Firefighters search for venue for popular Halloween attraction

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG

PLATTSBURGH -- After having to cancel last year's Firefighter's Haunted House, officials have been planning to bring the event back with even more frightening flair.

But officials say that won't happen if they can't find a place to host the popular October attraction.

"We started planning a little bit early in anticipation of this happening," event chairman Rick Hazen said earlier this week.

Problems finding an adequate location began last year when Champlain Centre mall was undergoing demolition and construction for the site of the new Target store and wasn't able to provide enough space for the event, which had been housed in the old Ames store for years.

And, Hazen said, a lack of mall space has once again left volunteers scrambling for a new venue.

"So now, we're looking around for a new location. We want to be up and running, but we have no where to go," the Morrisonville firefighter said.

"We're really anxious to get started, and we'd really like to put another 3,000 people through (the haunted house) again this year."

All proceeds from the event help local fire departments fund fire-prevention programs at area elementary schools, and Hazen said their annual funding took a big hit by last year's cancelation.

Because of the extensive amount of time it takes to construct and transform the 13 rooms of scary fun, Hazen said officials need to find a new location by Sept. 15.

The haunted house is typically held five to seven nights a week and is usually coordinated by volunteers from the Morrisonville, District No. 3, Rescue Hose 5, Beekmantown, Cumberland Head, Altona, Keeseville and West Chazy fire departments.

If an area resident or business owner can provide enough space for the attraction, Hazen said this year's event may stay open Halloween night as well.

He said many residents were discouraged by last year's cancelation and have been urging them to bring it back.

"A lot of people missed it last year and are hoping we can do something again. People really look forward to it each year, and they just want us to come back.