The Hintze Team Blog

Summer Market hits town June 28. The Parry Sound Summer Market will open each Tuesday starting June 28. North Star file photo PARRY SOUND – The annual summer market held in Market Square Park will return for its fourth season this year, but with a few changes for the vendors.
At its Feb. 1 meeting, town council entered into a new agreement with the Parry Sound Arts and Crafts/Parry Sound Summer Market as well as formally reclassifying the park as a public park.
Libbie Scobie, summer market organizer and Parry Sound Arts and Crafts secretary, wrote a letter to council last month, expressing a number of concerns regarding turf wear and tear, vendor parking and washroom facilities.
“One of the major issues from the town seems to be the damage to the grass in the park,” Scobie wrote in the January letter. “We never seem to have a complaint with this until after the Art in the Park weekend. After this weekend, when we come into the park, the damage to the grass is noticeable…however it is a park and the grass will grow back. After this weekend we are constantly harassed about the condition of the grass even though we did not cause the damage.”
After meeting with Scobie and staff to discuss the issues, staff recommended the park be identified as a public park, and that turf damage and maintenance would be considered a result of its use.
“Vendors are not permitted to secure their tents with pegs, they must use weighted systems to hold down tents and canopies,” said Lynn Middaugh, town director of economic development and leisure services in her report to council. “Operations department have indicated that the cost of maintaining the turf following a summer event such as the summer market could vary widely depending on the volume of traffic and related maintenance required. Worst case scenario would result in a weekly cost of $100, for a total summer cost of $1,000 for the 10-week market.”
Middaugh said the issue of washroom access was also discussed with organizers and, although the Old Fire Hall Exhibit is open for vendors’ use, staff recommended renting Port-a-Potties at the vendors’ expense.
“As in previous years, they have had access to the washroom facilities at the Old Fire Hall exhibit, that at times has not been without its challenges. We have encouraged the organizers, as with any event that’s held at Market Square Park or any other park facility for that matter, to get their own Port-a-Potty,” said Middaugh.
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The summer market runs each Tuesday from June 28 to Aug. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features baked goods, fresh produce, jewelry, and arts and crafts.
SourceL www.cottagecountrynow.ca