Ottawa At Home Magazine celebrates 20th anniversary with final issue

Mary Taggart, publisher and editor in chief of Ottawa At Home, had much to celebrate on Tuesday at a party she hosted to mark 20 years of a magazine that’s amplified the heartbeat of homes across Ottawa while also capturing the pulse of our city.

Under her leadership, the publication has evolved beyond its initial focus on housing decor into a leading lifestyle magazine full of stories about interesting people and places.

The cinq à sept was held at a venue that offers views to die for: the Fairmont Château Laurier’s La Terrasse. It’s right next to Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal Locks, overlooking the Ottawa River. It has a cooling misting system and ample shade for heat waves like the one this week.

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The latest issue of Ottawa At Home is also the last. Taggart decided to end the publication while she still felt good about it. “It just felt like the right time,” she said while acknowledging the precariousness of the industry.

“I love the magazine so much,” she said of her labour of love that she and Jennifer Tackaberry, her vice president of sales and marketing, have poured their hearts into. 

Taggart made it clear that she’s “very excited” about her next career chapter. “I’m moving on,” she said enthusiastically of her passion for fiction writing. She told everyone that the next bash she throws will be to celebrate her first novel. She then promised to invite them all (with the expectation they purchase copies, of course).

At the podium, Taggart spoke off the cuff and from the heart, stopping at one point to scoop her wandering little granddaughter Birdie into her arms, with barely any interruption. 

For those who don’t know Taggart, she’s a magnetic woman. Who knew there was another Mary in this world who could turn the world on with her smile, all 1000 watts of it.

She specifically thanked her husband Chris Taggart, president of Tamarack Homes and Tartan Homes, for his steadfast support. “God bless him, this man,” she said of her childhood sweetheart. The mother of four grown children and grandmother of five (with another on the way) expressed gratitude to son Danial Taggart and daughter Olivia Taggart. They were both a big help to her with Ottawa At Home, despite having careers and young children of their own.

She paid tribute to her parents, David and Mary Lindsay, and to her late father-in-law Harold Taggart, founder of what is now Taggart Group of Companies. She learned a lot from the way he lived his life. At his funeral many years ago, the topic of conversation wasn’t about his business success, she said, but about what a great guy he was, and how much he loved his family. “And I thought to myself, at the end of the day that’s all that really matters.”

It was lovely to watch the warm hug shared between Taggart and her friend and former boss Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. Prior to politics, Sutfliffe had a very diverse career that included being business partners with OBJ publisher Michael Curran at Great River Media. It owned Ottawa At Home when they first hired Taggart as editor in 2009. 

Taggart had applied after her good friend Korey Kealey had seen the posting and encouraged her to go for it.

Even though Taggart lacked a formal background in journalism, Curran and his associate, Terry Tyo, were very impressed by her during the job interview, and felt she could take the publication to the next level. “I think Terry and I just looked at her and got a sense of who she was and, effectively, the power of her personality and intellect,” Curran told OBJ.social.

Joked Sutcliffe at the podium: “It was very easy being Mary’s boss because, let’s face it, she was really our boss. I think you all understand what I’m talking about. We worked for Mary when it came to Ottawa At Home magazine because she had a passion and vision for it.”

Taggart did an “amazing” job, Sutcliffe continued. “At a certain point, we all decided she should just take it and run with it, and that you didn’t need us anymore.”

Taggart purchased the magazine from Great River Media in late 2015. “The success continued from there,” said Sutcliffe, while also recognizing what wonderful leaders Taggart and Chris have been in the broader community.

Taggart spoke of how proud she is of Ottawa At Home for showcasing “the heartbeat of the home and the heart of the city”. Readers have routinely recognized at least one person featured in each issue, she added. “It didn’t matter if they lived in the far west end or the far east end, or on the Gatineau side; somebody could always find somebody in the publication that they knew. Because that’s who we are: we’re a city where everybody knows each other.”

Jennifer Tackaberry publicly thanked Taggart for her “outstanding leadership, inspiration and joyful spirit”. She recognized her boss’s vision and dedication for being key to the magazine’s success. “Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey. It’s truly been a privilege to work with you.”

Magazine contributors included broadcaster, writer, emcee and podcast host Catherine Clark, who’s been profiling community builders for Ottawa At Home for the past 15 years. “Mary was a terrific publisher who gave writers a lot of leeway,” Clark, president of Catherine Clark Communications, told OBJ.socal while expressing her gratitude. “I’ll miss the magazine a lot.”

Taggart is also credited for giving Ottawa wardrobe consultant Mary Ciancibello her first shot in the media, hiring her to write about style-related topics. She’s always been “super supportive and encouraging,” said Ciancibello, who coincidentally shares the same first name as her mentor. 

“There are a lot of Marys,” she pointed out before adding: “But not a lot of Mary Taggarts. Individuals like her are rare.”