Colton Eddy checks out some of Toronto’s creepiest destinations
RYERSON THEATRE SCHOOL
43 Gerrard Street East
The building dates back to 1885, when it was the first college of pharmacy in Canada. Rumours around campus say it was a morgue, though floor plans from the archives suggest it was an oral examination room full of cadavers. Now it’s home to the more lively bodies of Ryerson’s dance, acting and theatre production students. But these students have experienced eerie sensations when rehearsing late at night. When alone in the theatre, students often hear piano music echoing through the vacant hallways and some have seen a ghastly white female figure in the McAllister Studios.
If you’re looking for goose bumps close to home this Halloween, check out the theatre school.
OLD DON JAIL
Gerrard Street East & Broadview Avenue
What used to be the lockup for Canada’s most wanted men and women is now haunted by a prisoner who committed suicide. Many visitors have reported sightings of a woman with long blonde hair floating around the building with an axe to grind. She hung herself in one of the confined cells but her remains weren’t found until many years after her death. To this day, body parts are still being discovered on the grounds by archaeologists.
If you’re looking to befriend the anguished spirit you must schedule a visit in advance. But due to the horror and condition of the old building tours are no longer available. But jail cells are often unlocked during the annual Doors Open Toronto event in Spring.
CASA LOMA
1 Austin Terrace
It is known as the most famous castle in North America and an eyesore to locals. However, its aged corridors are better known as home to spirits of deceased royalty. Lady Pellet died in the castle but her spirit still roams her bedroom, the library and the conservatory.
Guests have also encountered ghosts in the carriage house, and some claim to have been shoved on the stairs or grabbed by the neck. People have run screaming from the building. On Saturday and Sunday there are freaky tours and other festive activities for your enjoyment.
Get to the dungeons and ghost track this Halloween for $25 a ticket!
HOCKEY HALL OF FAME
30 Yonge Street
It was the early 90’s when the Hockey Hall of Fame took over an old Bank of Montreal building and made a new friend: Dorothy. Recent stories by the Toronto Star reveal that Dorothy Mae Elliot, then 19-years-old, shot herself in 1953 after she stole money from the bank. Some stories say she was having an affair with a teller. Dorothy has stuck around to creep out Hall of Fame employees who say they’ve encountered the spirits in the form of flickering lights, doors and windows creaking open and closed, and screaming. Some have heard footsteps while working alone on the night shift.
For non-sports fans wanting to explore the supernatural, regular rates still apply.
Photo: Chelsea Pottage
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