“I started the walk three years ago, and thought it would be something different and fun to do for Valentine’s,” said Taylor.
Since its launch, the Ghost Walk of Guelph has become a popular attraction in the city. It runs all year, typically one or two weeks each month, with Halloween being the busiest time of the year.
“This is just a hobby that I do. I majored in history at the University of Ottawa. It keeps the creative side of my brain going,” explained Taylor.
Taylor has lived in Guelph since 2000, and commutes to Toronto for his full-time job at a division of TD Bank.
Taylor and his wife enjoy travelling, and have been on many ghost walks over the years, including Kingston, Ontario and Savannah, Georgia. He noticed that Guelph didn’t have its own Ghost Walk, and decided to start one.
“I think it’s a cool way to find out about a town. I have no walking or tour guide experience, but I just started researching ghost stories in Guelph, and organized the walk myself,” said Taylor.
He started his research by reading books on the topic, but found it was difficult to find stories specific to Guelph. Taylor continued his search by visiting the Main Branch of the Guelph Public Library and found stacks of old newspaper, dating back to the 1970s. Taylor also interviewed locals and business owners in the Downtown area and discovered old tales passed down.
“I’ve found that the people that go on the walks are like-minded people. Many of our conversations have led to new discoveries that I have now incorporated into the walk,” said Taylor.
Taylor’s favourite stop is the Albion Hotel. “It has a lot of history. It received the second liquor licence in all of Ontario,” he said.
One of the interesting facts that Taylor shared: there are tunnels in the basement of the Albion that lead to somewhere near The Church of Our Lady. These tunnels have since been boarded and are rumoured to have collapsed. At one time the tunnels were used for bootlegging during prohibition.
The Albion ghost story that Taylor tells involves infamous American gangster Al Capone, who stopped in Guelph on occasion, and a woman who was found dead at the hotel.
If you want to find out about the history and folklore of Guelph, gather a group and venture on the hour long walk with the well-researched and animated tour guide.
The Ghost Walk of Guelph runs over the Valentine’s Day weekend. On Friday, February 12 the group will meet at 8:00 p.m. at Guelph Central Station. On Saturday, February 13 the walk starts at 8:30pm.
Tickets are available by e-mailing Greg Taylor at [email protected]. You can also find more information here.
