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'Enter at your own risk,' Preston haunted house promises a frighteningly good time

Regent Street Haunted Town showcases months of work for one night of fright
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Leona Clark stands next to the haunted town on Regent Street

Haunted houses are usually set up in a barn or on a main strip in a downtown core, but for the Calbury family, bringing the scares home to Preston is something they've been committed to doing for two decades. 

Tucked away in the backyard of their home is a massive winding maze of homemade walls and structures; a haunted town, designed to scare all who enter. 

Leona Clark and her family have been building haunted houses to show their love for Halloween for more than 20 years. 

"It started years ago and we just kept building them bigger and bigger," said Clark. "We put a lot of thought and effort into this every year, but it's worth it." 

Previously at Clark's home on Margaret Street, the family's display moved to her daughter's house at 769 Regent St. in Preston two years ago. 

Clarke's son-in-law John Calbury has since been infected with the same passion for Halloween shared by his wife and mother-in-law. "They absolutely love it," he said. "We've been at it since mid-September." 

This year's theme is a haunted town complete with an insane asylum, butcher and other spooky rooms that Calbury is keeping secret for the big night. 

"We are only open for one night and that's Halloween. We're still putting on the final touches, but then we're good to go," he said. 

Having spent over a month working on the project, Calbury estimates his family has been putting in seven-hour days during the week and sometimes 14-hour days on weekends to get the spooky spectacle done by Halloween. 

While this is only the second year on Regent, since offering up his backyard, Calbury estimates the number of trick-or-treaters coming to his door has grown from 75 before the haunt to to nearly 400.

"I think we are the only one in town that you can actually go through the haunted house where you're not just walking through a bunch of animatronics," he said. 

This effort is a family affair as children, grandchildren and cousins all come together to get dressed up and get into character to scare the neighbourhood. 

Last year, he remembers a group of teenagers who thought they wouldn't be scared, but by the end, they were running down the street. 

"They dropped their bags of candy and told us just to keep it," laughed Calbury. "If you don't think it's scary then by all means, take your chances and go through." 

While the crew is prepared to put on a show for those who want to be scared, they're also prepared for visitors who want a calm experience or who get too scared in the middle of the maze. 

There is someone at the front who will let the scare actors know if a young child or someone else who doesn't want to get scared is about to come through. 

"We want this to be the best experience for everyone," said Calbury. 

This year will also feature a photo booth for visitors to take pictures before and after they head into the haunted house. 

The Regent Street Haunted Town will be open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Halloween at 769 Regent Street. "Enter at your own risk." 


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Joe McGinty

About the Author: Joe McGinty

Joe McGinty is a multimedia journalist who covers local news in the Cambridge area. He is a graduate of Conestoga College and began his career as a freelance journalist at CambridgeToday before joining full time.
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