There’s only three days left to get your spook on at the “Key to Blood Manor” at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre.
The annual Halloween attraction has been running for just over a week and assistant general manager Brian Neave said it’s been drawing quite the crowd; last Saturday centre staff saw 80-100 people.
“It was just non-stop between 6 and 10 p.m. It’s been very successful.”
Along with the traditional garish ghoulish gadgets such as smoke machines, strobe lights and ghastly sounds, this year’s attraction features two rooms – the “bedroom” and “dining room.”
Visitors first experience a scene in the bedroom inhabited by witches, skeletons and a clown-like being situated on the bed.
Next is the dining room replete with all manner of severed limbs. Visitors are greeted by certain appliances – a microwave and fridge, in which an undead surprise with candy awaits those brave enough to open it.
Neave said they tried to launch an interactive challenge where teams of up to four people would try to find puzzle pieces around the attraction after being locked up. Due to space restrictions they had to simplify things. However, Neave said if a team of four over the age of 14 want to test their mettle, they can set it up, complete with live actors.
For some young ones, it’s a fine line between “fun” and “traumatizing,” so Neave said parents are more than welcome to walk through the manor beforehand to see if it’s suited for the young ones.
The music is also age-specific. Younger children will hear “This Is Halloween” from The Nightmare before Christmas, while older ones will hear the pulsating rave beat heard in the original Blade film’s opening club scene.
“We’ve tried to make so it’s suitable for the majority of people. It’s very much about parental discretion. It’s meant to be funny, spooky and get your adrenaline going.”
The last day of the attraction is Saturday and runs 6-10 p.m. All ages are welcome. Entry is $1. For more information, visit slssportcentre.com
