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September 30, 2009

Plan to visit the Haunted Power House at Stave Falls

Posted by Rob Klovance

OK, this year I have to go.

Since joining BC Hydro I've been hearing about the Haunted Powerhouse at Stave Falls, but for some reason I've never made the trip out to the Fraser Valley to take it in. Perhaps I've been too scared to go. Perhaps I've been worried my son, who was still in pre-school last year, would never sleep through the night again.

But now that I've talked to one of the resident ghosts – more about that later – I have a better idea of what horrors await me and my son.

By day, Stave Falls is a National Historic Site, packed with fascinating history and wonderful stories. But from October 23rd to the 28th – from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night, it is transformed into a Halloween destination, reportedly a haven for witches, monsters, demons and ghouls.

This will be the third year that BC Hydro is presenting the Haunted Powerhouse, and it sounds like a can't-miss for a number of reasons. At the top of the list is that last year's event raised more than $2,500 in donations and nearly 1,200 pounds of food for the Mission Food Centre.

How scary is it? In an exclusive interview with one of the powerhouse ghosts, he calls himself "Tim", I've learned that the ghosts tend to save their scariest stuff for the older guests.

"Yes, it can be verrry scary on one side," says Tim. "But for those who don't want to be too scared, we hand out special flashlights. When we, the ghosts, see the flashlights, we make sure we're not too scary."

For those without the flashlights, there are surprises in store, and Tim promises that he has learned some new tricks.

What can we expect at the Haunted Powerhouse? A scary movie, creepy spider webs and spine-chilling ghosts. It usually takes about 45 minutes, and I know of at least one ghost who would love to see you there, with or without a flashlight.

Bring a dry or canned food donation

The Haunted Powerhouse will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., October 23-28. Admission is just $5 per person, and $3 of that goes to the Mission Food Centre. Don't forget to bring along a donation of dry or canned food while you're at it.

The Stave Falls Powerhouse is located at 31338 Dewdney Trunk Road near Mission. You can find directions to Stave Falls and more information about the facility on our Stave Falls info page, and if you have some specific questions, call 604 462 1222.

Rob Klovance is managing editor of bchydro.com.