Polar bears push Halloween activities indoors in Arviat, Nunavut

Arviat, Nunavut, is moving Halloween indoors this year because of the dangerto trick-or-treating children from polar bears.

The bears have been coming into the community more in recent years, especially in the fall during freeze-up. That's why the hamlet met with the public this week to discuss alternatives to trick or treating door-to-door.

It was decided to holdHalloween celebrations at the community hall.

Steve England, the Hamlet's SAO, says, a majority of Arviat residents support the idea.

Picture 1,200kids going door to door inArviatin the middle of polar bear season.- Steve England

"Picture 1,200kids going door to door in Arviat in the middle of polar bear season," he said.

"It's a pretty obvious conclusion of what tragedies could come out of that. We're just trying to safeguard the younger population by offering an alternative."

The community hall will feature a haunted house andface painting. Prizes and candy will be given out.

The hall has limited space, so the hamlet is considering different times for different age groups. They're also arranging to have a shuttle bus take children to the hall.

England saysif this year's indoorHalloween festivities are a success, it may become an annual tradition.

Arviat is on Hudson Bay about 250 kilometres north of Churchill, Man., which is also visited by polar bears in the late fall.