[SteelTown]

Centre Mall Farmers' Market receives second life

Kevin Werner, Mountain
(Nov 2, 2007)

The Centre Mall Farmer's Market may have found a second life.

Ottawa Street Business Improvement Area officials and Ward 4 councillor Sam Merulla announced Oct. 26, a tentative agreement to relocate the market from Centre Mall to the Ottawa Street BIA area.

"It's great news," said Mr. Merulla. "This is in the best interest of the stallholders, the city and the Ottawa Street BIA."

Mr. Merulla said there is an "agreement in principle" to relocate the estimated 15 stallholders from behind the Centre Mall, where they have sold their goods for 52 years, to a two-block strip on Ottawa Street from Edinburgh Avenue to Cannon Street.

He said a meeting held between farmers and the Centre Mall's representatives, Redcliff Realty Group, on Oct. 26, which is undergoing a $100 million renovation of the mall, resulted in "unanimous" consent from the estimated 15 stallholders to relocate the market to Ottawa Street. Mr. Merulla said the mall's owners are prepared to provide some "resources" to help the stallholders relocate.

The proposed location is a now closed city-owned parking lot, said Patty Despinic, the executive director of the Ottawa Street BIA.

"It will be a boost for both Ottawa Street, and for the market," she said. (The farmers) will benefit with a higher profile."

Ms. Despinic cautioned it's "still early" in finalizing the relocation plans of the market to Ottawa Street, with questions still to be asked and answered. Ms. Despinic acknowledged there are a number of "hurdles to be conquered" including installing washrooms, connecting hydro services, providing parking, and how to clean up after the market closes.

"We are on a learning curve," she said. "But where there is a will, there is a way."

Mr. Merulla said the city is proposed to transfer the lease arrangement with the stallholders to the city-owned property on Ottawa Street.

But Doug Fletcher, manager of the Farmer's Market, and owner of Fletcher Fruit Farms in Binbrook, said no final deal has been worked out.

"We need to have a large enough area to hold all of us," he said. "We haven't decided if we like that (Ottawa Street BIA) spot."

Mr. Fletcher said there are about 30 stallholders operating at the centre mall.

The stallholders have until the end of December before the market closes down, he said.

Mr. Fletcher said the meeting with the mall's representatives was a "total waste of time for us farmers." He said they wanted to continue operating the market at Centre Mall, but the mall's representatives refused to consider the idea.

Mr. Fletcher said any relocation would take place in January, during the market's slow month of operations where only two or three stallholders operate.

Ms. Despinic said it would be better for the Ottawa Street BIA to ease into organizing a farmers' market with only a limited number of stallholders to better understand their needs and operations.

The market operates from May to November on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the rest of the year the market operates on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

She said a stakeholder meeting is scheduled for Nov. 1 to discuss the farmers' market relocation.

Mr. Merulla acknowledges there are some stallholders who are "cautious" about the relocation proposal. But he is emphatic the move would be in the best interest of the stallholders.

The stallholders were told early last month that the mall was kicking them out after over 50 years to accommodate the mammoth expansion. The mall is being redevelopment to 700,000 square feet and an additional 23 new stores will be built.

"This would be perfect for them," he said. "This had been a private issue, and I turned it into a city issue. This will be best for the east end of the city, and it will boost the number one tourist attraction in Hamilton along Ottawa Street."