The Prince George Farmers' Market is giving up their courthouse real estate.
Market association members recently voted in favour of merging all vendors in one spot at the year-round location on Sixth Avenue.
Seasonal vendors had continued to set up shop in Wilson Square following the year-round market's move in 2012 from the adjacent former Morrison's Menswear location on Third Avenue to the one behind the Keg.
"It didn't mesh the two well and it created the walk around through town," said Prince George Farmers' Market Association president Randall Stasiuk. "It was good for businesses, but from a customer's perspective in a one-shop scenario they were speaking very loudly and clearly that they wanted it to be in one location and they would support the market in one location."
The public got a taste of that consolidated market experience on May 31 when the outdoor market had to shift to the bright green Sixth Avenue location due to the Cody Legebokoff jury selection. But the idea was on the table prior to that, said Stasiuk, after a member submitted a motion to the board.
A date for the official move has not yet been set as the board works through logisitics, said Stasiuk.
"I think we, as a board, are approaching it very methodically with regard as to how we're going to proceed with that amalgamation to meet the needs of our vendors," he said.
A fair bit of work has gone into making the year-round market location more of a focal point in the city, said Stasiuk.
Other changes coming to the market will include the board taking advantage of the province's new liquor reforms allowing the sampling and sale of alcohol at provincial farmers' markets.
"I think it's an exciting time overall in B.C. with the changing of the liquor laws and what a person is able to do from a business standpoint," Stasiuk said, adding the board is looking at changing the local market's rule banning alcohol and that discussions with a potential vendor have started.
"Again it goes into the one-stop shopping mode and trying to bring in as much as we can within the confines of the rules and regulations that we have," said Stasiuk.
Association rules stipulate all market vendors must grow/raise, bake/cook or otherwise make the products they sell and come from within the School District 57 boundary. But some get permission from outside that area to cover seasonal shortfalls, such as Okanagan fruit vendors.
"There's an abundance of fresh produce with the leafy greens and things that will be coming out now and the tomatoes will follow, but after that we become more of a meat and root vegetable type community," said Stasiuk. "So it's just a matter of staying tuned to who we're going to have and see what we can do."
