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Market team finalizes property purchase

The proponents of the Gibsons Public Market announced early last week that they had successfully purchased the old yacht club property in the Landing to serve as the location of the Gibsons Public Market.

The proponents of the Gibsons Public Market announced early last week that they had successfully purchased the old yacht club property in the Landing to serve as the location of the Gibsons Public Market.

All the papers were signed and money changed hands on Friday, Dec. 20. The owners of the building include the Town of Gibsons, Community Futures of the Sunshine Coast, the Sunshine Coast Community Foundation and three families from the Sunshine Coast. In the last three months, the proponents successfully raised more than $275,000 in donations for the Town of Gibsons that provided the Town with the necessary capital to become the largest owner of the building. The objective over the next three to five years is for the Market to become totally owned by the Town of Gibsons.

The Gibsons Public Market (non-profit) Society has also now been registered in Victoria. The Society will lease the building from the ownership group and be responsible for the development and operation of the Public Market.

"In January various committees will be formed to work on the economic, cultural and educational components that we plan to have in the market," said society president Nicholas Sonntag. "We are working on the operation of the current space and designs for the renovated building, which will eventually serve as the expanded permanent home for the Market.

"We are starting to plan how best to provide a rich experience for the Market patrons and vendors alike."

Sonntag said elements of the Market will include: local produce and other locally made goods, a community kitchen which will offer fresh and prepared delights, a marine education centre and entertainment profiling local music, arts and artists.

Additionally in January there will be a number of volunteer work parties to clean the current building with the intent of making it available for limited use by the end of March 2014.

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