When the Saturday Market opens for the 2024 season on March 30 this year, patrons will surely notice the refurbished Centennial Park plaza area.
But what might not be immediately obvious is that the market will be run by a community-based society rather than the Capital Regional District (CRD), which inherited the venture decades ago due to its location in the CRD-owned park.
The Salt Spring Island Saturday Market Society, which was formed for the purpose of bidding on a CRD request-for-proposals first issued a couple of years ago, is now in charge of operating what most people consider to be Salt Spring’s largest visitor attraction.
Society president and jeweller Alvaro Sanchez is a 33-year market vendor who has immersed himself in market operation by serving on the former market advisory group and through other activities.
But he stresses the society board also has representatives from the business community and non-profit organizations, such as Salt Spring Arts and the Salt Spring Chamber of Commerce, with a view to ensuring the whole community benefits from and is connected to the market.
“I know we cannot make everybody happy all the time, but so far the response has been excellent,” said Sanchez. “The vendors are so thankful; everybody I’ve talked to is so thankful that we made the effort to run the market in a way that works for everybody.”
The group is now advertising to fill a part-time market coordinator position, noting that person will be an employee of the society and not a contractor. Two peak-season assistants will also be hired.
While the volunteers involved admit doing everything required has been a huge amount of work, they are buoyed by how it has worked out and have enjoyed working with all parties.
“It’s actually been a great experience,” said society vice-president Susanna Kong, also a market vendor selling Elfworks Studio crafts. “We arrived at all the decisions by consensus and talked through everything, so it’s been very good. Everybody just wants to make it work well.”
Registration for vendors will begin in February through the saltspringmarket.com website. The society was able to acquire the existing URL for a long-existing site and it will be the go-to spot for market information.
Also of interest to vendors is the return to the “point system,” which has not been used in recent years after the pandemic hugely affected operations. It sees vendors accrue points each time they attend the market, with more points translating into better booth locations. Sanchez said that has the effect of increasing vendor numbers during the non-summer months, making for a better experience for market patrons and encouraging shoulder-season tourism.
Aaron Bouchard, of Pacific Puzzle Co., has taken on the society’s secretary position. He observes that the society will be engaging customers through social media channels and promoting the island as a whole.
“When you bring a community element to it, it’s out of necessity that the vendors and the market will work together to promote this island. These vendors are a really bright bunch of people who all love this island and are representing this island on Saturdays in a huge way.”
Jennifer Emekoba, who owns Osisi Boutique in Ganges Alley with her husband John, said she feels honoured to be part of the society’s board of directors and looks forward to the market’s next chapter.
“The park refurbishment, alongside new, community-led Saturday Market operations, starts a positive chapter for our local economy,” she said. “As business owners neighbouring the market, John and I are excited to see the results of the park’s beautification and the new market commence this spring.”
The CRD did not provide a comment on the change as it has not yet been discussed publicly. A report is expected at the Jan. 18 Salt Spring Local Community Commission meeting.