Martin C. Barry
Zombies, vampires and ghosts invaded Lausanne Park in Laval’s Saint-Bruno district on Halloween night last Oct. 31. Possibly the biggest celebration of Halloween in Laval, it was organized by a local committee including among its members Saint-Bruno city councillor David De Cotis and Vimont Liberal MNA Jean Rousselle.
A very spooky event
De Cotis, Rousselle and Action Laval leader Archie Cifelli were on hand to help out while partaking in the merriment. “We’re keeping this tradition going,” said De Cotis, who was assisting at the entrance to a “haunted house” that was set up in the park for children, adults or anyone else who dared enter. More than 50 volunteers also took part.
“This is a night for families and a lot of people are coming out,” said Rousselle, who’s been helping out at the Saint-Bruno Halloween since first being elected in 2012. “It’s a big job getting this all together. We started at 11 o’clock this morning, and we won’t be finished until late tonight when we take everything down. But it’s all worth it for the kids and the families who get to have fun.”
Biggest Halloween event
Despite the rainy weather on Halloween night, thousands of people still managed to make it out for an event that has grown in popularity since it started more than a decade ago. “Considering the weather, we’re very happy about the size of the crowd,” added De Cotis. He expected several thousand people to pass through the site by evening’s end.
“It’s the biggest Halloween event in Laval,” he continued, noting that several nearby streets were closed off to improve security and that police cadets were providing additional help. “As always, this is another way we are giving back to the community, to the kids, while giving them a sense of belonging to their area.”
