The Sechelt Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market has established itself as a tremendous draw, pulling flocks of locals and visitors to the north end of Cowrie Street every Saturday for the less rainy half of each year. There have, however, been ongoing areas of conflict between the market and the Sechelt Downtown Business Association (SDBA) and these came out in the open after the market recently turned down the SDBA’s request to move its stalls for the Canada Day parade.
Now the SDBA is asking Sechelt council to step in and help resolve the situation.
In a letter to mayor and council, SDBA director Cindy Buis expressed disappointment that the district renewed the market’s lease earlier this year “without a clear plan and commitment to address key event-related issues impacting downtown businesses and residences.”
The letter accuses the market of being unwilling to cooperate with other community groups – a charge that the market strongly denies – and it also lists outstanding grievances that seem to go far beyond parade day. These include the fact that a major roadway to downtown Sechelt is blocked for 26 consecutive Saturdays during peak tourist season; that items sold by vendors at the market are in direct competition with goods and services offered in bricks and mortar businesses downtown; and that there is not a level playing field, as taxpayers subsidize market vendors with free hydro and district staff time “all for a nominal $1 per year lease, while downtown businesses pay full rent and commercial taxes year round.”
That last point might sound gauche but it’s a critical fact: the commercial area pays high property taxes to fund municipal services – and the municipal government’s prime responsibility is to serve its taxpayers’ direct needs above other interests.
It’s not clear exactly what the SDBA wants. Nor is it clear whether the market has to agree to do anything differently between now and 2020 when its three-year lease expires.
Farmers’ market president John Byrnes says he is willing to sit down and talk. The SDBA says it wants council to facilitate “a more honest and open discussion.”
It’s the least council can do. As the prime stakeholders in the commercial core, the merchants have a right to a proper hearing. And they should get it without delay.
