Future of Port Moody’s Winter Farmers Market uncertain after city boots society from long-time venue

Port Moody’s long-running Winter Farmers Market is facing an uncertain future after the Grow Local Society was told it must leave its long-time home outside the recreation centre – a move the organization says came with too little notice and no viable relocation plan in place.

Grow Local executive director Tabitha McLoughlin said the society learned in August that it could no longer use the recreation centre parking lot as a venue, ending an 18-year run at the site.

“Our market’s future in Port Moody is now uncertain,” McLoughlin said. “The market is too big and we have not been able to find a space that’s large enough.”

Grow Local was initially only given three months notice to vacate, with staff citing mounting parking complaints and anticipated conflicts. Competing parking demands from the library, sports fields, and community programming put too much pressure on the civic campus, according to McLoughlin, adding the city’s recent planning for a modular daycare facility near city hall was another issue cited.

In an interview with the Dispatch, McLoughlin said the short time frame was “surprising,” and unrealistic. “That’s not enough time for us to move this to a different location,” she said.

The organization eventually received a short extension permission to finish the current winter season, which runs to April, but beyond that point, the winter market will be forced to relocate – and whether it remains in Port Moody is in question.

“We did talk with them about the city’s commitment to food security,” McLoughlin said. “But they were pretty adamant that they get too many complaints, so they need us to move out of that space.”

Hard to relocate a winter market due to size

The immediate challenge, McLoughlin said, is there is no available space in Port Moody large enough and suitable for the winter market, which hosts roughly 60 vendors and attracts between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors every Sunday.

“It’s a challenge,” she said. “Our winter market is twice the size of our summer market . . . there’s not a lot of winter markets in the Lower Mainland.”

Grow Local is working with staff to explore the former Fire Hall No. 1 site as a potential summer-only location, but that site has no customer parking and significant access concerns. “There’s a few things that we have to still work through,” McLoughlin said.

Pioneer Memorial Park was assessed as a potential location for the winter market, but both the society and city staff agreed it was unsuitable as heavy foot traffic would quickly turn the grass to “mush.”

“It would mean some major infrastructure upgrades needed to make that park usable,” McLoughlin said. The market needs hard surfaces or gravel. You just need something that doesn’t turn to mud . . . especially when it rains for 50 percent of your season.”

She added that Port Moody’s tight geography also makes the search more difficult, and while there is hope the redevelopment of Kyle Centre can accommodate their needs, that project is still years away.

With vendor registrations opening well ahead of the winter season, McLoughlin said a location needs to be secured by the start of the summer, otherwise the society needs to start considering moving the market elsewhere.

“We need one of two things: either the community needs to step forward and say, no the market should stay where it is . . . or I need city staff to be very open-minded and creative.”

Delegation finds supportive council

McLoughlin reiterated those concerns in a Nov. 25 delegation to council, emphasizing the market’s economic, social and food-security contributions.

She told councillors the society now operates three markets, four community gardens with 125 plots, and multiple education programs, and that demand for community garden space is so high the waitlist has grown to 120 people, with wait times of up to four years.

The Port Moody Farmers Market itself directly supports more than 150 local farmers, producers, and small businesses, she said. A recent study conducted with the BC Association of Farmers Markets found the summer market alone contributes $2.5 million annually to the local economy. Given the winter market’s much larger scale, its yearly total is estimated at roughly $5 million.

“The market is so much more than just a place to shop,” McLoughlin said. “It’s an integral part of the fabric of our community . . . it supports local businesses, strengthens social ties and promotes sustainability.”

Councillors responded with strong expressions of support for the market’s continued presence in Port Moody.

Coun. Kyla Knowles told McLoughlin the market has “high” support from all members of council and said they are committed to working with Grow Local to find a solution.

Coun. Amy Lubik highlighted the “staggering” economic benefits and called the market an essential incubator for local businesses. She also emphasized the society’s leadership in food security and community gardening.

Coun. Haven Lurbiecki pressed staff on how the city could better support the society in finding a location.

City manager Anna Mathewson said staff are continuing to work with Grow Local to complete the current season at the recreation centre and are evaluating options for the summer market. Alternatives in Moody Centre have been discussed but did not meet the society’s needs, she said, and staff remain “in dialogue about an alternative site that might be on a city property.”

The Dispatch reached out to the city for comment, but did not receive a response by deadline.