Windsorites finding creative and safe ways to celebrate Halloween

While the province is urging people not to go out trick or treating on Halloween this year in some areas with higher case countsof COVID-19, many people in Windsor Essex are going ahead.

As of Wednesday, there were only 36 cases in the regionand no new cases were reported Wednesdaythe first time since March.

• Ontario recommends against trick-or-treating in COVID-19 hot zones, as 704 new cases confirmed

Jennifer Lachapelle's house on Ypres Boulevard is decked out like a red and white striped circus tent, with a big sign on the chimney thatreads,"Welcome to the Circus."Several skeletons are set up across the lawn dressed as circus performers or clowns.

"Halloween's my favourite and I love the clowns. So I had clowns, and then I got this house last year and had a bunch of fabric and just decided to tent the whole place," said Lachapelle, who had help from friends and family whenshe setupthe elaborate display.

But she will be taking precautions this year for the kids. She has already put treats in zip lock bags and will be sending them down a chute.

"And I'm going to use tongs to throw it down," said Lachapelle, a nurse at the Southwest Detention Centre.

Brad Watson, an Essex Road resident in the former St. Clair Beach area of Tecumseh, says the whole neighbourhood will get together for a "zombie walk" as usual, but participants will be takingCOVID precautions.

He will be puttingcandy out in the trunk of his car, which will be parked by the road fortrick or treatersto take. He callshis method "Trunk or Treat."

He says cancelling Halloween would bea mistake.

"I get it that we want a zero per cent exposure. I don't thinkthat's realistic. I think thattakes away from the other parts of life that actually makelife worth living," said Watson.

The Scarehouse Windsorhaunted house experience on McDougall Avenue is requiring people to socially distance, wear masks and sanitize their hands. Customers also don't have to worry about anyone grabbing them as part of the scare experience.

Co-owner Shawn Lippert feels that using a COVID-related scare theme isn't appropriate either.

"So what we decided was that we wouldn't use the word COVIDand we treat it like the F-word in church," said Lippert.

So there won't be anyone dressed in hazmat suits, and some of the usual displays aren't out so they won't spread the virus.