Oct 31 - Halloween in BC's most haunted city

Good morning !

Happy Halloween! Today’s a favourite holiday for many, myself included—I hope your day is filled with lots of candy, costume parties, and ghosts stories. Below we’ve rounded up some local ghost stories and tales of the paranormal to start your day off with something spooky.

Note to those planning on trick-or-treating tonight—you may want to head out early before the forecasted rain hits.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 9 / 8

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 9 / 6

Day after: 🌦️ 9 / 7

7-day forecast

NEWS

Saanich moves forward with $300M development for former bowling alley

It’s taken more than two decades to pin down, but Saanich council approved a draft proposal this week to build a new residential and retail development on the Tolmie site of the former Mayfair Lanes, a bowling complex that closed in 2006 when it was purchased by Loblaws for development.

A Real Canadian Superstore was planned for the spot—which is located across the street from Mayfair Shopping Centre—but the project never moved forward. The Mayfair Lanes building was torn down and the lot sat gated and vacant ever since. 

“I don’t think many folks will miss the gravel pit just off of Douglas Street,” said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock. “This has sat here for a very long time and I know my kids weren’t around when this was a bowling alley.”

Speaking at Mon.’s council meeting, Coun. Teale Phelps-Bondaroff said when he moved to Saanich, the empty lot “vexed” him as he watched garbage accumulate on the land. 

Now, the neighbourhood will finally get its Superstore, in addition to 555 housing units in three towers, ranging from 21 to 24 storeys, and commercial space.

Murdock says the development will be located near “the best transportation corridor on the South Island,” as well as the Galloping Goose trail and plentiful shopping. 

“This is much-needed rental housing in a core area of Saanich,” said Phelps-Bondaroff. 

The surge of housing included in the project aligns with Saanich’s plans to build a city centre near Uptown, with additional bus and active-transportation routes in the works to accommodate growth. 

Oak will be the main street for the neighbourhood, with a new streetscape design aligned with the Uptown-Douglas plans approved in 2022, to improve cycling infrastructure. It’s not yet known whether Oak will have to be partially closed during construction. 

The proposal will come back to council for a final reading after all legal conditions have been met.

“This is something we’re going to talk about in the future: the old bowling alley that now houses 555 people, individuals, small families of two to three children, which I think is so needed in our neighbourhood” said Coun. Mena Westhaver.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Sarah McLachlan cancels tour, including Nov. 20 Victoria concert due to laryngitis. [Details]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

Support local journalism by supporting Capital Daily. Become a Capital Daily Insider member today and help bring local stories to life. 

NEWS

Is Victoria the most haunted city in BC?

A City of Victoria walking tour pamphlet boasts that our city has “more ghost stories associated with it than any other city in British Columbia.”

Just a single building at Camosun has an extensive lore of paranormal stories and theories, and the Empress has been placed on Conde Nast’s list of the world’s most haunted hotels.

Even the Peninsula has its share of spectral stories, from apparitions at Butchart Gardens to a phantom farmer at Stelly's X Road to a ghost child at Stonehouse Pub. 

For Halloween in 2021, the Capital Daily Podcast brought in local historian and Ghostly Walks owner John Adams to share his favourites among the many ghost stories tied to the buildings of Victoria, and around the harbour in particular.

In 2022, we wrote about The Haunting of Vancouver Island, author Shanon Sinn’s focus on the darker side of Island ghost stories: The fact that real historical figures and Indigenous communities become cheap “Halloween props” in fabricated stories. 

Last year, we talked to a local Camosun prof about the origins and meaning behind the popular day. 

Victoria’s Satanic Panic

Some local paranormal tales have had a dubious effect—and in the 1980s, they sparked an international panic. 

In bestselling book Michelle Remembers, a local woman told her psychiatrist (and future husband) of numerous “repressed memories” of disturbing cult rituals, abuses, and even murder in 1950s Victoria—but the facts never lined up. 

In 2020 Capital Daily looked at the legacy of Michelle Remembers, and last summer we interviewed the filmmakers who just released a new documentary, Satan Wants You, delving into the case.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🌲 Not lonely for long: See Big Lonely Doug photographed in the fall mist, encircled by saplings that have been planted to replace the surrounding clearcuts. [Facebook photo]

🎃👻 Halloween house maps. [Times Colonist] [Virgin Radio]

🎃🪴 Reminder: check for cannabis products in candy. [BC Gov’t]

🗞️ In Other News

Rustad says Island candidate who made racist remarks won’t run again for Conservatives
Marina Sapozhnikov, Conservative candidate for Juan de Fuca - Malahat, made several disparaging remarks about Indigenous people on election night. Party leader John Rustad called her remarks “offensive,” saying if a snap election were to occur, she would not be included in the party. Indigenous leaders criticized Rustad for not taking immediate action to remove her from the party, instead waiting until the voting recount was completed in her riding (she lost to NDP by 141 votes). [Vancouver Sun]

Langford bust turns up drugs, Tasers, nunchucks, and cash
West Shore RCMP’s Bike Patrol and other officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Oct. 11 and seized large amounts of suspected cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA, and other substances suspected to be illegal drugs. They said they also retrieved three conducted energy weapons (CEWs) or Tasers, a pair of nunchucks, and $1,500 in cash. [RCMP]

Victoria man on trial for splashing liquid that melted women’s tights says it’s a fetish
Sean James O’Reilly, who’s on trial for seven counts of sexual assault for incidents near the Bay Centre, told VicPD in a recording shared in court that he carried cleaning liquid that “eats through nylon” in a syringe to spray women and watch their tights disintegrate. He claimed that the act had nothing to do with the individuals, just the pantyhose, saying he doesn’t know why he did it. [Times Colonist]

Enjoying our newsletter? Help us make it even better!

Become an Insider member and help keep local journalism and storytelling alive in the Capital Region. 

🗓️ Things to do

🍬 Trick or Treat at Uptown: Bring your kids to Uptown Boulevard for a fun afternoon of trick or treating and a princess meet and greet today. 3-5pm. [Info]

🧙 Trick or Treat at Westshore Town Centre: Bring the family for a fa-boo-lous time: trick-or-treat at participating retailers and enjoy a complimentary goblet of “witches brew,” served by the Bubble Bus today. 3:30-5pm. [Info]

🎃 Treat Street Halloween Spooktacular: Downtown Sidney will be closed to traffic and invites all the little ghosts, goblins, and witches to enjoy a family trick-or-treating event today. 4:30-6pm. [Info]

🧛 Treat Street in Langford: Bring your little ones to Langford Station for a family trick-or-treat experience, with free hot dogs, hot chocolate, treats, live music, photo opportunities, games, and more today. 5-8pm. [Info]

👻 Esquimalt Halloween Firehall Spooktacular: Visit the Esquimalt Firehall for the annual family-friendly event, featuring an outdoor movie, bouncy castle, and trick-or-treating with the firefighters today. 5-9pm. [Info]

Want more spooky events today? See all of the Halloween events happening in Greater Victoria here.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Wednesday’s headlines: Cruise ship season comes to a close: Someone had a bone to pick at Halloween lawn display; You dirty rat, Victoria; And more. [Oct. 30]

Jumping! James Bay is a gas, gas gas. [Capital Daily] 

Halloween happenings for you and the family. [Capital Daily]

Not so elementary: portable remains empty in overcrowded school. [CHEK]

Night Light Walk raises $30K for Cridge transitional housing.

Brasserie l’Ecole to reopen for dinner after a temporary closure, according to the owner.

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to a fellow Victorian.

And before you go, let us know: