Farmers market vendors want outdoor program to fold

A contingent of stallholders at the Hamilton Farmers Market say the Saturday outdoor program is cutting into their business, and are asking the city not to renew the project next year.

Indoor stallholder Ron Jepson, owner of Jepsons Meats, hascirculated a petition asking the city to cancel the market'soutdoor program, which provides vendors the opportunity to sell fruits and vegetables on the sidewalk lining the north side of the market on Saturdays between June and the beginning of November

"Of the 29 [indoor] stallholders who were there that Thursday, 28 of them signed it,"he told CBC Hamilton on Saturday. "Its done nothing but hurt us."

(In total, the market hasabout 50 indoor stallholders.)

Any time you get traffic disruptions, it hurts our business.- Ron Jepson, owner, Jepson's Meats

In particular, Jepson decried the closure of one of the eastbound lanes of York Boulevard to accommodate for the outdoor vendors trucks.

"Any time you get traffic disruptions, it hurts our business."

Jon Van Der Nol, who manages British Baked Goods, also condemned the outdoor market.

"I think it detracts from customers coming into the market, especially during strawberry and peach time,"he said. "Customers will go out there, theyll snag peaches and carry on. It destroys the walk-through traffic."

He also said the lane closure on York Boulevard has had a negative impact for stallholders inside the market.

"I think it stops people from coming into the market. It just creates general havoc upstream."

'We have to evaluate the program:' market manager

The Hamilton Farmers Market outdoor program debuted on June 8, representing the first time the city-run enterprise had operated an outside market in 33 years.

• Related:'Positive slow start' for farmers' market outdoor program

Donna Lee Macdonald, manager of the Hamilton Farmers Market, said the program "has been going well"and dismissed calls to cancel the program in the middle of its first run.

"I think we have to evaluate the program after a full season,"she said. "Were receptive to this feedback, but were going to do a full investigation."

Macdonaldis already examining possible changes that could be made, including finding a way to avoid having trucks parked in the southernmost lane of York Boulevard, and reducing the number of vendors who sell their goods each week.

Six vendors four who dont have stalls in the market and two who do are regular participants in the weekly sale, she said.

"What weve learned through this is that we dont want any more than four farmers outside."

Macdonald didnt rule out the possibility of scrapping the program altogether.

"If we find out its not viable, well find out. But well give it full season."

Clint Eborall, of Bentford Farms, operates a stall inside the market and also sells fruit as part of the outside market. He said Bentford Farms would "most likely"participate in the program next year if it were renewed.

"Its just dipping into a different group of people who wouldnt drop into the market otherwise,"he argued.

Eborallalso downplayed other vendors' criticisms of the outdoormarket.

"Its almost like a family in here,"he said. "Youre always going to have someone whos not going to like what youre doing."

Market woes

The management of the farmers market has been source of controversy for the city in recent years.The market has run deficits in the ballpark of $200,000 per year for the last half-decade. And the city has put out a request for proposal to find a private operator to take over the market, but has yet to find a serious bidder.

• Related: Hamilton farmers' market sign is gone forever

Jepson slammed the city for its handling of the market. He said city staff arent listening to stallholders concerns on the outdoor market and on many other issues.

"They are asinine in their thought process,"he said. "They know nothing about how to run a business."

Shane Coleman, the president of the markets stallholders association, said he feels inside vendors feel "ignored"by city hall.

He said city staff havent been responsive to what he said is the stallholders "biggest issue" the lack of free parking for market patrons. Shoppers used to be able to park for free at York Boulevard and MacNab, but thatprogram was eliminated in 2011 after the markets renovation was completed.

"We just feel were being mismanaged by staff," he said. "We need a change of governance. Thats what we want."

Macdonald disagreed with the suggestion that the city doesnt listen to vendors.

She said city staff have recently been conducting meetings with stallholders to get their input on the how the possible privatization of the market should take shape.

"Theres certainly lots of opportunity for feedback and participation,"she said.