Every Halloween, trick-or-treaters walk the streets of Bonnyville in costume, knocking on doors and calling for candy. That is, until 7 p.m., when the youngsters are shepherded back indoors and police patrol the town for wayward children.
Town council will reconsider a bylaw, originally written in 1929, that prevents children from being out past 7 p.m. on Halloween night, in an attempt to discourage vandalism.
The curfew has become a problem for some parents, like Joe House. He says it doesn’t leave enough time for him to get home from his oil patch job, get his kids into costume, and start trick-or-treating.
“You got Christmas, Halloween is the other big one and the kids aren’t even excited about it living here,” said House.
“The rigs shut down around 6, 6:30 … so you’re not getting home until 7:15, 7:30 and the kids are already in the house Halloween’s over.”
Council will decide whether to push the curfew back 90 minutes, to 8:30 p.m..
Hear: “A curfew on trick-or-treating” on Edmonton AM
On mobile? Hear the interview here
Bonnyville mayor Gene Sobolewski says he’s against changing the current curfew.
“I’ve been inundated with phone calls of support not to change, particularly from the seniors in our community. “
“They remember what it was like if some kids came to the door at 8:30 and they declined to give them out the candy. Well, then, there were some tricksters that were up and we don’t have that anymore.”
The town council will vote on extending the curfew at a meeting Monday night.
