'A lot of these have memories': Watson reflects as he auctions off special items for food bank
In six weeks, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson will be leaving city hall, but he’s not taking much with him. Many of the items he has received over the years have been auctioned off for a good cause.
“Well, after 15 years as mayor, you accumulate a lot of different things that are given to you,” Watson said.
Dozens of items that were gifted to the mayor were up for auction Tuesday at city hall, with all of the proceeds going to the Ottawa Food Bank. The mayor's office says the auction raised nearly $4,000.
Some were one-of-a-kind collectables, like custom street signs.
“Ryan Reynolds Way, Paul Anka Drive, the signs that we put up across from the Russian Embassy, Sens Mile back in 2014-2015,” Watson said.
The outgoing mayor says it would be impossible for him to keep everything.
“I don't need, you know, 35 jerseys for hockey teams and football and I don't need 50 baseball caps or baseballs or soccer balls or paintings and so on,” he said. “So, I thought it was a good way to raise awareness of the food bank and particularly as we head into Thanksgiving, the need to support the food vank now more than ever.”
The Ottawa Food Bank says, right now, any donation helps.
“It shows what kind of mayor he's been for the city of Ottawa to always be thinking about those in the community,” says Ottawa Food Bank CEO Rachael Wilson. “These funds will mean that we can go out and purchase healthy fresh items for people. We're seeing, you know, dramatic increases month over month. So anytime we receive funding, all of that goes right back into the community to support those accessing food banks.”
This custom sign with the Ottawa Redblacks, Ottawa Senators and Ottawa Fury logos and Jim Watson's name will not be auctioned, but will go in Watson's den. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
Watson isn’t getting rid of everything, though. A custom-made street sign with all three of Ottawa’s teams will go in his den and the cracked windshield from the snowmobile accident in 2015 that broke his pelvis will be coming home with him too.
Jim Watson will be keeping the windshield from the snowmobile that he crashed in 2015, causing him to break his pelvis. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
Other special items will be sent to the archives.
And although Watson says he’s grateful for each and every gift he’s ever received, he knows they will all end up in a better place.
“A lot of these have memories,” says Watson. “But I think it's better that they go to members of the community and the funds raised go to the food bank as opposed to sitting in a box in my basement.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.