Winnipeg Ghost Walk with Veronica Neufeld

The three of us outside MTC

Photo by: David Driedger

It was a relatively chilly night on October 29, when a group of CreComm students braved the night and faced the spirits that are thought to haunt the Exchange District. Hosting the Winnipeg Ghost Walk was Veronica Neufeld, a CreComm classmate with extensive knowledge on the historic sites in this part of the city.

Veronica getting started...

Photo by: Palmer Fritschy

I will not be disclosing the information about each building for two reasons. One, I think this tour is definitely worth taking so people should find this out on their own. And, secondly, I don't want to mess this up as it was over a week ago that I was on it. (Blame my Internet provider for this)

Photo by: Palmer Fritschy

Huddled around the Burton Cummings Theatre, we began our tour with the story of those who haunt it because it was the last place they were ever really happy. Veronica regaled us with the haunting of the Marlborough on Smith Street. We found out what was hidden within the walls of the Old Masonic Temple and heard a story from Pamela, a fellow CreComm-er, about an experience she had at an event being held there. We also walked to the Old Market Square and heard about the first hangings in Manitoba and how jail cells remain under the ground of the Square. Pantages Playhouse Theatre was also a building we walked to and heard a story about a woman in a white dress. Ironically enough, when we looked up to the window which Veronica said we would see the woman, a white dress was visible. Normally the tour would involve entering the Playhouse but there was something going on there that night and the white dress was probably part of that and not the ghostly white dress from Veronica's story. Our guide had her own experiences to share about the Playhouse before moving on to our final destination, the Manitoba Theatre Centre. Here I got the above picture taken of me and two gentlemen whose names I cannot remember.

At this point it had started to snow and the 75-minute tour was over, so the CreComm-ers headed over to the Kings Head Pub for some drinks to warm us up as we sat around discussing our own ghost stories and Halloween ideas, among other things. As a sidenote, I think it's really starting to freak me out just how soon the lovely Class 3 is going to be separated. So sad.

I was blown away by how much Veronica knew about this area of the city. I had talked to her earlier in the week and she had mentioned being nervous because she needed to memorize the information about each haunted location. But she was awesome and I'm not just saying that because I'm biased. She went above and beyond, recommending buses to the other people participating in the tour and how they can get home the quickest.

This was really a fantastic tour, very fun, spooky, and informative. I definitely recommend this to others.
The tours are still available through November so it's not too late! You can just show up at 7:40 PM at the park across from the Burton Cummings Theatre with $10, $8 for seniors and students and the experience will be yours.