Relocation of Hamilton Farmers’ Market ‘not part’ of review, says city official

On yellow sticky notes affixed to the windows of the Hamilton Farmers' Market, residents and vendors penned messages detailing both their concerns and wishes for the downtown institution.

Some pointed to the need for longer hours and additional days of operation, while others called for the return of community programming and additional support from the city.

The messages were part of a public workshop held Saturday afternoon, marking the launch of the Hamilton Farmers' Market Visioning Exercise, the city's review of the Jackson Square home to some 60 vendors.

So far, the study has garnered some backlash from the vendors, a handful of whom told The Spectator that communication about the project from the city has been abysmal" since it was approved back in February.

Saturday's workshop - hosted by consultants Kurt Wheeler and David O'Neil of Project for Public Spaces - included a presentation looking at the ingredients for a successful market" and several poster boards asking for public feedback and comment.

Attendees' voices seemingly dominated the conversation, however. Both through sometimes-heated remarks made throughout the talk and through countless questions at the end of the slide show.

Several participants raised issues with the lack of transparency around the review, the possibility of privatization and a fear that the market would be moved out of downtown to make room for future development.

Ray Kessler, chief corporate real estate officer with the City of Hamilton, told attendees relocation of the market is not part" of the review.

The market is going to be here," Kessler said. The question being asked is: What do we want the market to be, moving into the future, and how is it that we can take what we have and make it better?"

Marketgoer Amaraine Laven told The Spectator she wants the market to remain public to ensure residents have input on decisions regarding the institution, which she called the centre of the community."

Laven also pointed to a need for increased accessibility, such as the return to pre-pandemic hours and more days of operation, both of which were noted as a barrier by others at the event.

Resident Marilyn Maslovskis told The Spectator the city needs to do more to get new vendors into the market. Over the past two years, the institution has lost more than a dozen vendors, outpacing the number of new openings.

The market is really special," said Maslovskis, who would travel from the east Mountain to the market in the 1950s and '60s. But they've let it go."

Saturday's event saw every chair filled and many other participants standing alongside the windows.

The review, slated to wrap up in early 2023, will also include online surveys for both the public and market vendors, two public workshops this fall, as well as an online forum.

I hope that we can get out of our own way and work with the folks doing the consultation," Thompson said. And that we can move forward and make things better in a way that we feel like we have power."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com