The green light has been given to Avenue Market. Vernon council approved a public market on 30th Avenue Tuesday after being convinced a majority of the merchants support the venture. “I’m thrilled,” said Lara Konkin, with the Downtown Vernon Association, which is organizing the market from May 9 to Sept. 26. Council refused to make a decision April 14 because it wanted proof that a bulk of the merchants on 30th Avenue were in favour of closing down the road Friday evenings for the market. A survey was done and of 112 business owners on 30th Avenue, 102, or 93 per cent, endorsed the market. “It reconfirmed what we already knew,” said Konkin. “We, the DVA, represent a much larger area than those four blocks deemed affected by council. Merchants and businesses off of 30th Avenue have written, signed and called the DVA office to show support of the Avenue Market.” The public market will include commercial vendors and merchants along 30th Avenue will be able to use the sidewalk for merchandise displays and sidewalk cafes. During the Avenue Market, portions of 30th Avenue will be closed Fridays from 3 to 8 pm. and vendors will be able to use the Bennett parking lot on 29th Avenue for free for their vehicles. “It’s a real positive,” said Mayor Rob Sawatzky of the market. “It will bring people downtown and that’s what makes a downtown is people. It’s part of a positive trend.” However, there continues to be some reluctance about the overall impact of the market. “Time will tell. I’m not sure who the vendors are and if they won’t compete with the current businesses with the same products,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham, who owns a business along 30th Avenue. The Avenue Market will be one of three events Friday nights in the area. The Vernon Friday Night Market will return to the Village Green Centre parking lot May 9, while the Coldstream Farmers Market is year-round at the Coldstream Women’s Institute Hall.
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posted Apr 23, 2014 at 1:00 AM MorningStar Editorial
Not everyone is attracted to the same thing, so an array of choices can only be a positive.And that’s certainly the case with what’s happening in Greater Vernon on Friday nights. The Vernon Friday Night Market will continue to be a tradition at the Village Green Centre, and that’s great for those individuals who want to access farm-fresh produce, baking or home preservatives. Fridays are also anchored by the Coldstream Farmers Market, which focuses on sustainability and crops that are free of genetic engineering. Added to the mix this year is the Avenue Market on portions of Vernon’s 30th Avenue. “It’s an open public market and not a farmers market. We will have different vendors and we will be doing it primarily for the merchants downtown,” said Lara Konkin, with the Downtown Vernon Association, which is organizing the Avenue Market. The goal is to enhance the vitality of downtown Vernon on a Friday night and provide an opportunity for residents to come together as a community, something the two farmers markets already do on a Friday. If anything, local residents will have the best of all worlds now. If they want fruits and vegetables, they can go to the farmers markets. If retail-oriented goods are more to their liking, they can head downtown. For some residents, they may only take in one of the events, while others may prefer to make the rounds. They all offer something distinct. In fact, they could work co-operatively to market themselves and ensure locals and residents from the broader region are aware of what’s going on. And if that occurs, everyone turns out a winner.
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107.5 KISSFM is running a poll on the new market.
Results FINAL
 Will a downtown market Friday nights in Vernon draw you to shop ? | ||
|---|---|---|
| no | ||
| 28- | 50% | |
| yes | ||
| 28- | 50% | |
| Number of Voters | : 56 |
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