Sackville Farmers Market board chair Kent Coates presented to Tantramar council this week, and renewed the market’s plea for municipal help in securing a permanent downtown location.
Coates made the case that the market is worth the investment, because it brings people downtown, fosters community, serves as an incubator for local businesses, and opens up a pathway federal and provincial funding to which the town might not normally have access. Coates also pointed to other neighbouring examples of municipally-supported markets, rattling off a long list including Tatamagouche, Wolfville, Pugwash, Bouctouche, Sussex, Salisbury, Moncton, Dieppe and Shediac.
“All of these municipalities have identified a farmers market as a priority,” said Coates. “And the municipality has supported those markets in significant ways.” Coates said in almost all the places he named, the municipality has provided a facility, either inside or outside.
This was the first market presentation to the new Tantramar council, but the conversation over a permanent location goes back years with the former Sackville council. In November 2021, just weeks before Local Government Minister Daniel Allain announced the amalgamation of Sackville, Dorchester and surrounding local service districts, Sackville town council heard a rough estimate for a multipurpose building that would provide a permanent home for the farmers market, as well as additional recreation space for the town. The project was roughed out at about $3.4 million, for a building nearly 11,000 square feet in size. At the time, councillors expressed interest in continuing to explore options for the building, but staff said the size of the project meant it was at least a few years off.
Now with a new council in charge of a larger municipality, Coates says the arguments in favour of supporting the market don’t really change. “We really feel that the market enriches not just Sackville, as the Sackville Farmers Market name states, but our region as a whole. We have vendors and customer base throughout the region and even outside the region,” said Coates.
Though the market has been around for decades, it incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2012 and has a volunteer board of directors, and a part-time manager. Coates says over the course of a year, there are more than 60 vendors that set up with the market, and about 400 weekly customers.
After Coates’ presentation Tuesday, Councillor Josh Goguen asked if the market management had preferences for where a permanent location would go. Coates said the organization could “make most things work” but that a downtown location was an important criteria. Coates said he wanted to continue to see parking spots downtown filled on Saturdays. “We want the other businesses to be full,” said Coates.
Coates listed a few options to consider, mentioning previous discussions about using some of the tennis courts at Bill Johnstone park and moving the courts elsewhere. Recently, the market helped cover the cost of electrical upgrades at Bill Johnstone park, which has been a popular summer location for the market.
Coates also said the market has an excellent relationship with Mount Allison, “and I think that they have a [part] to play in this too.” He mentioned another “really nice spot” would be the private property at the entrance to the Waterfowl Park behind the Painted Pony. According to Service New Brunswick, that land is owned by Barbaba Beal, wife of the late Gordon Beal.
“We don’t want to shoebox ourselves into a particular scenario,” said Coates. “If we want to work together, we can make it work. And that’s the bottom line.”
In addition to asking for a commitment on a future location on Tuesday, Coates asked council to commit a council member or staff person to working with the market board. Mayor Andrew Black said that question would be discussed at council’s next committee of the whole meeting on February 27, 2023.
