City Says Yes to Calgary Farmers' Market

CALGARY, March 25 /CNW/ - The Calgary Farmers' Market has received city approval to move the popular year-round market to a new home. City planners gave the green light by approving a development permit to relocate the Market to Blackfoot Centre, located at 510, 77th Avenue SW.

"Receiving city approval is a huge milestone," said Ken Aylesworth, General Manager of the Calgary Farmers' Market. "With the City of Calgary on board, we are ready to break ground and begin building a better future in our permanent home."

The City's development permit application process is designed to ensure that development plans accommodate community needs, Land Use Bylaw rules are met and key issues such as parking, infrastructure and public transportation are addressed. The Market's application received one appeal last month from a local business regarding concerns about parking stalls and traffic flow. The City, the Market and the appealing party have since come up with a resolution that meets everyone's needs.

The Calgary Farmers' Market received approval from vendors to move the market late last year, with an overwhelming majority committing to the new location.

"Calgarians will see an evolution of the market in our new home," said Aylesworth, "we have an opportunity to build Canada's best year-round farmers market, and we're prepared and excited for that challenge. For us, change is good."

The Market has been working closely with architects and interior designers who have been given the challenge of maintaining the open-air, community-style feeling that Calgarians have come to love. The official move date is not known. Although the market has secured a long-term lease on the building and is close to finalizing design and architectural plans, occupancy will be dependent upon the completion of significant renovations.

The Calgary Farmers' market will remain open, year round, at the Currie Barracks location until November 30th, 2010.

About Calgary Farmers' Market

The Calgary Farmers' Market is the largest market of its kind in Calgary and one of the city's favourite year-round gathering places. Each week, almost 100 vendors provide the community with a wide variety of agricultural products, meat, seafood, dairy, baking goods, prepared food items, and other unique and artisan products.

The Calgary Farmers' Market was built on a foundation which supports local farmers and enables them to sell their product at the height of each natural harvest. The market was founded by a non-profit association known as the ABC Farmers' Market Society. This group of dedicated members built the market from scratch and operated until April 2006 when it transitioned into a new generation co-op, Calgary Farmers' Market NGC.

For further information: or to an interview with the Market Manager please contact Laurie Griffin at [phone] (office) or [phone] (cell)