Sydney farmers market gets nearly $1M for downtown move

The only year-round farmers market in Cape Breton will be trading in its tight quarters for harbour views in Sydney come the fall.

Sydney-Victoria MP Mark Eyking made the announcement Saturday with the market's manager Pauline Singer in front of the market's 65 vendors at its current location on Keltic Drive.

The upcoming move to the downtown location was made possible by a $985,000 federal grant from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The market plans on opening its doors at the new location Oct. 1.

Singer said the market, a non-profit organization, has been looking for a suitable space for approximately eight years.

"We've never really had a permanent home, we've always just gone building to building," she said. "Over the last year, I've had a waitlist of quite a few vendors who have wanted to come in but we simply just don't have the space."

The move will increase the size of the market by about 3,000 square feet.

The market has signed a 20-year lease with Old Triangle owners Dianne MacPhee and her husband, Phil Dubinsky, for a harbourfront building behind the popular pub. There are plans to upgrade the building's plumbing, make it wheelchair accessible and install a full-sized commercial kitchen.

The market's vendors appointed a relocation committee to advocate on their behalf.

"We worked so hard to make sure that the deal we negotiated was the best that we could get because these are all small businesses," said Singer.

The almost-million dollar investment will go toward renovating the building and providing energy-efficient heating and lighting which, Singer hopes, will cut operating costs.

"This is a real good thing for the market. It's a good thing for Sydney and it's a good thing for our vendors," she said.

Market a 'business incubator'

Eyking said he hopes the market, located near where the cruise ships dock, will become a waterfront attraction.

"Many people, when they visit other communities around the world, they go to the farmers market, they get to meet locals, there's that feeling there," he said.

Steve Smith, who owns Bungalow Beans and has a kiosk at the market, said without the market, downtown Sydney would not be an option for his business.

"Right now, there are very limited places to start a business downtown. It's very expensive, the taxes are high, the buildings are very old," he said.

The market does not plan to increase vendor fees at the new location, a decision Smith believes will help make it a success in its new location.

"It's just really a great way for small business owners like myself to get started and to actually ... make some money, it's almost like a business incubator," he said.