’s hearts racing. } i won by a couple dressed up us “We're ready to rock'n roll and I skunks that true inspiration hit ‘ scare the crap out of adults. l him. teenagers and kids who are brave I “1 tan do better than that,“ said enough to come by." said : lownsend. who was nicknamed Townsend. . I ‘ skunk iii the time and took the A tour of the set impressed in ‘ l challenge personally. “So for the the way the maze of mayhem l last 20 years I've been making cos- builds suspense until people get : tuiiies and going tint to costume the proverbial shock of their lives. : . parties and winning." 7 The music. creepy noises and | l The yearly celebration of every- & ambiance all are there to increase I I thing ghoulish earned hitn thoii- «if; the sense offoreboding. : I sands of dollars as his creations 45,132 “We have two dark areas in 1 ‘ 3 grew more elaborate and he won w ‘ there that play with people's ‘ competition after competition minds.‘ said Townsend. liven then loivnsend wondered “It's interesting to see what how he could turn the ftin he was Jamie Townsend, a.|t.a. Mr. Halloween, has turned a passion of crafting macabre and elaborate costumes to cele works and what gets people stop- . having into something more per mate the annual spookfest and turned it into a lifelong dream â€" he's opened his own haunted house. You can ping in their tracks. I manent. vi5it the Waterloo native's Haunted Mansion at the old Granite Club curling facility at 69 Anges St. in Kitchener “It's non-stop 'ah. wow and holy l “I would “in all these conipeti- to get your Halloween fright. For more information visit www.nightmaremasion.com. cow.” : tions and people started saying “mm” ’For begged it was natural to cel‘ | why don’t you start a business experiences celebrating special front as a calling card for his busi- allowed Townsend to finally ebrate what has become the l you're good at it.” he said “People yearrround events. ()ne of the ness. Leggett had an idea of his engap in every ghoulish fantasy biggest holiday on the calendar for wanted to take photos of my props most popular has prim-n to be the own â€" he asked Townsend about and creepy creation he could envi» the adult set along with Townsend. l and costumes all the time and stocks he has available for stag- creating a Haunted House in time sion. ‘If people want a scare this is } wondered how I created them ‘ and-does lhdl require the party for the holiday. While the first one was a hit the right place,” said begged. “it I They included coffins filled goers to bail the groom out. He ”We both have the same mind with everyone who attended. this will give you that adrenaline rush, l Wllll bodies that came to life and even delivers the stock. set - we love Halloween,” said year he's been able to refine it even “There are two types of scares ' l thrones with skeletal warriors who l‘hen one day he thought he‘d Leggett. who will be hosting his more and add to the creep factor â€" the one that comes with a shock : would reach out their bony hands hiiild 2i tank. "I always wanted to own paintball zombie hunt that with elaborate set-ups to give even and the other that comes with the : lle ingeniously found ways to give build a tank." said Townsend who has drawn like-minded crowds the most hardy soul afright. suspense that builds. It's nice to I people a little start while also giv used recovered and recycled mater looking for a thrill. 'He said he'd That's meant hours of extra offer both." ing them .i chain c to appreciate rials, lnt luding an old wheelbatr like to put on a Halloween event. work for Tovmscnd, with help from The Haunted Mansion and the craftsmanship row. to build a fIIII'Valt' prop and l said you got the idea and I’ve his girlfriend Shana Ness who Zombie Hunt are open for bust so, two years ago he launched lie lust happened to be playing got the building.” plays Igor to his Dr. Frankenstein. ness at 69 Agnes St. in Kitchener. tin enterprise f alled Mr Hal- at llie Paintball Arena. which once “I've been waiting 20 years for There's also a dedicated group of For more information call 5l97 Ioween. a name given to him by housed the Granite (1|th on Agnes an opportunity like that." said volunteers who help bring the crtL 579-7585 or visit the websites of someone impressed with all of his Street in Kitchener, where he lownsend. ations to life. the two Halloween attractions at l reations lle‘s since branched out approached owner llal Leggctt 'Ihe first year for the Nightmare Townsend has become so comr www,nightmaremansion.com or from costumes to creating themed about parking his creation out Mansion came last October and mitted to providing the best Hal wwww.novicepaintball.com. 1;, l , ~: I AN I [QUE APPRAISAL CLINIC . h l . 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