About the Blog:

Guelph Politico is locally sourced and dedicated to covering the political and cultural scene in the City of Guelph. Est. 2008.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Farmer's Market on (Temporary) Move

If you're one of numerous Guelphites that take advantage of the Farmers' Market every Saturday morning, you're going to have to factor in additional travel time for the next 8-10 weeks. That's the time it will take for the city to make appropriate repairs to the roof of the building that currently houses the Market. But the question is, where can people go to get their farm fresh meat and produce directly from the farmers for the next two months or more?
Well, pending health inspections and approvals, the Farmers' Market looks likely to be moving to an old bus barn on Municipal St. 12 Municipal St. to be exact. Of course, as Derek McCaughan, the city’s director of operations and transit pointed out at a meeting with Farmer's Market vendors on Saturday, “This could all fall apart at the 11th hour.”
 If you read the Guelph Mercury article in today's paper, you might get the impression that the City doesn't seem too "with it" in regards to the very serious issue of the Market's building's safety. Moreover, it seemed to come as surprise to everyone that a change of venue was coming, and a logistical nightmare for some of the vendors who have to, let's say, move their heavy and expensive refrigeration units and then have to move them back in a couple of months. 
My question is why wasn't this discovered before winter set in and after the first snow had already fallen. If even a couple of centimetres of snow is all it takes to bring down the proverbial house of cards, isn't that the kind of structural flaw that would have showed up long before December. I seem to remember getting a lot of rain this fall. Nothing? 
Anyway, if the City's plan (such as it is) goes forward, the Farmers' Market will be at 12 Municipal this Saturday. Here's a map:



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Seems kind of far, doesn't it? Not to worry, because the City is apparently going to provide shuttle buses. Not to be one of those guys, but honestly, how is that going to affect the bottom line?

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