Written by Joel A. Sutherland Author of the renowned Haunted Canada Series. Joel has lived and worked throughout York Durham and Headwaters and many of his stories have come from our region. Read on for some of Joel’s favourite haunts in #VisitYDH.
Ghosts don’t only haunt Canada’s largest cities. Many – far more than you might think – haunt the halls of historic buildings throughout York Durham Headwaters (YDH). As a longtime Durham Region resident who has spent countless nights writing about Canada’s dead who-won’t-stay-dead, I’ve come to learn this: ghosts are all around us. And some of the most chilling places I’ve ever explored are right here in YDH.
So, buckle up and let me take you on a little tour. Just be warned: if you feel eyes watching you as you read…don’t turn around. You’re probably not alone.
The Centennial Building, Whitby
Every theatre is haunted, but the Centennial Building in downtown Whitby wasn’t always a performance venue. It originally served as the Ontario County Courthouse from 1854 to 1964, and it seems as if court is still in session.
Late one night, a set designer was constructing a set on stage when he suddenly felt like he was being watched. Looking up, he spotted a man standing on the second-floor balcony, dressed in old-fashioned clothing. Without warning, the man stepped off the edge of the balcony and floated to the ground, then walked along the centre aisle between the theatre’s seats, glided up onto the stage and stared at the set designer, and finally turned and disappeared straight through the side door without needing to open it.
As I shared this story a few years ago for a short documentary produced by Doors Open Ontario and the Town of Whitby, sitting in the very spot it had taken place, shivers ran up and down my spine.
Jester’s Court, Port Perry
If you’re like me and you’ve enjoyed a pint and a meal at the Jester’s Court Pub & Eatery, you might’ve shared your table with more than just your friends.
Built in 1913, this charming building has gone from hotel to private home to the lively pub it is today. But not everyone has moved on each time the renovations began.
Staff talk of dishes flying off shelves, footsteps heard in empty hallways, and lights turning on and off on their own. A previous owner used to see diners remain in the restaurant long after closing, only to disappear in thin air when approached.
But the ghost most often seen is an elderly woman in old-fashioned clothing haunting the women’s washroom. Elegant, timeless, and utterly silent, she floats through the walls and slams stall doors, startling guests as they’re washing up.
Stephen Leacock Theatre, Georgina
The Stephen Leacock Theatre of Performing Arts is a place of creativity, music, and applause. But it’s also a place where people feel like they’re always being watched, even when they’re alone.
Lights flicker before shows begin, props and personal belongings go missing in the blink of an eye, and actors often report feeling watched during rehearsals. Some have even seen a shadowy figure floating through the darkness late at night.
My creepiest experience in the theatre happened before I gave an author reading on stage one night. I was backstage with Mysterion and Steffi Kay, a mind reading duo known as the Sentimentalists, who were scheduled to perform after me. Mysterion asked if I wanted to see something cool (my reply was a resounding, “Yes!”), had me pick any one of my books (I selected The House Next Door), and told me to read a random page silently. From far across the room, Steffi Kay began speaking the words aloud as if she were reading over my shoulder.
Old Town Hall, Newmarket
The Newmarket Old Town Hall has been beautifully restored, but some of its oldest residents may not appreciate the makeover. Originally built in 1883, it’s been everything from a farmer’s market to a theatre to a police station and jail. Any one of these purposes might be the source of the building’s paranormal activity, but its most likely haunted by the souls of prisoners who were locked in the basement many years ago.
People have felt someone breathing on the back of their neck, a man once heard a woman screaming in agony for five days straight, and during a haunted walk in 2016 the assembled group couldn’t believe their ears when a spectral voice said he’d been trapped there ever since he was wrongly convicted of a crime many lifetimes ago.
I recall visiting the building one day – not to hunt for ghosts but to attend a meeting for my day job – when I stumbled upon an old cell in the basement with a plaque claiming it to be haunted. It felt as if some unearthly presence was guiding me there. I’m just thankful it let me leave.
And that’s just the tip of the paranormal iceberg. You don’t have to travel far to find a good ghost story. Some of the most terrifying hauntings are right here at home…and maybe even in your home…
Frightfully yours,
Joel A. Sutherland – Author, “Ghost Guy,” Barbarian Librarian
“Joel A. Sutherland is the Silver Birch Award-winning author of Scholastic Canada’s Haunted Canada (a series that now has more than 875,000 copies in print, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, has been adapted into graphic novels, and is currently in development as a television show). His series has been praised by Goosebumps author R.L. Stine. He has a Masters of Information and Library Studies from Aberystwyth University in Wales and lives in southeastern Ontario with his family.” https://joelasutherland.com/
Updated: