MyMcMurray Portal

The municipality has done a complete 180 degree turn on events at Dunvegan Gardens.

The Boys and Girls Club says it’s now been allowed to hold its annual Chateau Boo haunted house at Dunvegan.

It had earlier been told it needed a development permit, and that Dunvegan wasn’t zoned properly to allow for that.

That’s the same reason the Wood Buffalo Country Fair had to be cancelled this year.

But executive director Howard Rensler says he came back from vacation this week to find a message from the municipality’s Community Services department.

It turned out Executive Director Carol Theberge had a Special Event Permit Approval for him to pick up and sign for, allowing his group to hold the event there.

Rensler says he was too happy to worry about questioning the municipality’s reasoning.

The city made no effort to inform the public of the sudden change in policy.

It has yet to comment on why Chateau Boo was given this exemption, while the Country Fair was not.

For Rensler, though, it’s a time for celebration.

He says the haunted house had become the city’s signature Halloween event, and the biggest fundraiser for the group.

He credits the outpouring of community support with helping to convince the city to change its mind.

September 19, 2012