INNISFAIL - For the past quarter century Barrie Heistad knew his old house on the hill was more than just a stately old home.
And then one autumn came a notion, the spooky kind. And Halloween was just around the corner. His magnificent old house, which was built in 1910 at the corner of 48th Street and 48th Avenue, may not be the scary home of Norman Bates, but for one night on Oct. 31 it could be a ghoulish delight for all locals who passionately hold All Hallows' Eve dear to their heart. It was time for Heistad to put his inspiration into action.
"I think because of the location, the home, the hill, I thought, 'I can make gravestones.' I am a bit of an artsy- fartsy guy so I thought, 'yes, I can make my own gravestones. They will look more real with the right light,'" said the retired 68-year-old passionate believer that fun should always be seized on All Hallows' Eve.
Since his initial inspiration, the old house on Booot Hill has become an annual must-see Halloween attraction for countless Innisfailians.
"It just seemed natural to create a graveyard at the hill, so I call it Booot Hill," he said of the spooky sounding location moniker. "I've just exaggerated on that and now the theme is strictly graveyard, bones, skulls and skeletons."
So every year for the past quarter century Heistad begins to transform his side yard to Booot Hill about two weeks before the big day on Oct. 31. This year he was a little concerned about timing due to poor weather earlier in the month but thankfully for him that changed and Booot Hill is ready.
The main attraction is in his side yard. But before arriving just after sundown trick-or-treaters have to climb the steps from the street where the fun begins with an appropriate ghoulish greeting. Once inside, under carefully planned lighting conditions to honour the dark but fun aura of All Hallows' Eve, trick-or-treaters encounter a meticulously crafted array of a dozen or more gravestones, along with scattered skeletons, including a hellish looking one in a homemade coffin, of make believe humans and creatures, which of course includes the obligatory scary cat.
But the fun doesn't end there. Booot Hill is also wired for special spooky sounds and greetings. After kids and adults have navigated through the maze of gravestones, markers and skeletons, they can head to the side yard's back door to claim their treat. However, they will be met by two tiny voice activated butlers who give them an obligatory Halloween greeting.
"They will talk to you. When they are activated they have about five or six sayings when the door opens," said Heistad. "The kids get a real kick out of that."
And so do the adults, and most anyone who walks or drives by. The appreciation shown by locals for his Halloween creation has been the driving force that has kept his spirits and passion sky high for each of the 25 years he has created Booot Hill.
"It has been a while, maybe 25 years plus. It has been exaggerated over the years to improve it. I add skeletons and stuff. It usually takes a few hours to set up because I like to be a little strategic on where the lighting is," said Heistad.
"Everybody appreciates it. I repaint the gravestones and re-letter them and everybody gets a kick out of them," he added. "My enjoyment is when people come to the door they tell you they really like it. Last year we even had one lady bringing her little toddler around and she said she remembers coming around here when she was little."
