People flocked to Canada Games Plaza on the afternoon and evening of Friday, May 30 for the grand opening of the new Nanguz ‘An container market.
Where the bleachers once sat next to the skating rink are now four shipping containers converted into small storefronts along with another nearby container that can be used for various purposes.
On opening day, that last container was in use as a stage first for speeches from dignitaries and then for local singer-songwriter Geneviene Jaide and a band.
Those dignitaries included Tourism Prince George board chair Jamie Valcourt, Acting Mayor Brian Skakun, Prince George-North Cariboo Conservative MLA Sheldon Clare and Lheidli T’enneh elders.
Speaking to The Citizen after the opening ceremony, Tourism Prince George CEO Colin Carson said it had taken two years of work with the community and various partners to get the market ready.
Originally, Carson said, they didn’t have a specific vision for the space. The organization was already looking to move its visitor’s centre to the Civic Centre, but they wanted to find a way to activate the plaza as well.
“We viewed this as a spot that was, frankly, a little bit of underutilized space in the city but with huge opportunity because of the attachment to the Conference and Civic Centre and the location in downtown,” Carson said.
“So, our entire thought process was ‘let’s think of something creative that can activate the space and really just make it a little bit more vibrant for visitors, but also for residents.”
He said there would be different vendors throughout the summer. The market will be open on Thursdays from 3-7 p.m., on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The hope is that the market can enhance other events going on at the same time, like the weekly Prince George Farmers Market, the Kris Yip Memorial Fondo, Community Arts Days and the Prince George Public Library’s touch-a-truck event.
Carson thanked the City of Prince George, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, the Northern Development Initiative Trust, TC Energy Coastal GasLink, Prince George Community Foundation and the Province of British Columbia for their help in bringing the market to life.
One of the vendors set up in the containers for the inaugural weekend was Clayworks North, made up of potters Karen Heathman, Donna Murphy and Joanne Mikkelsen.
Heathman said they had been invited by organizers to participate because their products fit in with the vision for the market.
“It’s an awesome opportunity,” Heathman said. “I love what they’ve done to revitalize this centre. It’s an actual centre for people to come and hang out and do things.”
Lining the shelves of the container were raku (Japanese pottery), tree and wildlife themed mugs and more.
She said every week at the market will have a different theme and they may be back depending on whether their products fit in.
It was going to be a busy weekend for Clayworks North, as the group was also scheduled to take part in the Prince George Potters Guild’s 49th annual Great Northern Chili Cookoff at the Prince George Playhouse on Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visiting the market with her family was Laurenda Futter, who had purchased a Prince George-Opoly game from the container occupied by The Exploration Place.
“I absolutely love what they’ve done,” Futter said. “It’s going to change the dynamics of what’s going on in the community for this space. It’s amazing and it looks beautiful.”
While the adults present seemed hesitant to try out the outdoor skating rink using artificial ice, some of the kids on hand demonstrated greater bravery.
Five-year old Izzy said the ice felt like plastic and it was weird to be skating on something that ants were crawling on. However, she also said that it was just as fun as real ice and the blue tinge to the surface made it look like it was glowing.
The name of the market comes from Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and means “fox den.”
Four of the containers bear the Dakelh names for local rivers, with Nichakoh, Tsalakohcho, Tsalokoh and Lataikia representing the Nechako, McGregor, Salmon and Fraser rivers.
On top of Clayworks North and The Exploration Place, the Hobros Candy Co. rounded out the list of vendors.
The fifth container, where visitors can rent items like skates for the all-weather skating rink, is named Oodyket Baiyoh, which translates to “place where things are exchanged.”
Also present on opening day were two food trucks from White Goose Bistro and a beer garden.
The market’s first weekend was set to continue on Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
