ATHOL – The Athol Lions Club has been given approval by the Selectboard to proceed with its annual Haunted Hayrides, after first giving assurances that last year’s incident would not be repeated.

During last year’s hayride, a wagon upended due to what Lions Club officials termed a “mechanical failure” with the tractor pulling it. Five people were transported to Athol Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries. The incident happened on Friday, Oct. 13, the first night of the event, resulting in cancellation of the following Saturday’s hayride.

Lions Club President Kim Emond and her husband Derrick represented the Lions at the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Board member Rebecca Bialecki asked about what changes had been made since last year.

“Well,” Kim began, “last year was the first year we had had (the event) since COVID, so there were a few changes they were trying to make.”

One change, she explained, was the addition of a ‘non-scary’ hayride for children that runs from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., which they planned to have again.

“We spoke with the Police Department, as well as the Fire Department about our wanting to still do this,” Kim continued. “One incident shouldn’t mean that 20-plus years of this event should not continue. One of the things they both said was the possibility of changing the route. So one of the things we discussed with the Fire Department was changing the route slightly. There are some concerns with how that has been changed, because some of us did see potential impact.”

Kim added that the department suggested having a ‘safety person’ on site to mitigate any problems resulting from traffic crossing into the path of the hayride.

“The biggest change,” she continued, “is that we are no longer going to be using tractors because the Lions Club doesn’t own the tractors. They were always borrowed, and that’s where the incident happened – with a tractor. So, we’re going to be using trucks.”

The trucks, she added, will be easier to maneuver than the tractors.

After more than two decades, the Haunted Hayride has become a Halloween tradition in Athol, an event that attracts visitors from all over North Quabbin. The fundraising event is held between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the Friday and Saturday following Columbus Day. Hayrides begin at the Silver Lake playground on Pequoig Avenue and traverse the path around Silver Lake. At various points around the lake, actors portraying a variety of frightening characters take part in scary skits. The route also takes the wagons along some of the streets in the neighborhood.

Kim added that the Lions Club will make sure every truck is equipped with a two-way radio “so that there’s a bit more communication. That way, when one truck reaches a certain point on the route they can radio and let people know the next truck can get started.” She added the radios would also give drivers the ability to let other drivers know what traffic conditions are like at the intersections along the route “and we will have someone right there helping to direct the traffic.”

Derrick Emond also told the board, “We’re going to implement having a two-officer police detail on each night, and a two-firefighter detail. So, the police officers can be our security persons; we’ll farm that out to them because they’re the experts in that. And having two firefighters there could take care of any medical emergencies. They have their kits, they have the Narcan, they have their skills – rather than trying to find someone in the club who can do it.

“So that, and using the pickup trucks with the running lights, the trucks will all be registered and insured vehicles. We’re also in communication to get a secondary liability insurance policy just for the event through one of our local insurance carriers.”

The Selectboard voted unanimously to give the Lions the multi-day permit to continue with the Haunted Hayride.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.