Meet the Montreal-area family behind the haunted house turning chills into charity

Many homeowners in Montreal spend the fleeting summer months savouring the rays of sunshine, tending to their gardens and hosting barbecues.

But for Patsy Clark, midsummer signals a different kind of excitement: the start of her prep work on new spine-chilling decorations for her annual Halloween haunted yard. 

"We start building new things in July, so it's a pretty big commitment," Clark said, laughing. 

Behind her sweet and charming demeanour, Clark revels in creating frights, goosebumps and heebie-jeebies for all who pass through her family's outdoor haunted house, called Scary Dahlia. 

Named after their street in Dorval in Montreal's West Island, the family's house at 231 Dahlia Ave. is adorned with ghastly and ghoulish decorations year after year, bringing families and trick-or-treaters out in droves for some scares. 

"In the front, we have a more young, kid-friendly set up with inflatables," said Clark, noting the scariest sights are reserved for those brave enough to venture through the haunted tunnel that passes through their backyard.

The interior of a 20-foot trailer, where the decorations are held year-round, is also transformed into an elaborate spooky scene in front of the home. 

Her eight-year-old son, Clark, loves the display and enjoys being out there with the kids in costume. But her six-year-old daughter, Scarlet, "is not such a fan." 

"She's pretty scared of it actually," she said, adding her daughter only recently went through the yard after avoiding it for the past two months. 

An avid Halloween decorator for the past 20 years, Clark says her displays are a fun way to transition into the darker, cooler season and serve as a creative outlet. But the decorations really reached a "theme park level" in 2018. 

That's when her family came up with the name Scary Dahlia and, given its popularity, decided it was time to begin collecting proceeds for an organization that benefits children. 

She said the Fondation Chu Sainte-Justine was an easy decision.

"During my first pregnancy, I had some complications and I was followed there and we received just phenomenal care and service," she said. 

"It was just an obvious choice for us."