A plan to move Guelph’s farmers market this summer while its usual home undergoes extensive renovations has some Guelph residents crying foul.
The market traditionally operates out of a facility on Gordon Street in downtown Guelph. Due to the renovations, its home on Saturday mornings will be at the Exhibition Arena on Division Street.
Exhibition Arena is close to the downtown, but not close enough for the liking of Marty Williams, executive director of the Downtown Guelph BIA.
“It’s a bit of a lost opportunity,” he tells CTV.
“I think that we had a chance to see if making the market even more central in downtown Guelph could have done something to boost the economics in downtown.”
City officials say they considered the Sleeman Centre and other downtown facilities, but ultimately decided Exhibition Arena could best suit the needs of market shoppers and vendors.
Williams says the move, even just for one year, will have an effect on all businesses downtown.
“Many people come downtown to go to the market and then spend some more time going to a restaurant, going shopping, doing some other things. The market is very important to the economy of downtown Guelph,” he says.
Where Williams does agree with the city is that the market could use some renovations.
Mario Petricevic, Guelph’s manager of building maintenance, says there’s a laundry list of needed repairs and upgrades.
“Washroom issues, entrance issues, accessible entrances into the facility,” he says.
“I think it will be a better experience for the staff that are down there, for the customers that use the facilities and also for the vendors.”
An estimated $500,000 will be spent upgrading the farmers market.
The move to Exhibition Arena also means a temporary stop to the Wednesday morning markets in Guelph.
