To take home a piece of history, all you have to do is visit B-Bay.
The online auction for Belmont secondary items closes June 12 and school principal Ray Miller encourages those interested in retaining a piece of the 65-year-old school to act soon.
“B-Bay is an opportunity for the community, especially the alumni, to purchase special memorabilia, (items which) perhaps they had a part in making or creating when they were at Belmont,” he says. “We don’t want them to demolish the school without people saying we didn’t try our best to preserve the artwork and memorabilia.”
The auction serves as both a reminder of times gone by and a fundraiser for the Belmont Alumni Association, through the purchase of artwork, clothing, photographs, trophies and more. Miller said it would be a shame to see much of the school’s history go “unclaimed.”
Much of the existing equipment will go to the new school, which is set to open for the next academic year in September. But things like student artwork, painted lockers, doors, old uniforms and yearbooks are available alongside some new clothing merchandise including T-shirts, mugs and lanyards.
“Don’t view the site as a place to find a bargain, view it as an opportunity to pick up a piece a history and at the same time donate to the Alumni Association, which will eventually give back. It’s not like other auctions where you look for the best bargain, it’s a place to contribute back to the community,” he said. “We’re hoping to find some pleasant surprises on B-Bay where alumni in the community (and businesses) have been successful purchasing something that really helps the (association) become seeded with funds to give them purpose to contributing back to the school.”
Purchased items must be picked up at the school. For more details, check out b-bay.ca.
alim@goldstreamgazette.com