Calgary – Inglewood is one of Calgary’s oldest neighbourhoods, established in 1875. It’s also considered by some to be one of the most haunted communities in Calgary.
Leading up to Halloween, Johanna Lane from Calgary Ghost Tours guided Global’s Amber Schinkel through the neighbourhood, stopping at some of the most notorious haunts.
First stop was Rouge Restaurant, located on the corner of 12 Street and 8 Avenue S.E. The building was once the home of A.E. Cross, who owned the brewery on 9 Avenue.
He bought the house for his wife, Helen, on their wedding day.
The couple went on to have three children.
Unfortunately, all three contracted diphtheria when it came through Calgary and two of the children, Selkirk and Helen Jr., died from the illness.
WATCH: Johanna Lane from Calgary Ghost Tours guides Global’s Amber Schinkel through Inglewood, stopping at some of the most notorious haunts. Second stop, The 12 Avenue Bridge.
Less than a block away is another reportedly haunted locale, the 12 Avenue bridge.
It connects Inglewood to St. George’s Island and is the site where six-year-old Donnie Goss was killed by Donald Staley. Staley was ultimately caught.
He was part of the largest mass hanging in Alberta’s history in 1946, along with three German prisoners of war.
Goss’ body was discovered near a playground, says Lane, where the zoo’s security shack now sits.“Security shack tells stories how they have a little ball and if he comes up and knocks on the door, they throw it out and he brings it back later.”WATCH: Johanna Lane from Calgary Ghost Tours guides Global’s Amber Schinkel through Inglewood, stopping at some of the most notorious haunts. First stop, The Rouge Restaurant. Another reportedly haunted location is a church at 8 Avenue and 13 Street S.E. In 1914, a young woman from Didsbury moved to Calgary to attend the Teacher’s College on Stephen Avenue.Lane says the woman signed a morals clause, swearing not to drink, smoke, or have a boyfriend.However, she met a young man and they became quite close. The man was a member of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry, and when war broke out, he was shipped to France. Sadly, he died not long after arriving.Lane’s story goes that just a few weeks later the young girl discovered she was pregnant.Because of the clause, the school kicked her out and friends were not supportive.According to Lane, “she finally felt that her only thing was to go up the top of the bell tower and she jumped.”It is said that her presence is still felt and often, as people hear bells chiming.However, there are no bells on the church; the bells were removed in the 1970s.WATCH: Johanna Lane from Calgary Ghost Tours guides Global’s Amber Schinkel through Inglewood, stopping at some of the most notorious haunts. The Final Stop, Gresham Block. The final stop on this ghost tour is the Gresham Block along 9 Avenue, built in 1912. Lane tells the story that a young woman, questioning her husband’s fidelity, followed him to the building.She knocked on several apartment doors and discovered him inside one of the suites with a young lady.After reportedly stabbing her husband, she then stabbed herself.The young woman who lived in the building ran down the hall to get a doctor who also lived there, and he was able to save the man, but not his wife.It’s believed she continues to haunt the third floor of the building. Lane says a former tenant used to feel her presence often.“He told a story about how he actually heard a girl in his apartment and she would actually sit on his bed.”According to Lane, the building was once referred to as “the animal house” and more than 300 people have died there since it was built.Johanna Lane is with Calgary Ghost Tours. For more information, visit the tour web page.
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