Puslinch tie to a different type of cultural day at Guelph Zombie Walk on Sept. 29

by Mike Robinson

GUELPH

If you are looking for someone ready for the zombie apocalypse, that man is Shawn Gusz, of Puslinch.

Zombies may have roamed through the streets of Guelph from Exhibition Park to city hall last weekend, but when the sirens blared - it was Gusz at the wheel of the Zombie Disposal Unit..

Now in its second year, the Guelph Zombie Walk attracted its share of zombies, werewolves and other creatures.

This year however, marked the first for the Zombie Disposal Unit.

Gusz explains, “I built the truck earlier this year and it took about two months in April and May. I’ve been driving it around Guelph, Cambridge and Kitchener ever since.”

The Zombie Truck is a purpose built vehicle for cleaning up zombie outbreaks. It features the latest zombie capture and containment hardware. Check out www.zombietruck.com for more info.

The renovated Suzuki mini truck has everything a zombie hunter could hope for - including a Gatling and cage to contain hungry zombies.

And just in case, there is a well-stocked emergency kit with a tracking system and zombie anti-venom.

Along with assistant Jackie Stackelberg, the pair provided an inside look into the world of zombies, how to capture them ... and most importantly how to stay safe.

Gusz said the zombie truck is the official vehicle of the Guelph Zombie Walk and the Haunted House of Horrors.

He operates the Haunted House is in Kitchener at Fairview Park Mall this year, and the truck acts as a promotional vehicle. Last year the attraction was held in Guelph.

He explained that Stackelberg was hired as one of the zombie hunters “to take care of those nasty little problems that people can have with the undead.”

Gusz held up a brain to explain what is used as ‘bait’, but says a zombie hunter “uses a bit of everything in their methodololgy.”

“We believe in humane zombie control.”

He explained that rather than killing zombies on site, they are put into a cage and taken to a disposal unit or incinerator.

Stackelberg agreed it was very humane.

Regardless, the truck proved to be a hit at the zombie walk - for both young and old, and for spectators and local zombies.

As zombies nearby practiced the moves to Michael Jackson’s Thiller, youngsters and zombies posed by vehicle and inside the cage.

For more information about the truck check out facebook.com/ZombieTruck and for the huanted house see www.hauntedhouse.ca

Click here to view a short video of this year's Guelph Zombie Walk at Exhibition Park in Guelph.

October 5, 2012