Sherbrooke’s Marché de la Gare will be officially opening for the summer as of this Saturday May 20, with 14 new vendors added to the selection of local producers. In keeping with the action plan announced earlier this spring, the market will be refocusing this year on a mission of providing access to local producers, in part by reorganizing its outdoor space.
Samuel Sigouin, co-owner of the Agropol urban farm and Secretary of the Board of directors for the Marche de la Gare, said that this Saturday morning can’t come soon enough.
“If there is one word that the board of directors wants to share today, it is ‘finally,’” Sigouin said. “Finally we get to start this 2020 season.”
Although it had yet to be set up during the season launch announcement, Sigouin pointed out that many of the market’s individual wooden stalls have been cleared away to be replaced by a large tent in time for the opening this weekend. Much as vendors and shoppers will be distanced from one another by protective equipment, the board member shared the view that the tent will help bring people closer together and give more of the feel of a traditional farmer’s market to the space.
“The big question we are being asked is, will the social distancing measures have a negative impact on the client experience,” Sigouin said. “Even if everyone will need to adapt their behaviour a little bit, the feedback we have received over the last few weeks shows us that, really, it will change nothing.”
Recognizing that not all people will be fully comfortable with a public market setting yet, the board member shared that one of the new features in place for this year is the availability of online ordering. Each week those not comfortable with shopping in person can submit an order at marchedelagare.com before Wednesday and then pick up a packed basket when the market opens on the weekend.
The Marche de la Gare will be open every Saturday from June 20 to October 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will feature vendors of items ranging from fresh produce, cosmetics, and fresh honey to woodcrafts, goat cheese, and smoked meats.
