A second farmers market in Banff may still have some life.
In May, council turned down a proposal from the existing farmers market manager to run a separate market three days a week on the Banff train station lands, but the issue is back on the agenda for a vote at the Aug. 17 meeting of council.
Rene Geber, who was before council on Monday (July 20), wants the issue reconsidered at the next council meeting, at which time he will present a new version of the market proposal for a trial later in August and into September, possibly October.
Geber said a farmers market at the train station would have benefits to locals, visitors and entrepreneurs, noting markets act as an incubator for small business to grow.
“Start-ups can use markets to test their product or idea without having to commit to a cost restrictive retail space and other overheads,” he said.
“Successful vendors could then move from the market and open a business in a permanent retail location,” he added.
“Now, as a result of the market, we have a local resident opening a home grown business in one of the many available retail spaces in Banff.”
Geber has been running Banff’s existing market for the last four years, first out of Central Park and now on Bear Street. In May, his request for a temporary development permit to run an additional market at the train station on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays was turned down by council on a 3-3 vote.
A tied vote means the motion was defeated, and only a councillor who was absent or on the prevailing side can bring the motion back for reconsideration under the Town of Banff’s procedural bylaw.
Councillors Chip Olver, Grant Canning and Ted Christensen voted against the motion, and Mayor Karen Sorensen was absent.
Sorensen said she has advised her fellow councillors she will make a motion for reconsideration of a trial farmers market at the Aug. 17 meeting of council, at which time there will be a new vote.
“I’m anticipating a new proposal,” she said.
The vote in May was defeated when several councillors were worried about an outcry from other commercial property owners and businesses concerned about competition and a level playing field.
Some councillors believed better regulation was needed to address similar requests, and directed administration to compile a report on options for regulating temporary development permits for special events on private property in all commercial districts.
Administration of the existing market is through a special events permit as it occurs on public Town-owned lands. Business licence fees are waived for individual vendors for the existing market, although the market manager pays for a business licence.
The initial railway station proposal differed in that it would have been on private land, leased by Banff Caribou Properties from Canadian Pacific Railway, and within a commercial district. It would have 15-20 vendors as opposed to more than 50 at the current market.
Councillor Ted Christensen said he believes the existing farmers market is a great benefit to the Banff community.
“Part of my concern was for a level playing field for all businesses,” he said at Monday’s meeting.
Geber, who was born and raised in Banff, said farmers markets are seen as one solution to the problem of society’s growing isolation, from other people, from the environment and from sources of food.
“People perceive farmers markets as gathering places where families can bond with neighbours and visit with friends,” he said.
In addition, visitors are looking for authentic experiences when travelling.
“Holding a market at the train station will provide a platform to share perhaps the beginnings of Banff history with many more visitors, while at the same time, connecting visitors with real locals producing locally made goods,” Geber said.
