Okotoks Market-goers will be able to find fresh produce and artisan wares at the town’s newest farmers market again this summer.
Town council approved a second season for the Foothills Creamery Market at the site of the former creamery barn, which succumbed to fire in May 2015. The market will be operated on Sundays by the Okotoks United Church.
Market organizer Bev Carlson said church members are excited to have the opportunity to run the market again this year, and the ball is already rolling.
“Just in the last week I’ve had two emails and a phone call from prospective vendors who are already setting up their coming year,” she said. “We found out last year, how early vendors actually plan these things ahead, so we needed to be on that bandwagon early for 2017.”
Carlson said a lack of notice was the biggest hurdle the market had to overcome last year. Organizers were given only a few weeks to pull it all together and many vendors have their season planned out by the end of February, she said.
In its first season, the number of vendors fluctuated from week to week, ranging from anywhere from four to 20 on any given Sunday. Being able to notify vendors in advance could ensure a busier market this year, said Carlson.
There won’t be too many changes to the market itself, she said. Vendors will range from food producers to artisans and home-based businesses, and there will be entertainment on-site.
“We’ll play around a little more with the actual set-up to make traffic flow easier,” said Carlson. “But we don’t have any major changes planned.”
The market is scheduled to run from June 11 to Sept. 24, which she said will be perfect timing. Council had requested the market run through the end of October for its first year in 2016. It ended up closing at the beginning of the month, because many vendors couldn’t commit to producing their wares past September.
“This will be much better,” said Carlson. “We just have to hope June is okay, because you never know if the spring weather will co-operate.”
Okotoks director of planning Michael McIntyre said council approved the market in 2016 as a trial run to see whether the site would be a good location for a permanent market.
“We can expect to see a market again this year, and in the meantime council will be working on making a decision on whether they want to build a new structure on that site,” said MacIntyre.
He said the creamery barn was insured for more than $1 million for replacement costs. Council will have to decide whether to rebuild a similar structure, or come up with a different public use for the site. If council opts to take a new direction, the cash settlement from insurance would be about $500,000, he said.
“We’re looking at having some sort of decision by this spring,” said MacIntyre. “Within two years of the fire we should know and we advise the insurance company what our intentions are, because they don’t like to keep a file open indefinitely.”
While a decision on the future of the site needs to be made soon, there’s no hurry for construction, he said. The insurance company requires only a concrete plan for the property, but the work can be scheduled over a number of years, said McIntyre.
According to the Town’s insurance policy, rebuilding would require erecting a structure very similar to what was lost – a replica of the creamery barn. While the original building housed the Bullpen Pub, a daycare facility and law offices, the Town could opt to use the building as a community facility of some kind, he said.
Taking a settlement would leave the Town’s options open, he said.
“They’re looking at a range of options, and that process will be guided by our existing master plans around the downtown and active transportation,” said MacIntyre. “They’re looking at what’s the best use of that property that will enhance the downtown and enrich the experience of the river valley and park system.”
Councillor Carrie Fischer said council is undecided on what to approve for the site, and there will be many discussions about different uses in the next few months.
“We’ve had very preliminary conversation around what could possibly go there, what that might look like,” said Fischer. “It’s nothing definite yet, but the conversations are happening.”
