OTTAWA - If you're still looking for an appropriate Halloween costume for tomorrow, Sponge Bob might work to help soak up some of that rain. The forecast calls for between 30 and 50 mm by Friday morning, prompting a wacky idea to move Halloween to a drier day. Maybe it's not such a wacky idea: some communities south of the border have postponed Halloween until the weekend because of heavy rain.
And now Montreal and the town of Thurso want it moved to Friday.
Ottawa's Mayor, meantime, says "boo" to that idea.
Kayla Prystanski and Kristen Anderson are doing some last minute shopping at Malabar, the costume store on Merivale Road for Halloween Thursday -- or is it Thursday?
“I can see the practical perspective of wanting to change the day,” says Prystanski, “so everone can get out and enjoy Halloween.”
“If you moved it to Friday or Saturday,’ adds Anderson, “more people would be able to partake in it.”
That idea was rolled out on-line today by Ottawa Special Events partner Mike Wood who tweeted:
"While we have no real sway of any kind, we think @ottawacity should put out a statement delaying Halloween by one day."
The reason is weather -related. Up to 50 mm of rain is expected by Friday morning, making for some sopping wet spooks.
“I have been called on Twitter the Grinch of Halloween,” says Wood, who adds that his idea was more tongue in cheek. But it prompted a barrage of angry comments.
“It's just one of those things,” he says, “You post something and maybe two or three people will say yeah or nay, but apparently this subject in particular, people are very opinionated on whether it should be postponed for the day or whether we should go forward with it.”
Retailers like Malabar are keen on the idea of moving it to Friday.
Mae Mason is a supervisor there, “It’s easier for business because people don’t want to party in the middle of the week.”
But customer Scott Hebert-Daly doesn’t agree, “It’s a great idea, a nice thought but half the fun of Halloween is making it work, no matter what.”
Children in the town of Thurso won't have to worry about that. The town says for security reasons, it's asking citizens to trick or treat on Friday. And Montreal’s Mayor Valérie Plante tweeted out that because of the rain and the violent wind forecasted for Thursday, the city is inviting people to celebrate Halloween on Friday.
Ottawa's mayor, however, says the forecast isn't nearly scary enough to move Halloween here.
‘‘I don't think rain is a reason to move Halloween,” says Jim Watson, “and who knows? The next day could be even worse weather. Let's stick with the 31st.”
In fact, that's the case: the forecast is for snow starting Friday. So maybe 12 degrees and a lot of rain isn't looking so bad.
