The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market may or may not be back in its current form.
At city council on Tuesday evening, councillors agreed to change its plan to find someone to operate the market six days a week.
Councillors amended the proposal to include dedicated farmers market days, plus an animated public facility.
Ward 3 Coun. Ann Iwanchuk said the building is currently leased to the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Co-operative for a small amount, but the city wants to ensure the building is “animated.”
“We’ve been working with the current farmers’ market to try to have that increase and it hasn’t worked out at this point,” Iwanchuk told Global News on Wednesday morning.
“They certainly have some ideas and are welcome to put in a request.”
Many vendors told councillors that small farmers don’t have the staff or the time to sit in the market over six days each week.
The revised city proposal would ensure the farmers market remains operating on Saturday, Sundays and Wednesdays.
“We want to ensure that we do have a sustainable farmers’ market like we currently have with local producers,” Iwanchuk said.
Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Co-operative will have to put in a proposal to run the facility, along with anyone else who wants to bid.
The current lease expires May 2019.
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