The Gibsons Public Market fundraising campaign, officially launched on June 27, has already netted $1.3 million, thanks to some hefty investment by Telus, Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET), the federal government and the Sunshine Coast community.
The market’s Building for the Future gala fundraiser brought out hundreds dressed in their finest to the Gibsons Public Market for an evening of entertainment and philanthropy last Saturday, when the capital campaign was officially launched.
The market, at 473 Gower Point Rd., is set to expand from 5,500 sq. ft. to 13,500 sq. ft. to accommodate a year-round, six-day-a-week farmers’ market, a community kitchen, public and private meeting spaces, a licensed café and a marine education centre.
“We need to expand the space that we have here to accommodate this vision, and that’s what the capital campaign is all about,” said Pam Robertson, member of the board of governors and co-chair of the capital campaign, noting a total of $3 million was needed.
“That $3 million will look after the renovation of this building and the inclusion of a marine education centre. It has contingencies built in, which is only prudent, and it will also help us with the start-up costs over the first couple of years of this project, as you can appreciate it’s going to take us a little bit of time to build up the momentum.”
Momentum started building in the room with Robertson’s next announcement – that the board of directors for the market had pledged a total of $375,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to the vision already.
It continued to build when Brian Smith, vice president of the Gibsons Community Building Society (GCBS), which is tasked with raising funds for the market expansion, announced a $400,000 contribution to the project from ICET.
Chair of ICET, Phil Kent, noted in a press release the trust was “pleased to be able to support an important new economic driver for the region which is so well aligned with community values and aspirations.”
Following that announcement, Telus vice president of community affairs, Jill Schnarr, took the mike to say the corporation was pledging half a million dollars in cash and in-kind donations to the project.
“We are incredibly thrilled to help elevate your innovative vision to create a vibrant public market and community hub, which will certainly build a stronger and more sustainable future for residents and tourists of the Town of Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast,” Schnarr said.
In a second surprise announcement, Telus officially launched a new campaign that will give the public market $100 from every new hook-up to Telus services between now and Oct. 6.
Finally, the corporation announced a special donation of an additional $10,000 to the project in honour of former president of the GCBS, Nicholas Sonntag, who passed away suddenly the night before the gala.
Following the Telus donation, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country MP John Weston took the mike to announce his government’s investment of $50,000 to the project, specifically for accessibility upgrades needed onsite, and then he pledged to do more.
“I just said to our friends at Telus, ‘you’ve just made my life miserable,’ because with contributions of $375,000 from individuals, with $400,000 from the economic trust and what you just contributed here, clearly we have to go and get more money from our government,” he said to applause.
Throughout the evening the guests at the gala also gave generously through silent and live auctions and raffles, bringing in thousands more by evening’s end.
The Gibsons Public Market is now almost halfway to the goal of raising $3 million. Robertson said there are four sources of funding the market will pursue to find the remaining funds: community foundations, all levels of government, businesses and corporations, and individual donors.
The market’s goal is to start building in January of next year with completion of the new market space in mid-summer.
To find out more about the Public Market or to give to their fundraising campaign, see www.gibsonspublicmarket.com or call 604-886-8814.
