THUNDER BAY – A finished basement is a first for the Rotary House Lottery, one of the many features found in this year’s $546,143 grand prize home.
The 1,620 square-foot home, located on the corner of Pioneer Drive and Woodcrest Road, contains three bedrooms on the main floor and two more in the basement, three bathrooms, including an ensuite in the master bedroom, granite countertops in the kitchen, four Energy Star appliances, a walkout concrete patio in the basement, a gas fireplace and engineered hardwood floors on the upper level.
David Knutson, chair of the Fort William Rotary Club’s house lottery committee, said the finished basement should help the organization sell out its complement of 12,000 tickets even faster than the past two years.
“That really has added a lot of living space, with a lot of storage,” Knutson said, noting the added finished basement space provides room for a home office or extra bedrooms for when out-of-town guests come calling.
“It’s move-in ready and there’s really nothing to be done to this home except bring your furniture.”
Located next door to Woodcrest Public School, Knutson said the home adds to the lottery’s 32-year legacy, and should help them raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities in 2018, including the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre and Hagi Wilderness Discovery Capable Centre.
This year, for the first time, a portion of the proceeds will be put toward the capital campaign funding the construction of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s proposed waterfront location.
The money is invaluable, said Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation board chair Jody Nesti, who accepted the final installment of a $500,000 pledge to the hospital’s Exceptional Cancer Care fund, and whose organization will continue to benefit from the lottery for years to come as the capital campaign for a cardiovascular surgery unit gets underway.
“We are very grateful that we did secure such a large amount from the Fort William Rotary. It has gone a long way to bringing exceptional cancer care to our community,” Nesti said. “They have helped us purchase cyclotrons and other equipment that helps us diagnose and treat people who unfortunately been diagnosed with cancer.”
It says a lot about the community, she added.
“They say Thunder Bay has a giant heart, but Thunder Bay has more than a giant heart. Words can’t even come close to express the generosity of the people of Thunder Bay and the outlying communities who contribute to such a campaign and support the Fort William Rotary in their endeavours, such as this lottery house,” Nesti said.
Tickets are $100 apiece, or three for $250 and are available at the home on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. They can also be purchased at locations throughout the city, including the Airlane Hotel, Balmoral Park Acrua, Best Western Plus Nor’Wester Hotel, the Finnish Bookstore, from Fort William Rotarians, the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre, J.B. Evans, George’s Market, RBC locations and Wanson Lumber.
“Whoever wins the house, for $100 you’re going to get a hell of a house,” said Paul Facca, representing the home’s builder, Lorimar Construction Ltd.
Ten early-bird draws for $5,000 apiece will take place weekly between April 18 and June 20. The top prize will be drawn on July 1 during Canada Day celebrations at Marina Park.
