Indoor trick-or-treating draws hundreds of costumed youngsters to North End centres

North End community groups stepped up Wednesday night to continue a popular Halloween tradition — indoor trick or treating.

Nearly 1,000 children, dressed in spooky and sparkly Halloween garb, stopped in at two community centres in Winnipeg's North End for the candy giveaway. The YMCA on McGregor Street and Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre were both inundated with zombies, ghosts and princesses.

When doors opened at 4 p.m., there were already 100 eager tots and pre-teens waiting in line for treats, said Brittany Murdock a co-ordinator with Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and Turtle Island Neighbourhood Centre.

"This year was really successful. To see all the smiling faces of the kids and the families and all the comments that we got. People were really thankful," she said.

Thankful, in part because after eight years, the popular event was at risk of ending for good this year.

Upheavals at the Indian and Metis Frienship Centre last year, including funding cuts and staff departures, made the future of safe Halloween unclear.

In recent weeks, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, the YMCA and other organizations stepped in to host the event that in previous years drew thousands of people.

Safe Halloween was first created as a response to three shootings in the days before Halloween in 2010. Two people died and a 13-year-old girl was seriously hurt.

The shootings, which remain unsolved, left the community reeling. Parents were nervous about letting their young ones venture into the streets where real danger lurked.

Today, Play It Safe Halloween has grown beyond being a safe space for families into an annual community celebration, said Murdock.

"A lot of youth and families want a warm safe place to come and trick or treat with their kids," she said.

"We had a few other activities go on ... we did some face painting, we had a haunted house at the end. So we added our own twist."

On Wednesday, all the candy was gone within a couple hours.

Next year, Murdock said they plan to buy more treats.