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Let the bidding begin for Place des Arts auction prizes

Ninety prizes to win in Place des Arts’ annual online auction
place des arts
Place des Arts board director Karolynn St.-Pierre with board chairperson Barb Hobson and Sam Newton, resource development and volunteer co-ordinator, with some of the online auctions up for grabs, from Oct. 19 to Nov. 2.

Go on. Take a peek.

There’s only three days left to go until Coquitlam’s Place des Arts officially opens up bidding for 90 prizes on its virtual block.

This year’s online auction has something for everyone, said Sam Newton, resource development and volunteer co-ordinator who’s organizing the fundraiser.

For couples, there are the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Victoria get-aways.

For arts and culture lovers, tickets to Bard on the Beach and Ballet BC as well as museum and gallery visits.

For sports fans, a signed photo of the Vancouver Canucks’ Alex Edler, rounds of golf and tickets to a BC Lions football game.

For business people, there’s a quarter page of colour advertising from The Tri-City News (worth nearly $800) and sightseeing and eatery outings.

And for kids, an Opus art supplies package, Playland passes and two classes with the Vancouver Circus School, among other things.

The Water’s Edge Resort in Ucluelet is also back with its a two-night stay — valued at $500 — while VIA Rail has a $500 travel credit for any trip on its trains in Canada.

New for this year is a round-trip cruise for two on the V2V catamaran, worth $720.

“This auction is our biggest ever,” said Newton, noting the fundraising target is $10,000 with proceeds supporting subsidized spots in session classes, the Coquitlam Youth Theatre tour, an expanded artist-in-residence program and Week 2 of the spring break workshops.

Newton said last year’s online auction saw 670 bids and collected $9,528 for the arts hub — just shy of its $10,000 goal.

Board chairperson Barb Hobson, who also steers the School District 43 board of trustees, said participants can also donate through the 32auctions.com home page via the green button at the top right.
Besides the preview, Hobson suggests participants also create a site account early to get first dibs on Saturday morning.

The bidders aren’t just locals, she said.

As word gets out about the many online auctions happening this fall for non-profit groups and schools, residents from around the Lower Mainland join in to earmark prizes for themselves or to shop for Christmas gifts.

Now in its fourth year, the Place des Arts online auction replaces previous themed galas at the Maillardville facility. “We tried to change up the way that we fundraised,” Hobson said. “We feel this works far better for us and respects staff’s time.”

NOW ON BOARD

Some of the new sponsors for the Place des Arts auction:

• The Tri-City News
• Bateman Foundation
• Bug Zoo
• Chan Centre
• Harrison Hot Springs Resort
• Landsea Tours & Adventures
• Pagliacci’s
• Swallow Tail Tours
• The Audain Museum
• V2V Vacations
• Vancouver Water Adventures
• Victoria Royals
• Oxygen Hot Yoga
• Dominelli Massage Therapy & Wellness
• Ucluelet Aquarium
• Steamworks Brewery & Taproom
• Rocco’s Deli
• Swinomish Casino & Lodge
• Home Depot Port Coquitlam
• Tea & Paper Nook
• TransLink
• New Westminster Museums and Archives