The Deslauriers home on Deancourt Cres-cent in Fallingbrook has been a mecca for trick or treaters in Orléans for the past 30 years.

Luc and Martha Deslauriers have turned their Fallingbook front yard into one of the most popular Hallowe’en attractions in Ottawa. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

Luc and Martha Deslauriers started decorating their front yard in 1994 when their oldest daughter was just three.

Luc, who is in construction, saw a castle in a shopping mall in Trois-Rivières that was made entirely out of Styrofoam. He used the same material to make some tombstones and created a spooky graveyard. Since then, the couple has continuously added to their Hallowe’en menagerie to the point where it has become a featured location on a map of the 10 spookiest houses in Ottawa.

The notoriety has resulted in hundreds of visitors dropping by their property every year, with some people coming from as far away as Cornwall.

The couple begins setting up their display at the end of September. Most of the work is done on the weekends when they are joined by their two daughters, Maryse and Sophie, who are all grown now, and Luc’s sister and brother-in-law.

“It went from something that was fun to do, to being something for the whole community,” says Luc.

The Delauriers residence on Deancourt Crescent has become a popular spot for trick-or-treaters in Fallingbrook. PHOTO SUPPLIED

The walk-through display includes a Pirates of the Caribbean section featuring a large pirate ship, a section dedicated to zombies, a witch’s homestead, a creepy corridor, a pumpkin inferno and other surprises.

New this year is a towering 20-foot skeleton that lights up and flashes.

When visitors started offering them money several years ago, the Deslauriers decided to turn their Hallowe’en attraction into a fundraiser for CHEO where one of daughters works. During the past three years they have managed to raise over $15,000, including
more than $5,700 last year alone when visitors could scan a QR code near the entrance of the display to make a donation.

In order to accommodate the sheer number of people who want to visit the attraction, the Deslauriers plan to have it ready for this weekend, when all five members of the family will be dressed in costume to greet the visitors, many of whom who’ve been coming to see the display for years and years.

The Deslauriers plan to keep setting up the display for trick or treaters as long as they live in the house. Until now, they’ve had to do the set-up and decorating while doing their regular jobs, but Luc and Martha both plan to retire in November, which means they will have even more time to add to the attraction.

“We have a retirement fund and a Hallowe’en fund,” jokes Martha.

During their interview with the Orléans Star on Oct. 20, the couple still had quite a bit of work to do to finish setting up the display and rain was in the forecast for the weekend. No matter. Luc promises it will be finished by this Friday no matter what.

“We have no choice,” says Luc. “Hallowe’en is on Oct. 31 and we’ll be open on Oct. 27.”

The Deslauriers’ Fallingbrook home is just one of two residences in Orléans that go all out for Hallowe’en. The other is on Pintail Terrace in Orléans Wood where the father and son duo of Brian and Patrick Albert have been entertaining trick-or-treaters and other passersby with their massive display since 1999.

Like the Deslauriers, the Alberts use the attraction to help raise money for CHEO. Last year they raised over $5,000.