Town council received a report from staff regarding the discontinuation of the Hometown Market earlier this summer.
The market had moved from Market Square to the SPC in 2020 to help follow COVID-19 regulations.
Councillor Terry Richardson and other councillors say they’d like to see the market back in Market Square.
The Hometown Market was “created by Town staff as a 3-year pilot project in 2009 under the banner Talents of the Town,” says the report. The 3-year pilot had entered its 13th season this year. In those 13 years, there was “anticipation of the day that the vendors organize themselves to operate the market.”
This having been a town organized event, some councillors, including Councillor Ellen Johnson, feel there is more the vendors could do to help.
The report says that in 2022, “a considerable amount of staff time has been spent contacting over 80 vendors to participate in the Hometown Market. Up to July 5th, 18 vendors expressed interest, but we would have been averaging only seven vendors at the Saturday markets.”
Deputy Mayor Max Kaiser had this message to the staff involved in organizing the market.
The report ends with, “As the Corporation contemplates the move of its administrative centre to 99 Advance Avenue, Staff have recognized the value of returning 124 John Street to its original purpose of a Market House & Town Hall. As such, in 2023, the Town will be considering partnerships and opportunities to revitalize the traditional Market Square.”
Written by Emily Chatwood
