Donald
Teuma-CastellettI
SHAWVILLE July 8, 2017
With the luxury of having an official Ghostbusters branch available in the Pontiac seemingly not feasible, residents are forced to look into Ottawa for all their paranormal-fighting necessities.
But when you’ve got spectral investigators as equipped as Bytown Paranormal, it’s easy to see why it’s best to call in the professionals. Hosted by 99 Reasons Mystical Boutique in Shawville, the ghost-hunting group held an information session where attendees could try out their equipment and see video of their work.
Speaking to Cindy Elford, an investigator and evidence examiner with the group, she showed off a large assortment of the gear on display.
Everything from Mel meters and digital audio recorders were shown, with a lot of homemade and repurposed technology for visitors to check out. One such repurposed item, an Xbox 360 Kinect camera, was hooked up to a laptop and used to record movement.
“They actually did it on Paranormal Activity,” said Elford, laughing.
Elford also offered some insight into how their investigations work. When a concerned citizen approaches them, it’s usually out of fear they’re losing their heads. So the first thing they’ll do is take some readings in the room that’s causing the most issues.
“We’ll try to find a logical reason before the paranormal one,” said Elford. “A high EMF [electromotive force] can lead to a lot of issues.”
Once they’ve got the initial measurements, they’ll revisit the spot later on and see if there’s anything out of the ordinary.
“It’s like fishing,” said Elford. “A lot of the time we’ll go somewhere and get nothing, and then return and have something.”
Bytown Paranormal is a group of volunteers, who conduct the investigations out of a natural curiosity and hobby. Their services are free and completely confidential if the customer wishes.
Prominent locations around the Pontiac have taken advantage of their services, with more and more seeking their help every year.
As well, all of their technology comes out of the investigator’s pockets, for the most part, making fundraisers and events like this meet-and-greet important for them to keep up their hobby. Tickets for Saturday’s event cost $20, all funding the group.
99 Reasons owner Carolle Lavryssen said she was happy to bring in the group because so many of her customers had requested them.
“This is kind of a precursor to a Halloween event we’re planning,” said Lavryssen, of a ghost walk planned for the fall.
