Two of the city's markets will share the spotlight Monday as they lobby for change versus tradition at city council.
The Prince George Farmers' Market Association is getting behind a city proposal to create a downtown public market that would encompass the existing indoor market location at the corner of Sixth Avenue and George Street and stretch over to Veteran's Plaza in front of city hall.
The public market concept is intended to relocate the Wilson Square Community Market, which hived off from the Prince George Farmers' Market in 2013, from its seasonal location in front of the courthouse to create a central market zone for both groups as well as other community organizations.
According a staff report, the Wilson Square Community Market is not on board with the change. The group, which vends monthly from St. Michael's Anglican Church during the winter, will be presenting to council their request to stay put outside the courthouse.
On market Saturdays, sections of George Street and Sixth and Seventh Avenues adjacent to city hall would be closed to vehicles to allow for more than 200 vendor spaces with the green space open to the public.
An outline of the public market concept describes it as "a weekly multi-faceted event that has something for everyone from young to old, of all abilities and cultures." It's an idea that was supported by the recent Canada Winter Games experience.
"The community spirit and sense of belonging in an outdoor space was very welcoming. This experience guided the review of the future downtown open space use and identified that the 'Prince George Public Market' concept, concentrating the public space in the single road closure, was considered to be the best option at this time," said a staff report to council.
