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A Look at the People Behind Haunted Hamilton Ghost Walks & Events

I knew that when I first began writing a book involving ghosts in the Hamilton area, I would be consulting with the folks from Haunted Hamilton Ghost Walks & Events. Founders Daniel Cumerlato and Stephanie Lechniak have been very generous with their time, resources, and the more than ten years of in-depth research they have conducted as part of their business.

The whole way through my journey of compiling information and collecting tales, they have shared personal accounts, detailed articles, suggestions for people I should talk to, and have welcomed me with open arms and friendly smiles. They have also been generous with their time, responding to my phone calls and emails as well as sitting down with me at length to be interviewed about what they do and some of the legends they have investigated.

For this reason, I thought it would be important to share a little bit of detail about their group and all that they offer to Hamilton, not just from an intriguing and paranormal viewpoint, but from a historical perspective.

Dan and Stephanie have been running Haunted Hamilton since 1999.

It all started when the couple, who were both born and raised in Hamilton, were living in Toronto. They had always been intrigued by supernatural events and, one evening were conducting an Ouija board session in their apartment with a microcassette recorder. They had had done the usual things one does when playing with an Ouija board and asked if there was a spirit presence. Eventually, the pointer on the board moved to YES and occasionally moved around providing non-descript responses to their question, but nothing much really happened.

It wasn’t until they were done the session, which was held in an apartment lit only by the atmospheric light of candles, that they discovered something eerie had happened and which neither of them had noticed. When they were done and listened to the tape they could hear their voices in the background, somewhat muted and distant because the recorder was sitting a few feet away from them. But after they had said: “Spirit, are you there?” a very clear, breathy voice could be heard right up at the microphone, saying, Yesss!

“We slept with the lights on that night!” Daniel joked.

But that incident was the genesis of it all. Daniel and Stephanie went to a local Toronto paranormal group with their story but didn’t hear anything back. So they posted about their experience on the Internet, and among the website hits they received, they heard from a couple of guys who were planning on doing a paranormal television show. Stephanie and Daniel met with them and the guys listened to the EVP. They were quite intrigued and spent a long time discussing the event the couple had experienced as well as sharing other stories. Nothing ever happened with them or the television show, but Daniel and Stephanie’s interest in the paranormal had been piqued. During the discussion, the guys who were working on the television show had mentioned something they called “the murder house” in Hamilton.

Afterwards, Stephanie and Daniel learned they were speaking about the Bellevue Mansion in Hamilton and they spent a great deal of time doing research on this building, discovering the tales surrounding it were akin to the legends associated with The Amityville Horror.

The two visited the mansion during the day. “Mostly because we were too frightened to visit the home in the middle of the night,” Stephanie joked. Stephanie also went to her parents’ home in Hamilton, snuck into her father’s closet, and “borrowed” her father’s rather expensive 35mm camera.

They entered the Bellevue Mansion, which was wide open, and marvelled at the sights, such as pieces of the stairwell missing and a tree growing up through the dumbwaiter area, and spent about an hour taking notes about and pictures of this historic building. Their visit wouldn’t be complete, however, without checking out the Widow’s Walk, where they saw the most beautiful view of the city.

They felt a connection to the house the second they stepped into it. The controversy about the house interested them so much that they started a website called Disappearing History as well as a site dedicated to ghosts and the supernatural. They wanted the stories of the disappearing history of the Hamilton area and these beautiful landmarks to be heard.

The ghostly tales, however, are what drew most visitors to their website, so they evolved the historically focused articles to include a supernatural flavour. Haunted Hamilton isn’t there for the shock factor but instead to document and report. Yes, there is entertainment in the telling of their ghost stories, but never at the expense of the history.

“There’s a respect that is given to the story,” Daniel said. Respect for the person’s legitimate story is what Stephanie, Daniel, and their team are all about. And while they prefer the term Paranormal Investigators to ones such as Ghostbusters, they’re flexible in how people refer to them.

“We used the hate the term Ghost Hunters,” Daniel said. “But you’ve got to have a sense of humour and learn to go with the flow.” Both Stephanie and Daniel have taught themselves to roll with the terms that become popular for people describing their theatrical approach to sharing Hamilton’s spooky history.

In 2003, the same year that they started the ghost walks, a tour of various haunted locations in Hamilton’s downtown core, they won two Tourism Hamilton awards: one for the best rookie of the year and another for the best new tourism idea. At a time when attracting people to the downtown core of Hamilton was a critical venture for the city, Haunted Hamilton managed to host huge groups of walking tours that celebrated Hamilton’s historic buildings and people. It was ironic that their walks and tales of scary things going bump in the night were leading toward people feeling less scared to be downtown.

The night they received those two awards was the moment they first realized that this was something more than a hobby — this was something they could do full time.

They have since created multiple different ghost walks, as well as non-supernatural walks designed to entice people with details of Hamilton’s rich history. Their Hamilton’s Dark Past tour appeals more to the history and true crime buffs than to those interested in ghosts. The Victorian Parlour Ghost Stories evening they host in the old Scottish Rite building in Hamilton is a throwback to the classic verbally shared tales from yesteryear. It is ideal for those who wondered what it might be like to enjoy the unique magic of verbal storytelling, either from the age of Charles Dickens, or, as more recently, when Canada’s own Robertson Davies spent eighteen consecutive years sharing oral ghost stories as part of annual Christmas celebrations at Massey College in Toronto.

In April 2011 they opened a museum of the paranormal (www.MuseumOfTheParanormal.ca) in Niagara-on-the-Lake at 118A Queen Street. The museum is Canada’s only space dedicated to everything dark, creepy, and paranormal. In it they carry a range of products, from the fun, spooky novelty items you might expect, to beautiful gemstones, candles, and paranormal tools. But the museum is also home to one of the world’s largest personal collections of post-mortem photography (yes, that would be photos of the dead), as well as displays of the world’s most famous ghost photos, haunted dolls, and modern haunted locations in North America. Ultimately, the shop is dedicated to paranormal history, and that makes it rather unique.

The group conducts regular out-of-town bus tours as well as an annual costume ball for Halloween and continues to combine their interest in the paranormal and their respect for the city they so love and cherish. “People don’t even know the rich history we have in Hamilton,” Stephanie said. But, thanks to the efforts of Stephanie, Daniel, and their team, more people walk away with a better understanding of their city and the people who made it what it is today.

Stephanie and Daniel’s Team of Ghost Guides

Ghost Guide George

George Sanford is an actor, composer, choreographer, poet, and playwright. He has been a performer for more than forty years and has been on stage, radio, TV, and video. He has a wealth of stage experience and theatre knowledge. He was one of the creators of the Sheridan College musical theatre program and has taught theatre arts at all levels of education. His business background is extensive, and he has found a unique and exciting way to combine his love and skill in the arts with the changing landscape of business and industry, in both the private and public sectors.

Established in 1999, Haunted Hamilton is one of the oldest paranormal groups still in existence in all of North America.

Lady Elizabeth

Lady Elizabeth, also known as Sue Hilton, has been involved in theatre for most of her life — after performing in A Christmas Carol with Simcoe Little Theatre while in public school, she was “bitten.” Over two decades, she performed with Simcoe Little Theatre, Lighthouse Festival Theatre, and the Academy Theatre in Lindsay, Ontario. She attained her B.F.A. in acting from the University of Windsor and performed in numerous productions, such as Sam Shepherd’s A Lie of the Mind, Michel Tremblay’s The Real World?, Guys and Dolls, Waiting for the Parade, and many others. She has done children’s theatre, tours, studio workshops, improv comedy, and a little bit of television (and is convinced her part is on a cutting room floor somewhere). After a lengthy hiatus to raise her son, she is thrilled to be back in front of the crowds doing what she loves most — entertaining!

Jack Lawrence

Jack, also known as Derk Ewert, has been intensely involved in the performing arts since a very young age. He devoted his entire high school experience to performing on stage and in the Sears Drama Festival and has put on fifteen major productions. He has been awarded four awards for acting through the Sears Festival while attending the St. Catharines Collegiate Institute and has also put on shows with the St. Thomas Players and the Carousel Players. An enthusiastic actor and musician, he is currently attending Brock University, working on his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts degree. Being somewhat sensitive to the paranormal, he has always been interested in his experiences and hearing the experiences of others. He hopes you enjoy his playing on our haunted piano at the Museum of the Paranormal if you attend his tours and he diabolically asks, with a rue grin, if you would like to hear a story.

Daniel “Rook” Holbrooke

“Rook” (Daniel Wooster) is a trained actor who has played a wide array of roles in film, television, and theatre productions. Performance has been his life since before he can even remember, and he relies on the character of his loving and supportive parents not to divulge embarrassing stories of his exploits. Rook received his education from both Humber College and the University of Toronto in marketing and public relations. Combined with his passion for both performing and the paranormal, Rook was a welcome addition to Haunted Hamilton’s team.

Lady Rowenna

Lady Rowenna is well known for her love of the arts. In her human form, known as Lauren, she is a dedicated actress, dancer, and singer. Her love for the arts began as a little girl when she played elaborate dress-up games with her sister, and it grew larger as she earned the part of the evil queen in her school musical, Once Upon a Mattress, in her grade twelve year. Lauren also loves writing short stories, but her biggest love is for visual art. Lauren begins her first year of visual arts studies at Brock University in the fall. Above all, her love for the supernatural and paranormal is undying.

Lady Lilith

Born and raised as Libby MacEachern, Lady Lilith has been acting dramatically on and off stage since she was young. An avid actress and singer, Lady Lilith has been in productions at the Firehall Theatre in Niagara Falls and Lakeshore Catholic High School in Port Colborne. Currently she is studying theatre at York University in Toronto and hopes to enter into the production field. Lady Lilith is all fun and games until she calls upon her Dark Passengers to aid her in retelling the stories of their restless spirits. Her keen interests in the paranormal make Lady Lilith a beautiful and deadly addition to the Haunted Hamilton team.

Lady Catharine

Lady Catharine (Cathy Ormerod) has been involved in the arts since she was a small child. Whether it was singing, acting, or visual, she has always found joy in the arts. She recently graduated with a degree in theatre from Brock University. In the last year, Cathy has switched her study focus from theatre to travel, which has also been a passion for several years. She has toured Europe, the Southern Caribbean, Eastern Canada, and lived in Florida for a summer while participating in the International College Program at Walt Disney World. She is excited to continue her adventures around the world as an international tour manager, focusing on Europe and the rich history within. Lady Catharine welcomes you to her hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, to stroll through town and discover the haunted history within the jewel of Niagara.

Lady Bethany

Bethany, or as she’s known in this century, Stef, has been performing in some form or another for as long as she can remember. It all started with putting on plays for her family as a child and eventually led her to studying theatre full-time at the University of Toronto. She has acted for stage, in short films, and worked in Toronto as a background actor. Stef’s favourite acting experience was playing a Victorian vampire character that she had developed over several years, at Canada’s Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt. Along with her husband, Wayne, they became the two most well-known characters from that event over the four years they worked there. As for the spooky stuff, Stef has always had an interest in the paranormal, as she has been feeling strange things since she was a child. A self-proclaimed empath, she and her husband have travelled all over North America visiting haunted places to not only see what they may feel, but also because of their love for historic buildings. Stef currently lives in a Victorian manor house built in 1872 and shares her home with some permanent supernatural residents.

Lady Renée

Thirty years ago, Renée Baillargeon began her career as a professional actor, choreographer, and playwright and now works primarily as a director, adjudicator, and performer. She has performed and directed across Canada, from the Victoria Symphony in British Columbia to the Grenfel Players of Newfoundland. An adjunct professor of physical theatre at Niagara University, New York, she has also taught and directed at Brock, Memorial, Université de Moncton, and the University of Windsor. Renée, a bilingual graduate of the physical theatre school “Jacques LeCoq” in Paris and the University of Windsor B.F.A. program, also received her M.A. from the University of Paris III for her research on the contemporary American Musical.

Lady Jade

Terri Jade Pentlichuk is an artist of all kinds. Professionally, she’s a graphic designer, but she is also an avid musician/singer/songwriter/actor. She’s studied many different art genres over the years and has performed on and off the stage for both music and drama. Currently she is a board member of the Dunnville Community Theatre. It is with great pleasure that Terri walks with Haunted Hamilton, for she has always had a deep interest in not only the supernatural but also the history that is involved in the stories. So much so that she visits historical locations as often as she can in her spare time. Known to some as “Cemeterri” for her insatiable love of all things dark and unusual, perhaps she will tickle your “scary bone” with her tales of the macabre.

Ghost Guide James

James Pettitt is an actor, musician, and writer. He has appeared both on and off stage and screen since he was five years old, appearing in over twenty plays, musicals, and movies combined. His awards include Best Actor at the International Teen Movie Festival 2002. James now teaches theatre arts to young children at Theatre Aquarius. He is an avid ghost and history enthusiast and is no newcomer to ghost hunting and things of that nature, as he has been active in the field for the last six years and has an abundance of personal ghost stories, which he is more than happy to share. James is thrilled to have been a part of the Haunted Hamilton ghost walks since the very beginning and hopes to scare the living daylights out of you soon!

Lady Claire

Claire Rouleau is a singer/actor who recently completed a degree in child and youth studies at Brock University. Claire has been involved in the performing arts ever since she can remember and little brings her greater joy. She is thrilled to finally be pursuing studies in theatre full-time this fall. Recent roles include Nadia in the Canadian premiere of bare (Waters Edge Productions), the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd (Garden City Productions), Ariel in Footloose (Brock Musical Theatre), Alice Waters in Twilight Los Angeles,1992 (Brock Connections), and Lucy in Dog Sees God (This is N.A.M). Claire also directed and performed in The Vagina Monologues this year through the Feminist Action Collective of St. Catharines and has had the privilege to perform the national anthems at Toronto Raptors and Ottawa Senators games. Lady Claire delights in her moonlight strolls around the so seemingly peaceful Niagara-on-the-Lake, but invites you to join her and learn of its true history and subsequent horrors. Other Spectral Guests

Lady Juliet Ravensdale

Lady Juliet was born on October 31, 1900, in the small town of Sour Spring, Ontario, which might explain her sour and crass personality (she can unexpectedly use her twisted humour against you). She now dwells in the quaint cemetery tucked behind Ruthven Park in Cayuga, Ontario. She said, “This is the one place that feels like home — where I can finally feel alone.” Recently, she can be spotted on ghost walks such as Haunted Hamilton’s Custom House and is known to hide in the ruins during the famous Hermitage walks.

Sometimes, she is summoned by Dan and Stephanie on the Haunted Hamilton Radio Show, where she often tells disturbing and scary stories that few people dare to tell. She is ashamed to admit that in her recent learning to drive, her car is still parked on the roof of McMaster (or local) University.

The Dead Dude

This mysterious cloaked figure has been spotted on several of Haunted Hamilton’s ghost walks. Sometimes you won’t even know he’s there, while at other times, he’ll be there to gently direct the light your way. They say he’s dead, but he never stays around long enough for us to find out!

The Dark Widow

You’ll never know when she’ll appear, but the Dark Widow of Haunted Hamilton makes her way from place to place in everlasting mourning. She’ll never say a word, she’ll never speak again. But maybe, just maybe, you’ll become acquainted with her on the next ghost walk!

You can read more about Daniel, Stephanie, their team, and the various things they offer to the historical and paranormal communities of the Hamilton region by visiting their websites at www.hauntedhamilton.com and www.ghostwalks.com.