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For many years Parks and Rec hosted a Haunted Hayride for Halloween, where costumed volunteers prowled the woods of Gorman Park, extracting chills and thrills from their visitors. But there were problems, the most frustrating being that the event was totally dependent upon the weather. In addition, props could not be set up in advance or left out for any length of time for fear of damage. And it was also difficult to supervise the volunteer actors because of lack of staff and the logistics of the park itself.
The Veterans Memorial Clubhouse on Sunset Ridge Drive offered the perfect alternative - great location and better look - and so the "haunted" experience was moved indoors. Having done other hauntings and walk-throughs in the past, Moss suddenly found himself with plenty of room to grow and expand.
One of the big pluses - besides putting together a much needed full time staff - has been that the Department can now offer multiple nights to accomodate the crowds that just keep growing. This year, for example, the Haunted Mansion, which opened it's doors on October 13, is running for 10 nights! Parks and Rec has even added a special walk thru with all the lights on for brave young ghosts on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 5-6 p.m.
Moss cautions that the event is geared for children age 10 and up and not for very young children.
"This is a haunted house, not a fun house," he explains. "There is a difference."
It takes about 20 minutes to go through the entire house with a wait time in line of approximately one to two hours. To help make that time pass more quickly, a tent has been set up where movies are shown and there are face painters and food vendors.
In the past, The Mansion's cast of monsters and ghouls have been played by students from East Hartford High Drama Club and interested volunteers. But lack of funding and advisors to the Club has forced the town to look elsewhere for it's "scareactors" - as they are officially called. This year, students from the Berlin Drama Club will take center stage. Recently, Rockville students have also
expressed an interest in doing the event, providing an excellent example of how communities, working together, can make good things happen for everyone.
Is Veterans Memorial Clubhouse really haunted? Moss pauses for a moment before answering. "According to the stories I've heard, one of the caretakers of the building hung himself in the attic, " he replies. "And there are certainly enough drafts, creaks and cold spots to excite any committed ghost hunter!"
Moss continued that "in its heyday, the Clubhouse was part of Pratt & Whitney's golf course and was used by its executives. Pratt gave it to the town over 50 years ago, in 1949 and in 1999 the Clubhouse celebrated its 50th anniversary. Today it is used for weddings, dances and fundraisers. The Rotary Club and several other organizations meet there on a regular basis."
It is a fact in 2005, $3 billion was spent on Halloween, making it the second "spending" holiday besides Christmas.
Moss believes his department must be doing something right because, in addition to local crowds, folks are visiting East Hartford's Haunted Mansion from Waterbury, New Haven and Springfield, Mass.
"We're becoming a definite attraction for those who cherish Halloween and others who simply like a good scare," he says. "And that's good for East Hartford tourism and a positive for the town. And we're proud of it!"
This weekend is the last chance to visit the Haunted Mansion. Hours are: Thursday, Oct. 26, 6:30-9:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28 from 7-10 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29; 6-9:30 p.m. Special walk thru with the lights on for young ghosts is Sunday, 5-6 p.m. Admission is $7.50 for 16 and over, $4 for under 16. RIP Pass available for $11 - Go to the Front of the Line. Group Sales contact Roger Moss for reservations at 528-1458 or e-mail crmoss@ci.east-hartford.ct.us
