By Paul Morden, The Observer www.theobserver.ca
PETROLIA — With construction of a new $819,000 location set to begin in the next few weeks, vendors at Petrolia’s Farmers Market say they’re pleased with the venture’s first year. “It has been a good little market,” said John Zekveld, after loading up a customer with fresh fruit and vegetables. “The people who have organized it have done a superb job getting the word out.”
The Saturday morning market, running 7 a.m. to noon, opened in early June at the town’s arena, the Greenwood Recreation Centre, and then moved over to the nearby Greenwood Palace when hockey season began. It attracted 7,000 shoppers over its first nine weeks of operation and more than a dozen vendors agreed to stay on through Oct. 10.
“It has been beyond our expectations,” said Chad Anderson of Bluewater Beef. “We’ve had a steady bunch going through every week.” Anderson said there has been talk of expanding the market to two days a week next season.
In late August, the town received a federal stimulus grant to build a new 24-stall market pavilion on the site of the feed mill behind the town’s library.
“It’s always wonderful to see markets totally supported by the town,” said Chris Williamson. The Williamson farm, located near Ipperwash, attends three farmers markets around Lambton each week, and Williamson is involved in the Locally Lambton farm guide map and website that promotes local farms that sell their products directly to consumers. A permanent location downtown should help make the Petrolia market more recognizable and easier to find, she said. Williamson said the Locally Lambton group is looking at ways of updating its website, www.locallylambton.com, so it can let the public know what’s available at local farm outlets, including the farmers’ markets. Coun. John Phair said design work on the new market is underway and the town is searching for a contractor. “Construction should start within weeks,” he said. Plans are to have the pavilion finished by the end of March, in time for the market’s spring opening, Phair said. He said he believes the new location will help the market grow, and help other main street merchants by attracting more people to Petrolia. “It’s right in the heart of town,” Phair said. “I don’t think you could get a better location.” As well as being next to the library, located in the town’s former railway station, and across the road from Victoria Hall, the new market will be close to a new apartment project aimed at seniors that is slated to be built in the same area, Phair said. The plans include landscaping around the pavilion, he said. “When it’s finished, I think it will be used all the time by the public.” Anderson said he’s looking forward to setting up in the new location next spring. “A new building and everything,” he said, “it can’t be bad.
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