Whether he knows it or not, Jim Mallard has a new house.
The Fort William Rotary Club had Thunder Bay Mayor Lynn Peterson reach her hand into the barrel of house-lottery draw tickets at the Airlane Hotel Wednesday. When she grabbed a single ticket and removed it she revealed that the winning ticket number had been 0683, which belongs to Mallard.
Mallard, who lives in Atikokan, was not one of the ticket holders who made it to the hotel Wednesday afternoon. Attempts to call him immediately after his ticket was chosen failed.
Organizers of the lottery said they were pleased with the results of this year’s draw despite the difficult time they had selling tickets. A late ticket-sale rally helped the organization move closer to its target of 6,000.
"Thanks to the (media) last night we sold more than 300 tickets" between Tuesday and Wednesday, said Bob Hookham, Fort William Rotary Club chairman. "People were having dinner. They heard the news, dropped their plates and came in to buy tickets."
The Rotary Club sold 5,800 tickets in total, which is just 200 shy of its 6,000-ticket target. The group had printed 7,000 in hopes that it would have 1,000 or less left over by the time the draw took place.
While the target wasn’t met, Hookham still happily reported that about $80,000 has went into the community as a result of this year’s draw. While the organization hasn’t formally declared a house-lottery draw will take place next Canada Day, Hookham said that the event would almost certainly continue.
"With the support of the club, and it is a club decision, my guess is that there will be another house lottery," he said. "The committee is all in favour of it, we have our lot-selection process in place now … as of now, there will be a house lottery."
The committee will be searching for lots that they believe are affordable. After a lot is selected the committee will decide on what kind of house they would like to have built. A request for proposal is then sent out to contractors, which is followed by the bidding process.
As for ticket sales, Hookham said he hopes next year isn’t as challenging as this year was. And it should’t be, he added.
There are numerous factors that lead organizers to believe that selling ticket will be less challenging next year – this year’s lottery took place amid a major recession and next year’s will likely be the city’s only house-draw.
"The Kinsmen have said they are not doing another house draw," Hookham said. "That takes 8,000 tickets out of the game. The city of Thunder Bay and the economic situation it is in, it’s probably difficult to have 15,000 lottery tickets out there."
The Rotary Club hopes to have an open house for next year’s prize by March 1, which is traditionally the day the group starts selling tickets. If everything goes according to plan than tickets will remain on sale for the 2010 draw until next year’s Canada Day.
Attempts to contact Mallard Wednesday afternoon were unsuccessful.