With vendors’ booths and stages being set up in the downtown core for Merritt’s first Great Canadian Bike Rally at least one local group is feeling displaced and upset.
The Nicola Valley Farmers’ Market, which normally sets up in the private parking lot behind the Royal Bank will not be able to this weekend as the lot will house the bike rally’s main stage and beer garden. Instead, the farmers’ market will likely set up on the closed off portion of the street in front of Pharmasave.
“To go on the street is not really the ideal option for us, because when we set up, our vendors leave our vehicles behind their tents, so it’s going to make it awkward,” explained Lucas Handley, president of the Nicola Valley Farmers’ Market, adding that more than anything his group is upset that they were not informed sooner about needing to move. “Rally organizers had our manager’s number last August and we weren’t contacted until April – by then they had made all their arrangements.”
“It’s almost like we were an after thought.”
Handley said his concern is that many of the market vendors rely on their Saturday sales as their income.
“This isn’t just a hobby; this is how we earn a living,” he said. “We’ve been thrown around like a rag doll – I don’t see any other business being treated this way.”
However, festival organizer Mike Fairfield said the bike rally can only serve to benefit community groups like the farmers’ market.
“We have made every effort from the beginning of the year to keep open communication with everyone that’s involved with this community event,” said Fairfield. “Having worked with Merritt Marketing Group we’re huge supporters of the farmers’ market.”
“We promote the fact that we have a great organization like the market and we want more than anything to see it prosper and grow.”
Fairfield said that the Royal Bank parking lot was the only area in town they were able to secure as a gated venue and that they had received approvals from everyone involved ahead of time.
“We’re doing this for the benefit of the local businesses including the farmers’ market and it’s unfortunate there are a few that don’t see it that way,” he said.
CAO Matt Noble said he met with both groups and that the city had helped come up with a solution for both groups, offering to block off the street to accommodate the market.
“This is one weekend out of the whole year,” Noble said. “For one weekend of the whole year, the market will have to move 40 feet away but they’re going to have access to probably 50 times the number of people.”
“This special event is supposed to be about building the community.”
Handley said the market will run as usual from its new spot this week, he just wishes his group could have been involved in discussions sooner.
