By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle
A farmers’ market is on its way to Oliver’s Station Street this summer.
The town has approved, through its Grow Oliver Program, establishing a farmers’ market that will take place on Sundays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., in the new grass area along Station Street near the Oliver Visitor Centre starting in June.
Denise Blashko, the Grow Oliver coordinator presented the plan to council and received full support including the $8,000 ask for the endeavour. Accompanying the farmers market will be two porta potties, that will be left in place throughout the season. This will cost an additional $2,100 for them to be there and for weekly check-ins and cleaning.
Councillor Petra Veintimilla was reticent about the prospect of two porta potties being left there throughout the week. She noted that this needs to be thought out a little more as it could result in a “potentially messy situation”.
Council approved the $2,100 for the porta potties with a note to continue exploring options for providing restrooms for community members attending.
Blashko noted in her presentation that “farmers markets in all communities are becoming a must have” and went on to explain that they had conducted surveys last year and received lots of feedback from potential vendors and end-consumers supporting the idea.
Councillor Aimee Grice commented, “the earlier we can start animating that area the better, we do want to build up Station Street so if we can get the community used to going down there for activities that’s definitely a positive move.”
The market which will start in June of this year will be along Station Street and there will be room for approximately 20 vendors. Community members will be able to walk down the sidewalk and have access to the vendors with nearby parking.
This topic spawned a conversation in council about increasing the money for Grow Oliver as Veintimilla explained that she would like to see the town add at least another 30 hours in funding for the Grow Oliver coordinator position to organize the various events.
Grice showed her support for this as well, noting that the work Blashko does for the Chamber of Commerce and the Grow Oliver Project benefits the community as a whole.
She further noted that when it comes to investing in Oliver’s business community, “I think this is what we can do to support it, I think this is our economic development avenue right now for our community”.
Councillor David Mattes explained that he would like to see a further breakdown of where exactly Blashko’s time and funding are going to the various Grow Oliver projects and to include a wishlist for future projects so council can get a better idea of what sort of funding may be allocated.
