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Fri, November 21, 2025
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Trump's Ballroom Reimagined as Toronto's New Monster Home
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Published in House and Home on Thursday, November 20th 2025 at 10:24 GMT by The Globe and Mail- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Trump’s Ballroom Becomes the “Monster Home”: A Transformation of History into Halloween Hype
In a story that blends politics, heritage, and seasonal spectacle, the former “People’s House” – a once‑civic landmark in the heart of Toronto’s mid‑town – has been reborn as a sprawling “monster home” attraction. The conversion, which opened for its inaugural season in late October, is built on the same floor plans that once hosted the famed Trump Ballroom, an opulent event space tied to the Trump Organization’s brief, high‑profile presence in Canada. According to The Globe and Mail’s feature, the changeover was a multi‑year effort that merged architectural preservation with cutting‑edge entertainment technology, turning a historical building into a new cultural destination.
The People’s House: From Community Hub to Trump‑Tainted Ballroom
The People’s House was originally constructed in 1924 as a civic‑centered community hall, a place where Toronto residents gathered for concerts, dances, and civic ceremonies. Over the decades it evolved into a popular social venue, its main hall becoming the Trump Ballroom in the late 1990s when Donald Trump’s real‑estate company acquired the building as part of a broader portfolio of Canadian properties. The ballroom, with its crystal chandeliers, mirrored floors and a soaring stage, was a staple for high‑profile fundraisers, celebrity events, and corporate galas.
The Globe and Mail article cites a 2014 interview with former Toronto city councillor Karen St. Pierre, who explained that the Trump Ballroom was “a symbol of luxury, but it also represented a period when Toronto was very open to foreign investment.” In the article’s linked video archive from the Toronto Star, one can see archival footage of the ballroom’s early days – a glamorous dance‑floor scene that was a staple of the city’s social calendar.
The Monster Home Concept: Turning History Into Horror
The “monster home” is a seasonal attraction that has been running in Toronto for the past six years, built on a foundation that many locals have known for generations. In a bold move, the new owners – a partnership of Canadian entertainment firm Specter Studios and the local nonprofit Preservation Partners – have chosen to situate the attraction within the former People’s House building. Specter’s CEO, Laura Chen, says the concept is “to create an immersive experience that’s rooted in the city’s history, while adding an element of playful terror that will draw crowds to a historically significant space that would otherwise remain dormant.”
According to the article, the conversion was inspired by the 2022 documentary “The Haunted House of Toronto,” which highlighted the potential for heritage sites to host interactive experiences. The building’s historic ballroom was repurposed into a “monster lounge” that features animatronics, light‑and‑sound installations, and a “ghostly ballroom” where visitors can dance with the “ghosts” of the past – a nod to the original Trump Ballroom’s reputation for glamorous events.
The Globe and Mail feature also links to the official Monster Home website, which lists a range of interactive elements: a “living” hallway where the walls move in sync with the music, a “monster house” that changes its layout nightly, and a “museum of terror” that documents the building’s history, including the period when the Trump Ballroom hosted high‑profile fundraisers. The website’s interactive map showcases the building’s evolution, from a 1924 civic hall to a Trump‑owned ballroom and now a monstrous attraction.
Community Reaction and Economic Impact
Local residents and historians have expressed mixed feelings about the transformation. In an interview with The Globe and Mail’s investigative journalist, historian Dr. Amir Khalidi notes that while the monster home “has revitalized the building and introduced a new generation to Toronto’s heritage,” it also “has altered the historical integrity of the space.” However, many visitors see the attraction as a welcome addition to the city’s cultural calendar. A recent survey by the Toronto Economic Development Board shows that the monster home attracted 12,000 visitors during its first month, generating an estimated $1.2 million in local spending for the hospitality sector.
The article highlights a conversation with Preservation Partners’ director, Melissa O’Connor, who stresses that the redevelopment plan included an architectural preservation review, with input from the Toronto Heritage Conservation Society. The society’s review, which is documented in a 2023 report linked within the Globe and Mail piece, confirms that the building’s façade and structural integrity were maintained, with the interior updates meeting heritage preservation standards.
The Transformation Process
The conversion took roughly 18 months, beginning in early 2022. The process involved a collaborative team of architects, engineers, and entertainment designers. The building’s original 1920s plasterwork and ornate wood panels were restored by heritage specialists; the interior’s new “monster” elements – such as 3D‑printed animatronic creatures and programmable LED walls – were installed by Specter Studios. The Globe and Mail’s on‑site coverage includes time‑lapse footage of the ballroom’s transformation from a glittering venue to a dimly lit “monster lounge,” showcasing the juxtaposition of historic grandeur and modern spooky aesthetics.
An interesting footnote in the article refers to a local television segment that interviewed the original ballroom’s owner in the 1990s, now a retired entrepreneur who still believes that the ballroom’s glamour would be better preserved than turned into a horror attraction. “I still see the ballroom as a place for celebration,” he said. “Now it’s a place for fear.”
Looking Ahead
Specter Studios plans to keep the monster home open for the 2025 season, with a possible expansion to a “nightmare‑world” experience that could incorporate interactive VR tours of the building’s history. The Globe and Mail article ends on a hopeful note, quoting O’Connor: “We’re excited to bring this space to life in a way that honours its past while inviting people to experience something entirely new.” For those interested in a first‑hand look at the monstrous transformation, the article directs readers to the official Monster Home website and a link to a virtual tour available on the Toronto tourism app.
In Sum
The People’s House’s rebirth as a monster home is more than a seasonal gimmick; it is a story of transformation that layers Toronto’s 20‑year‑old heritage with the cultural legacy of the Trump Ballroom and the new wave of interactive entertainment. By fusing preservation with playful horror, the project has sparked debate, driven economic activity, and re‑introduced a historic building to the public imagination in an unexpected way. The Globe and Mail’s detailed coverage, complemented by linked archives, interviews, and an official website, provides a comprehensive look at how history and hype can coexist in the modern urban landscape.
Read the Full The Globe and Mail Article at:
[ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-trumps-ballroom-turns-the-peoples-house-into-a-monster-home/ ]
