Moving farmer's market to train station to cost $6M

A plan to move Sudbury's farmer's market to the historic downtown train station comes with a $6 million price tag.

The citizen’s panel that has been studying the future of the market presented its findings to city council last night.

The panel recommends the purchase of the Elgin Street train station from Canadian Pacific. It would then be converted into a market building. Vendors can move to the historic Elgin Street building after they are displaced by the new architecture school this fall.

There were several other options considered, including not having a permanent home for the market vendors.

But panel chair Darren Stinson said that's not what Sudburians want.

"It's clear to me, through the public opinion poll, that the citizens want a new market," Stinson said. "And they want a new market with four walls and a roof."

But city councillors warn the idea hinges on CP Rail agreeing to sell the downtown train station.

City Councillor Andre Rivest likes the proposal, but said it's too early to get excited just yet.

"We have to be realistic," Rivest said. "If we get this one, everything else will fall into place but, if we don't, unfortunately, we'll have to look at something else."

Meanwhile, city staff is drawing up more specific plans for the market, along with exact costs for the project.

The city has $3.3 million in the bank, following the sale of Market Square to Laurentian University for the architecture school.