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 andhosting barbecues.

But for Patsy Clark, midsummersignals a different kind of excitement: the start of her prep work on new spine-chilling decorations for her annualHalloween 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, Clarkrevels in creating frights, goosebumps andheebie-jeebiesfor 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 at231 Dahlia Ave. is adorned with ghastly and ghoulish decorations year after year, bringingfamilies and trick-or-treaters out in drovesfor some scares.

"In the front, we have a moreyoung,kid-friendlyset 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.

Hereight-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 prettyscared 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 itspopularity,decidedit was time tobegin collecting proceeds for an organization that benefits children.

She saidthe Fondation Chu Sainte-Justine was an easy decision.

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

"It was just an obvious choice for us."

Last year's edition of Scary Dahlia raised $11,000 for the foundation. While it's free to visit, Clark says most people donate. Donations for this year have already begun trickling in andcan be submitted online.

On their Thursday opening night, she said they received hundreds of visitors.

In a statement to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Chu Sainte-Justinepediatric centre said it's thanks to Clark and her family that the foundation can "think big for Quebec's children."

"We thank them for their dedication to this cause," the statement reads.

You can visit Scary Dahlia at 231 Dahlia Ave. in Dorval, Que., from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.on Oct.26, 30 and 31.