The new farmer’s market building in Chapeau is up and running ahead of schedule.
On Saturday morning, the second weekend the building was open, it hosted a collection of six or so vendors selling everything from pies to produce.
The market building, which features in-floor heating, public washrooms and a shaded porch area, came together so soon because the Chapeau Agricultural Society was able to get contractors in faster than expected to finish the remaining work.
The building, which sits next to Chapeau’s Harrington Community Hall, was originally scheduled to open in mid-July, but the society is doing a soft launch until they have their Aug. 1 grand opening.
Until this year, the market was only open Thursdays. Vendors set up at outdoor tables, which made the market vulnerable to unpredictable weather conditions.
The building, which will host vendors three days a week, makes it possible for them to establish a more regular presence in the community.
Society president Gene O’Brien said this opens up all kinds of opportunities for vendors.
“The advantage of being open the extra two days is that Serres Amyotte can really bring a big load of stuff in,” she offered, as an example.
Having a designated indoor space, with in-floor heating, will make it possible for the market to go ahead three days a week, no matter the weather, or the season.
“Being inside we don’t have to worry about if it’s pouring rain,” O’Brien said.
Thursdays are still the designated farmer’s market days, meaning that 75 per cent of vendors must be agricultural.
But being open Friday and Saturday now means the market can host a variety of vendors.
O’Brien’s vision for the Chapeau market is a . . .
community hub where anyone can sell their products, and she hopes to attract local makers, artisans and producers to the market that have nothing to do with food.
“I like to say it’s the Chapeau mall,” she said with a smile. Eventually, she wants to be open seven days a week.
On Saturday there was an ice cream stand, a coffee bar, a vendor selling egg rolls, and a stand selling a variety of products including fresh produce from Serres Paul Amyotte in Fort Coulonge, as well as jams, pies and pickles.
O’Brien noted all the vendors were from Allumette Island, her place of residence and hometown. She’s proud of the area’s local products, and she wants to give producers a place to sell close to home.
“It keeps money in the community,” she said.
The Pontiac SADC is funding a booth, not yet open, where the next generation of entrepreneurs will have a free space to sell some of their products.
“We’ve had a lot of young people who want to sell at the market,” O’Brien said, noting that some kids are expressing interest in agriculture and woodworking.
Adele Varner runs the coffee bar at the market and is also part of the Chapeau Agricultural Society. Two
weeks ago she retired from 26 years in the insurance industry; last week she opened her coffee bar.
“My husband says it was always a dream of mine,” she said. She was originally going to rent a space along the highway, but rent at the farmer’s market was too cheap to pass up.
Colleen Flemming walked in just as the market was closing up to grab a coffee. She enjoyed the low prices too.
“It’s a deal. It’s cheaper than McDonald’s,” she said, marvelling at the price of her $2.50 drip coffee.
O’Brien has a beef farm and hopes to sell her meat at the market in the near future. She says they are also looking for other meat producers to round out the market’s selection, noting they want to have pork and chicken as well.
O’Brien started applying for funding three years ago, and is happy to finally open the new building which cost a total of $350,000.
Ninety per cent of this was government funding, including contributions from Economic Development Canada and the MRC Pontiac, as well as other sources like the Caisse Populaire Desjardins.
O’Brien said even though the new market is up and running, there is still work to be done on the building. The society still wants to finish the floors, which are just concrete at the moment, and eventually connect the building to the Harrington Community Hall and Upper Pontiac Sports Complex for ease of access in the winter.
For now, though, O’Brien is focused on improving the market’s offerings, and is excited for the grand opening on Aug. 1.
