Coleen Bud's house on Shady Mile Way is a must-see, with over a dozen inflatable ghosts, ghouls, and goblins lining her driveway. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

light it up

VIDEO: Decorated Shady Mile Way house big draw for Halloween enthusiasts

Oct 31, 2021 | 6:18 AM

NANAIMO — Coleen Bud’s house on Shady Mile Way is hard to miss, especially at night.

For almost every major holiday or celebration, she adorns the front of her house, yard and driveway with all sorts of on-theme and on-point decorations.

And Halloween is one of her favourites.

“I love it. I enjoy it. I do it bigger for Christmas, but I just enjoy it. I love the lights at night. When all these lights come on, I just love it. I do a little bit at Easter, leave red lights up for Valentine’s Day.”

Bud, an East Wellington resident since 2004, recalled a time when ‘Shady Mile’ pumpkin display lined a lengthy stretch of Jingle Pot Rd.

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Now a majority of pumpkins find a home at the East Wellington Fire Hall following Halloween, while a few others are placed onto the side of the road.

“They called it ‘Shady Mile’ because before the fire hall was built it was all trees and a whole mile was shaded. In 2003, there was a man who used to go out at night and light the pumpkins. Then people started running over them with their cars, so people stopped putting them so close to the edge of the road. They eventually all ended up around the fire hall.”

Bud spends a lot of time getting her yard ready during the day. She said nighttime is the best time to see and get the full effect. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

While excitedly decorating her property with numerous inflatable figurines and hanging ghosts, Bud expanded on how happy she is to show off her decorations to anyone who stops by.

“The Dufferin Place bus came by earlier today and I saw them drive by going real slow, but nothing was up. So I ran outside and I flicked all the switches and she came back again. I said, call me, anytime. If you let me know you’re coming I’ll put them up for everybody.”

Unfortunately, this might be the last year for Bud’s impressive display as she plans on moving once she finds a suitable new place to live.

She recommended driving by at night when all the lights are on and her display is in its full glory.

The Halloween display doesn’t stop at Bud’s driveway, as her front porch is also fully decorated for the season. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Local RCMP and City officials also want to remind residents to pay attention on Sunday and watch for the little ones running around neighbourhoods trick-or-treating.

A few tips if you’re going door-to-door include:

• Stay at home if you’re feeling sick.
• Stay in small groups.
• Don’t crowd the doorways. Wait for your turn for candy, and then move over to give others space.
• Wash or sanitize your hands often.
• Be sure to make your costume visible at all times during the day and night. Try adding reflective clothing or tags to the outside of your kid’s costumes.
• Ensure costumes are easy too see out of and configured so children won’t trip.
• Consider incorporating your non-medical mask into your costume.

If you’re handing out candy, there are a few simple things to keep in mind:

• Don’t hand out candy if you feel sick.
• Hand out individually wrapped or pre-packaged treats. Non-edible treats are a good option, especially for kids who have food allergies.
• Use tongs or make a candy chute to hand out candy at a distance.
• Wash or sanitize your hands often.
• Motorists are asked to slow down and watch for trick-or-treaters potentially darting unexpectedly across the street.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow