Halloween labour of love: Dad builds son Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine

Chad Poole says all he wants is for his four-year-old son Jackson to feel included.

The pre-schooler has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair — making trick or treating something of a challenge.

'He's getting a little big to carry around," Chad Poole told CBC News from his home in Sidney. " In past years we've utilized his wagon, just to save our backs."

Things moved up a notch last year, when Poole created the house from the Disney movie Up.

"It was a big hit, and my wife was like, 'Next year, I'd like you to do the Mystery Machine.'"

A labour of love

Jackson is a big Scooby-Doo fan, and his dad didn't want to let him down, even though he wasn't sure if he could pull it off.

The 41-year-old dad estimates he spent some 50 hours on the project, a few hours at a time, mostly after Jackson had gone to bed.

"It turned out a lot better than I thought it would," he said.

"I showed him at the completion, it was instant recognition. [He was] dancing around it on his knees. He thinks it's great."

Though Jackson's diagnosis is cerebral palsy, Poole says the doctors don't think it completely fits. His son is undergoing tests at B.C. Children's Hospital for chromosomal abnomalities.

He says he will continue to make Jackson elaborate mobile Halloween costumes until he is able to walk around the neighbourhood unaided.

"If it's not until he's seven, so be it."

It's helped us to heal

Poole says he was taken aback by the attention his Scooby-Doo bus has garnered, but that it's been a positive experience for the family.

"It's been a really cool wave of positivity," he said.

"We've really struggled, and been really private about his condition with a lot of people, and I think we've really found our voice.

"I think it's really helped us move forward and heal a little bit."