I was disappointed to read that the Lacombe Farmers’ Market is moving to the arena parking lot when I believe the area in and around the LMC would have served our community better.
As a 50-plus person, there are three seniors housing facilities within a block of the LMC.
For years seniors have been saying the market at Douglas Park wasn’t accessible enough, the wet ground gets rutted and muddy, and sometimes impassable.
The LMC would have been a great solution.
The City has canvassed its citizens on many occasions, and over and over we have said we want to see more business in the downtown area.
Imagine how appealing it would have been to potential business owners to hear that there’s a downtown market that draws in thousands of people every Friday.
Not to mention the possible boost to existing downtown businesses when those attending the market decided to shop the downtown after making their market purchases.
The market will now be invisible to people passing through town because it’s moving away from Hwy. 12.
The vendor tents will no longer be visible, and no longer draw travelers into it, which will result in a loss in revenue for the vendors, and existing businesses.
The Sylvan Lake Farmers’ Market operates in a parking lot that is much smaller than the LMC, and has only one street for access, whereas the LMC has four streets for access.
The large trucks and cube vans don’t seem to have any issues in Sylvan Lake, so why would the area at the LMC be any different?
I would encourage the board of the Lacombe Farmers’ Market to take another look at their decision to move to the arena, by looking at the needs of the community as a whole, and the benefits to each and every one of us.
There is oodles of parking space available, it is closer to senior facilities, has high visibility and answers the requests of the people of Lacombe to have more businesses in the downtown area.
Maureen MacKenzie
Red Deer