The Barrie Farmers’ Market (BFM) doesn’t want to pull up stakes.
Jaime Grant, the BFM’s marketing and operations manager, in a Jan. 3 letter to Mayor Alex Nuttall and members of city council, said they would rather stay at Barrie City Hall than have a new location at the Barrie Bayside Market Area at the current transit terminal site on Maple Avenue.
“BFM prefers the city hall location over a new location at the current transit terminal site,” Grant said in her letter, “but is constrained in winter months and seeking solutions at/in the area of the city hall location for winter vendors, and would like to work with (city) staff to make a plan for that expansion to present to council in the near future.
“It is important to note that a permanent market would be direct competition to BFM and not complementary for future planning purposes," she added.
The Barrie Bayside Market Area, part of the planned market precinct, involves converting the Maple Avenue transit terminal to a year-round market, as well as constructing a new Barrie Farmers’ Market building of at least 10,000 square feet nearby. The goal is to have the facility open in 2024.
Coun. Craig Nixon, who represents downtown Barrie, said he was aware of the BFM’s position.
“The market centre concept is a great initiative which would enhance the downtown area, connect with our waterfront and create one more ‘destination’ in our city for all to enjoy,” he said. “However, it is still early in the process and will require financial assistance from several levels of government, and the private sector to make it a reality.”
Nixon was asked if the market centre would work without the Barrie Farmers' Market.
“Hard to say,” he said. “That is something that both parties would have to determine. Personally, I would like to think that something can be worked out that works for everyone involved.”
On Saturdays, the Barrie Farmers' Market averages approximately 3,050 visitors in a four-hour period during the busiest summer months, Grant’s letter states. This breaks down to 74 per cent local residents and 26 per cent tourists to the area.
“Our current home is big enough to sustain the increase in summer months and we are looking for options for winter at this time,” Grant wrote in her letter. “Our storage needs have now been met with some changes that the city staff were able to facilitate. Our residents, vendors and our visitors need parking, accessibility and permanence.
“We are happy to have all of these in our home at city hall,” Grant added. “The market executive board of directors would like to pursue options at city hall.”
The Barrie Farmers' Market operates in the Barrie City Hall courtyard Saturday mornings during the warmer months, then moves inside to the Rotunda when temperatures drop.
The estimated total cost is $29 million to $32 million during 13 to 15 years for the permanent market, Barrie Farmers’ Market and three or four additional buildings in the area, plus additional facilities such as a skating trail and artisans village. There would also be costs associated with providing Barrie police with a new downtown home.
Operating costs are estimated to be about $550,000 annually, and that the market could operate on a break-even basis.
The city’s portion of the money would likely come from Barrie’s reinvestment reserve, which is funded by Barrie’s Alectra dividends and meant for community projects. It’s expected there would also be federal and provincial money, especially for the farmers’ market building.
Construction couldn’t begin until the bus terminal moves to Allandale, which is estimated for the spring of 2023. Work could take 16 months, so the market would be ready some time in 2024.
“The City of Barrie and the farmers’ market have enjoyed a great long-term relationship and I believe both of us would like it to continue as long as possible,” Nixon said.
On Wednesday night, Barrie councillors referred Grant’s letter to the city’s finance and responsible governance committee for further discussion, Nixon said, so that direction could be provided to staff on possible next steps.
