NORTH SIDE TO GET ITS OWN FARMERS' MARKET


BY HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN

MCLAUGHLIN.HEATHER@DAILYGLEANER.COM

18 MAY 2012 11:12AM

A Fredericton real estate agent who is starting a new northside farmers’ market is aiming to have the doors opened by June.

“I think there’s room for one (a northside farmers’ market),” said Peter Perry. “Everybody’s on side with it, as far as everybody at the city and everybody I’ved talked to on the north side and all over. It will be like a farmers’ market.”

The market will be located in the former Furniture Deals property on St. Mary’s Street near Maple Street.

“Everybody wants in. I have people that wanted to get in the other one (Boyce Farmers’ Market), but they haven’t been able to,” he said.

Perry said he hopes to supply shoppers with fresh produce, meats, cheeses and a wide variety of other food products that come from local vendors.

“I have just about five acres of parking there, so you’ll be able to drive up to the door, basically, and get out and get inside — that’s the biggest thing. It’s a 23,000-square-foot (2,136-square-metre) building,” he said.

Since the building is a former car dealership property, it has bay doors that will allow for boats and equipment shows to be hosted at the facilit,y as well as other community events, Perry said.

“We’re demolishing some of the interior walls right now and we’re going to get everything cleaned up and we’ll be ready to go,” he said.

Perry is already taking vendor applications and said he’s had quite a few responses back already. To apply or learn more about participating in the market and the costs, go to info@thenorthsidemarket.ca.

Perry said he hopes to have the market open three days a week: from noon to 9 p.m. on Friday; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. He said the hours can be varied depending on demand.

“Everybody’s excited about Friday, so they can go at noon or after work. There’s been a big response on that,” he said.

Perry said he’s been dealing with one vendor who has access to 80 farmers who can supply the new market. He said he even has vendors from Prince Edward Island.

There will be crafts and woodworking items for sale, but the main attraction will be food. The building can house 200 vendors inside and more vendors outside.

“Our plan is to provide our community with an enjoyable place to meet with old friends and purchase goods from local merchants and farmers three days a week,” he said.

Perry said he hopes he’ll be able to give work to some 200-300 people through market sales.

To learn more about the Northside Market, visit www.thenorthsidemarket.ca

Perry’s application has already gone through third reading by city council. Perry said he’s also thinking of incorporating a canteen or restaurant down the road.

The building is in a highway commercial zone.

“Although outdoor market is not listed as a permitted use in the highway commercial zone, in this case staff believe that the operation of an outdoor market in conjunction with the indoor retail market is appropriate given the property’s size, location and visibility,” said a city planning report that went to council on the final reading of Perry’s zoning amendment application.