St. John's Farmers Market reaches goal for a new home after $50K win
The St. John's Farmers Market has landed a big win in an online contest, pushing it over its fundraising goal to move into a new space.
"We won! We won $50,000, that goes towards our $100,000 goal, and actually puts us over top of our $100,000 goal. So we're beyond excited," Emily Hunt, the market's fundraising committee chair, told CBC's On The Go.
The win came through the Aviva Community Fund, an insurance-company sponsored competition open to community groups and charities across Canada, with those garnering the most online votes winning cash prizes.
Same market, new space
The money means the market has now fulfilled the amount it was asked to raise by the City of St. John's, in order to renovate and move into the former bus depot on Freshwater Road.
"That gets put towards the total cost of the project, which is way more than that amount," said Hunt, who estimated the entire project is somewhere in the $3-million range.
Hunt said the new space won't be ready for next year, but they're hoping it will happen for the 2017 season.
The market remains open at its current spot at the Lions Club off Bonaventure Avenue, until Dec. 19.