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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-16-027 - Kitchener Market Strategy REPORT TO: Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee DATE OF MEETING: October 3, 2016 SUBMITTED BY: Kim Feere, Manager, Kitchener Market, 519-741-2200 ext. 5223 PREPARED BY: Janette MacDonald, Economic Development Analyst, 519-741-2200 ext. 7760 WARD (S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: September 22, 2016 REPORT NO.: CAO-16-027 SUBJECT:Kitchener Market Strategy ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the Kitchener Market Strategy be approved as the guiding document for the Kitchener Market and market-related activities of the Economic Development division and the City of Kitchener. BACKGROUND: The Kitchener Market dates back to the 1830s when farmers convened in the tiny village of Berlin to share their harvest. The location has changed over the years, but it has always been an icon for fresh, local food. But, with the creation of a dedicated facility for the Market in 2004, its role in the community shifted. The market has become a place where communities connect, and where businesses launch. Since 2004, the Market has become part of economic development, in recognition of the role that it plays in both pillars of Make it Kitchener, creating career opportunities and a compelling city in which to live. No longer just a place to buy produce, the Market’s expanding role has created a need for a guiding strategy to ensure that the market’s programs and services deliver the greatest community benefit. Kitchener Market staff began the process of creating the first Market Strategy in 2015. This process has included extensive internal and external consultation to provide a guiding document that will establish a clear mandate for Market’s role in the city, and ensure that service delivery aligns with the corporate Strategic Plan, the economic development strategy Make it Kitchener, and the upcoming Neighbourhood Strategy. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 2 - 1 REPORT: About the market The Kitchener Market is a 60,000 sq.ft. facility built in 2004 to anchor the east end of downtown. It has 650,000 visitors annually, including an average of 10,987 Saturday market patrons. Initially the Market’s primary purpose was to deliver a Saturday Market and offer prepared food through its International Food Court. The Market became part of Economic Development in 2008. Since then, it has expanded its role in the community to better align with the City’s Economic Development priorities. In particular the Market has developed a portfolio of events, cooking classes, camps and holiday celebrations, while building demand for private rentals. Since 2012, Saturday Market visitors increased by 15%, while cooking classes, rentals and events have grown by 205%. As well, the international food court drives weekday traffic to the market, with lunchtime visits up 310% since 2011 to an average of 422 visitors per day. Through these activities, the market contributes to both the “Make it Urban” and “Make it Vibrant” pillars of Make it Kitchener. It contributes to the quality of life of residents by offering affordable, fresh, local food, while creating experiences that nurture a sense of belonging in the community. Consultation results The consultations to inform the Market Strategy validated the community’s love for the tastes of the Market. Residents spoke passionately about the quality of the product, access to local goods, affordability, and the relationships they have developed with vendors. Food is a universal need, and the market provides an inclusive environment in which all members of our community can fulfill their nutritional requirements and explore new tastes. Consultations also revealed that market visitors are driven by more than the food; they value the sense of community – a predominant feedback theme. Respondents spoke of familiar faces, vendors who know patrons by name, events, classes and experiences that support a sense of belonging. In this way, the Market is more than just a building. It’s a community that contributes to a vibrant downtown core, and a healthy Kitchener. Finally, business development discussions in recent years have revealed a need for greater support for the development of the food industry. The significant capital costs of launching of food business present a barrier to entry for many would be entrepreneurs. In the Market, access to kitchen space and short-term leases allow food start-ups to test their products, and build a customer base before committing to long-term leased space. The Market is well- positioned to facilitate these connections as a hub for the food industry, based on existing consumer traffic, partnerships and industry relationships. Based on these consultation results, the proposed Kitchener Market Strategy includes three goals: 2 - 2 Support a vibrant food culture Grow and strengthen the role as an urban public market Become a catalyst for the food industry These goals all contribute to the market’s purpose: The market is a not a building, it’s a community. We believe the market exists to connect people, create experiences, and build relationships. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the city’s strategic vision through the delivery of core service. The Kitchener Market plays a critical role in Make it Kitchener, the City’s economic development strategy by supporting culinary creativity (Make it Spark) and food startups (Make it Start) as well as supporting the urban vitality (Make it Urban and Make it Vibrant). In particular, the Market Strategy supports a strong and resilient economy by nurturing quality of life, supporting job creation and facilitating the ongoing development of Downtown Kitchener (items 2.1, 2.4 and 2.5). As well, the Market Strategy supports safe and thriving neighbourhoods, by encouraging people to come together in a public space, supporting health and well-being, and providing a venue for citizen-led events and experiences (item 3.6). FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Any disbursements will be funded through existing Economic Development operating budgets and/or the Economic Development Reserve Fund. Any disbursements outside of existing budgets or outside the parameters of the City’s Purchasing Policy, will be brought forward to Council for approval with a supporting business case. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Staff engaged over 3,000 people in consultation to inform this strategy. A comprehensive approach was used to try to achieve representation across the community. This included a digital survey, social media campaign, on-the-street interviews, idea boards at the market, vendor dinner, advisory committees, and stakeholder meetings. As well, the Market has an ongoing collaborative relationship with its vendors, chefs and programming partners, and works in partnership to develop programming. 2 - 3 CONCLUSION: The Kitchener Market Strategy delivers a strong vision and compelling strategy for the future growth of the Kitchener Market. The proposed strategy will provide 1) a point of entry for the community and future partners to engage with the City on the future growth of the Market; and, 2) a guiding document for implementation by Economic Development staff. The strategy will help maximize the investments already made in the facility, staff will work to ensure the market delivers value to citizens, while growing revenue-generating portions of the business and supporting the development of the food industry. The market will need to develop a resource model to align with the support and implementation of this strategy. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, CAO 2 - 4 Yz·-w;“;©a©‰;·{·©·;mä Contents Theroleofamarket................................................................2 Theritualsoffood................................................................2 We,;Œz;Ý;v................................................................3 Ourgoals................................................................3 Supportavibrantfoodculture................................................................4 Webelieve:................................................................4 WhatÞ;x©;doing:................................................................4 Actionz·;’­vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvuuvvu Growandstrengthentheroleasanurbanpublicmarket................................................................6 Webelieve:................................................................6 WhatÞ;x©;doing:................................................................6 Actionz·;’­vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv Becomeacatalystforthefoodindustry................................................................8 Webelieve:................................................................8 WhatÞ;x©;doing:................................................................8 Actionz·;’­vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvuuu Conclusion................................................................10 AppendixA:Actionz·;’­vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvuuvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvuvvvv 1|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 5 Theroleofamarket Throughouthistory,marketshavebeenapowerfulforceinurbanization.Communitymarketsspawned villagegrowth,andremainanchorsforvibrantcities.TheKitchenerMarketwasacentralgatheringplace fromtheveryearlydaysofthevillageofBerlin.Whatwasonceafewtablesinthebasementofthe townhall,hasbecomeaniconicestablishment,describedasearlyasthe1930sas{š“;ofthebest thingsthecity¦š­­;­­;­|u MarketshavebeengatheringplacessincetheancientRomanforums,PersianbazaarsandGreekagoras ‘aplacenamemeaning{­­;’,Œä|uThesemarketsservedtheircommunitiesformorethancommerce; theyprovidedapublicspaceforcivicannouncements,politicaldebate,andperformancesofartistryand sport. Modernmarketscontinuetoactasplacesofcongregationalongsidetheirmerchandise.Thoughthey maydifferintheirofferings,theyarealikeincontributingtohealthycommunities.Theynourishour souls,createasenseofbelonging,andenergizecitiesmakingthemmoresimilartocommunity centres,clubsorfestivalsthanretailstores. Marketsdifferfromothertypesofretailbasedonhumanconnectionsandsharedexperiences.Buyers andvendorsreconnectwitheachreturnvisit,amidaseaoffamiliarfaces.Theymovealmost unknowinglyintoasocialritualthatdeliversbenefitsbeyondthebasketofgoods. Butwhenthatritualdoesinvolvefood,itextendsadditionalsignificancetotheexperience. Theritualsoffood Foodritualsaresomeofthemostenduringexpressionsofculturethroughhistory.Fromfastingto feasting,weassociatefoodritualswithtimesofday(dimsum),season(harvestfestivals)andlife experiences(weddings). Foodisaninstrumentweusetopassdowntraditionandappreciatedifferentcultures.Andmarketscan becomeculturaliconsthatreinforceandexpresscommunityidentities.Thebestknownmarketsaround theworldreflecttheircultures,suchasš‰äšx­TsukijifishmarketorDÒ7Œ†©x­Tonalápotteryand craftmarket. Beyondculturalexpression,almostuniversally,thekitchenistheheartandsoulofanyhomebecauseit bringstogetherfamiliesandfriends.Themarketbecomestheheartandsoulofthecommunityasit drawsustogethertoo. 2|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 6 We¡¤«¨¤µ¤ Themarketisanotabuilding,z·x­a-š’’Ò“z·ä.Webelievethemarketexiststobringpeopletogether. Ourgoals Whatbeganasaplacetosellandsourcecropshasbecomealandmarkforlocalfood.Thea©‰;·x­ simplestpurposeistofulfillourmostbasicneedforsustenance.Butbeyondourhealthandwellness, wepursueatantalizingvarietyoftastes.ThemarketistheanchorforšÒ©Ýz,©“·Ešš7-Ҍ·Ò©;. Theritualsoffoodextendbeyondconsumption;thegatheringofingredientsbecomesashoppingritual whencombinedwithfamiliarfaces,scentsandsounds.TheMarketcommunitycomestogetherevery weektosharethisdistinctexperience.Thefoodcanbecomeperipheraltotheconnectedness experiencedasdifferentagesandculturesinterminglein¦Ò,Œz-Ò©,“­¦-;. Foodactivatesoureconomyinamyriadofways.Fromchefs,servers,butchers,farmers,andbakers,to foodproductionworkers,caterersandfoodtrucks,thereareavarietyofcareeropportunitiesthat supporteconomicdiversificationandinclusivejobcreationtosupportallourcitizens.Themarketcanbe a-·Œä­·Eš©·w;Œš-ŒEšš7z“7Ò­·©äu 3|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 7 Supportavibrantfoodculture ThisiswhattheMarkethasbeenandalwayswillbe:aplaceforfood.ThefirstsparkoftheMarkettook shapeinthe1800swhenlocalfarmerscametogethertosharetheirabundantharvest.Thelocationand thefaceshavechanged,buttheessenceoftheMarketremainsthesame.—šÒxŒlfindthefreshest produce,savourymeatsandcheeses,andmouthwateringbakingallunderoneroof. Whilefoodisattheheartofthemarketexperience,asKitchenerevolves,wecelebratethecultureof foodinnewways.FromthesensorydelightsofSaturdaymorningtoweekdaylunchesandcooking classes,weexplorebothnewandtraditionalfood‘fromcanningtoThaicuisinetowinepairings.The relationshipsthatdevelopwithchefsandvendorsallowustobebetterinformedaboutourfood choices,andtobeconfidenttoexplorenewtastes. OurEuropeanrootsareevidentinthesausageandschnitzel,butthearomasof·š7äx­international foodcourtincludejerkchickenandtacos“directreflectionofourdiversecommunity.Theattributes ofourgroceries“suchasorganic,glutenfree,orvegan“reflectourhealthneeds,values,and personalrelationshipwithfood.Whiletheingredientsmaychange,ourpassionforthefoodwillendure. foodisattheheartofthehumanexperience. theritualsoffoodaresocial;itconnectsustooneanother. foodexpressestraditionandculture. WewillalwaysofferavibrantSaturdaymarketfocusedonhighqualitylocalfood.Thisishowthe Marketbegan;ournearly150yeartraditionmeansÞ;xÝ;alwaysknownthevalueoffreshlypicked produce.FromthefirststrawberriesofJunetothelastoftheautumnsquash,foodbringsustogether, symbolicallytrackingthepassageoftimefromseasontoseason. Ourcustomersarepassionateaboutfood,but7š“x·allshopforthesamebasketofgoods.Weknow thatyouvaluelocalfood,butalsosearchoutinternationalingredients.Toremainrelevanttoour diversepopulation,theMarketmustbalanceitsvendormixtooffervariety‘withoutsacrificing authenticity. Tomeettheneedsofourcustomers,werecognizethataSaturdaymarketalonemaynotbeenoughto satisfyyourappetite,sowewillevaluateoptionstooffermoremarketdays. tÒ©­Ò;Ý©z;·äšE¦©š7Ò-·­ Celebratefoodandfoodculture,andtherelatedtraditionswevalue(e.g.,Oktoberfest) SupportOntariofarmersandproducersbyensuringthemarketmaintainsastronglocal presence,thecornerstoneoftheSaturdaymarketexperience 4|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 8 ClearlyidentifylocalfarmersandMyPickverifiedvendors Ensuretheproductmixreflectstheneedsofourcustomers(e.g.,offeraccesstoorganic,non GMO,glutenfreeoptions) Infuseculturaldiversityintomarketofferingsbycontinuingtoattractinternationalvendorsthat merpreferences(e.g.,exoticspices,Halalmeat,internationalcooking willfulfillemergingcusto classes,internationalfoodcourt) Supportsustainabilitybyencouragingawarenessofseasonalfoodpreparationthroughcooking classes(e.g.,canning) Preserveaccesstoaffordableproducts,including{ÒmŒä|fruitsandvegetables Offersoughtafteramenitiessuchasmarketbags,carts,andwaterfillingstations 9㦓7š¦;©·zš“­·šz’¦©šÝ;--;­­ Investigateexpandedoperationssuchasaweekdaymarketand/orextendedoperatinghours Explorenewoptionstoprovideaccesstomarketproductsincludingapickandpackdistribution system,afoodboxservicewithlocalfarmers,oronlinevendordistribution SupporttheimplementationoftheNeighbourhoodStrategybycreating,forexample,atoolkit tofacilitatepopupneighbourhoodmarkets Consideroptionstofacilitatemarketaccesssuchasvaletstyleassistancewithpurchases Buildstrongerrelationshipswithvendors,andshowcasetheirstrengths(e.g.,vendor informationwallboard) Workwithvendorsandcustomerstoinformandeducateaboutfoodsafetyandchoices,and encouragetwowaycommunicationtosharethisknowledge 5|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 9 Growandstrengthentheroleasanurbanpublicmarket ThelocationoftheKitchenerMarkethasalwaysbeencentral;itsexistencewasfoundedontheprinciple ofbringingpeopletogether.Astheshapeofthecityevolves,downtownKitchenerremainsattheheart oftheregion,andtheconvergenceoftransit.Asacherishedpublicspace,remainingaccessibletoall membersofourcommunityisapriority. Publicmarketsaredistinctfortheirpublicgoals;commerceisnotourcivicpurpose.Municipalities operatepublicmarketsprimarilytoactivateunderutilizedspace,supportlocalfarmers/vendors,and createinclusivecommunities. TheroleoftheMarketintheurbancommunityhasbeenintransitionsince2004,whenthenew buildingwasopened,anchoringtheeastendofdowntown.Themarketnowdeliversagreatervarietyof communitybenefitsbeyondnutritiousfood,suchaswelcomingnewCanadians,offeringcookingclasses andcamps,andprovidingaspaceforlifecelebrations.Frombabyshowerstoboardgamegroups,the Marketcontributestostrong,vibrantcommunities. Thea©‰;·x­utilitarianrootshavegivenwaytoenrichingexperiences.Initssimplestform,we encounterfriendsandfamilyamidbustlingfoodstalls.Butnewexperienceshelpformnewconnections, andgiveusastrongersenseofbelongingtoourcity. thea©‰;·x­roleistobethe-z·äx­definitiveSaturdaysocialgatheringplace. theMarketfulfillsavarietyofsocialritualsthroughouttheweek,fromcookingclassesto‰z7­x music,andbothpublicandprivateevents. theMarketcontributestohealthycommunitiesandstrongneighbourhoods,andsupportsa greatersenseofbelongingforallcitizens. TheMarketsupportstheurbancommunitybyofferingaccesstoaffordable,freshgoodswithoutgetting inacar.Butthequalityofthefood“andthemarketexperience“drawsincrowdsfromtheregion andbeyond.OurprogrammingandpresenceinthecoremaketheKitchenerMarketdistinct,andwewill continuetoofferanauthenticurbanmarketexperiencetobothnewvisitorsandourlongtime communitymembers. TheaccessibilityandreachoftheMarketwillexpandwiththelaunchofLRTservicetothedistrict.This meansweneedtothinkaboutwherethemarketexperiencebegins;itisnotcontainedtothebuilding itself.Ourpresenceinthedistrict“fromsignstosidewalkstopub licspace“welcomeourguests.And ourspaceswillcometolifewhenweworkwithourpartnerstoanimatethem. ExpandingthereachoftheMarketmakesabelovedcommunityinstitutionavailabletomoreofour citizens.Thismustbesupportedbyensuringoperations,programmingandcommunicationsarealigned todelivertheexperienceourcommunityexpects. 6|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 10 hEE;©wzmwŒä;“mmz“m¦©šm©’’z“m Ensurethemarketcontinuestoofferawidevarietyofcommunityeventsthatreflectthe diversityofmarketattendeesandbuildastrongersenseofcommunity(e.g.,charityevents, boardgamegroups) Offerhighlyengagingkidfriendlyprogrammingsuchasagriculturalscavengerhuntsand interactiveeducation(e.g.,‰z7­xcamps,sheepshearing,applepresstruck) Expandintomarketrelatedclassesanddisplayssuchasfoodphotography,floralarrangements, food/agriculturalantiques,aswellasartisan/crafterbazaars Inspireastrongerconnectiontotheearththroughrelatedprogrammingsuchasaspring onongrowingyourownproduce seedlingsale,flowermarket,andaccesstoinformati Contributetoavibrantdowntownbyofferingprogrammingthroughouttheweek Promoterentablespaceoptiontoprovidethecommunitywithaccesstoaffordablespacefor sharedexperiencesandlifeevents(e.g.,weddingshowers,corporateevents) .;··;©z“·;m©·;·w;E-zŒz·äz“·š·w;­Ò©©šÒ“7z“m©;“7EzŒŒ·w;7z­·©z-·Þz·wŒzE; Investigatepossibleparkingoptions Extendthelookandfeelofthemarketoutsidethebuildingtoimprovethe’©‰;·x­street presence(e.g.,bettersigns) Improvesignagethroughoutthedistrict,especiallyleadingfromtheMarketLRTstationstop, andsupportbrandingofthestationareaastheMarketstationarea Refreshdesignmaterialstoreflectthea©‰;·x­evolutionintheeyesofthecommunity Animatethepiazzawith,forexample,music,dancing,theatre,buskers,popupminimarkets, especiallyintheevening UpdatethefacilitytoensureaccessibilitytoallmembersoftheMarketcommunityinclude upgradedwashrooms,andaccesstohighchairs EngagethecyclingcommunitytomaketheMarketmorebicyclefriendly,includingimproved parking/lockupfacilities Developacomprehensiveplantomakeoverthepiazza Createinvitingnooksandcozyspacesbothinsideandout,andshowcaseassetsliketheSweet Pea›{¦;¦š7|œfountain.(e.g.,establishacommunitylivingroomspaceforimpromptu gatherings,andinformationexchange) Investigatethecreationofacommunitygarden ‘š©‰Þz·w¦©·“;©­·š’‰;z·w¦¦;“ Buildstrongerconnectionswithlocalpartnerssuchasneighbourhoodassociationsand communitybuilderstotapintocommunityinterestsandvalues Engageartiststoanimatethespace Workwithcharitiesandcommunitygroupstoprovideaccesstoappropriate,accessibleevent space 7|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 11 Becomeacatalystforthefoodindustry Verysimply,theMarketenableslocalproducersandshopperstoconnect,insupportofthelocalfood economy.Itconnectsurbanandruraleconomies,andhelpssecurelocalfoodsystems.Butthereis additionaluntappedeconomicpotentialoftheMarketthatisnowrevealingitself. Beyondretailbenefits,theMarkethasbecomeaplaceforemergingbusinessestoexperiment.The Marketplacekitchenandmarketstallsallowprospectivefoodentrepreneurstodevelopandsample theirproductsbeforemakinglongtermcapitalcommitments.Aspiringchefscandeveloptheir reputationincookingclasses,andhopefulretailerscanbuildacustomerbasebeforeestablishingastore front. ThisisanewrolefortheMarket.Itbenefitsfromareputationasanauthenticplacetosource ingredients,existingrelationshipswithchefsandrestaurants,andtiestotheConestogaCollegeSchool ofBusinessandHospitality.TheMarketisonthecuspofexpandingitsroletodelivergreatereconomic benefitsbyactingasacatalysttothefoodindustry. theMarketisalaunchpadforalltypesoffoodbusinesses.Thereisnoendtowhatyoucando withfood:cultivateproduce,createareadytoservemeal,sellcookiesallovertheworld. theMarketelevatesthestatusofthesejobsbyexposingconsumerstotheknowledgeand creativityofculinaryworkers. theMarketsupportsjobcreationalongacontinuumofexperienceandeducation.Fromthe youngpersonstartingtheirfirstjobinarestauranttotheexperiencedchef,thefoodeconomy supportsavarietyofcareers(e.g.,foodservice,retail,culinaryworker,foodproduction). TheMarkethasthepotentialtoanchoradowntownculinaryhub,maximizingtheimpactofthe investmentalreadymadeinthefacility,andleveragingitsreputation.ManyofYz·-w;“;©x­mostexciting newrestaurantsarefoundinthecore,sotheMarketiswellpositionedtofacilitatethebondsbetween chefs,foodproducers,farmersandculinaryworkers.Butopportunitiesinthefoodindustryextend beyondfoodservice,intoproductionandretailingaswell. Theseaspiringentrepreneursneedaccesstosupportsystemsandspace,justlikeotherstartups.Butthe veryspecificcapitalrequirementsforcommercialtestkitchensareelusiveandnecessarytogetoffthe ground. TheMarketalreadydrawsontheservicesoftheWaterlooRegionSmallBusinessCentre,offering marketplaceworkshopsonEtsy,andeventsforSummerCompany.Conestoga/šŒŒ;m;x­{wz­z“m{·©­| popupdinnersattheMarkethelpaspiringchefstoshowcasetheirmenusandtesttheirskills.Withthe rightadjustments,wewillbeinabetterpositiontosupportthelocalfoodindustry. 8|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 12 {Ò¦¦š©·Ešš7­·©·Ò¦­ Investigatethecreationofaculinaryincubatortoactasahubconnectinginnovatorswith peoplewithexperienceandknowledge Engagewithculinaryentrepreneurstoencouragepartnershipwiththemarketanditsvendors Promoterentablespace;eventsarethecatalystforculinarydevelopment. Upgradekitchenfacilitiestomeettherequirementsofchefsandculinaryworkers Investigatecreatinganetworkofcommunitybasedcommercialkitchensthatcanbecomea resourceforfoodstartups(e.g.,churchorcommunitycentrekitchens) Supportthelocalculinarycommunitybyextendingthe’©‰;·x­presenceoutsidethebuilding (e.g.,popupfruitstandsanddinners,weekendfoodfestivals) Stayontopoffoodtrendstoensurethe’©‰;·x­facilityandprogrammingisinnovative 9|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 13 Conclusion Thetypesoffoodwelovechangeswithtrendsandtime,butourhungerwillalwaysdriveustoeat.Ifwe neededonlygroceries,ourcupboardscouldbestockedfromlocalretailstores.Whatseparatesthe Marketfromgrocerystores,orevenrestaurants,isitsabilitytoconnectpeople,createexperiences,and buildrelationships. ThemarketvisitorarrivesonSaturdaymorningwiththeexpectationofmorethantomatoesorcorn. Theyseekcommunity. ThemarketvendorarrivesonSaturdaymorninginthepredawnhours,hopingtoemptytheirbasketsas theyfillthoseofothers.Theyseekaconnectionwiththepeoplewhobuytheirfood. Thepeoplewhoattendclasses,planevents,celebrate,©z7;­’z7­xpartiesandevenhostlife celebrations,choosetheMarketbecauseitismorethanjustaspaceinthecity.Itis·w;z©space.They seekauthenticityandvibrancy. Thisstrategywasmadebyourcommunitythroughextensiveconsultationsoverthepastyear. Youtoldusthatthesecrettothea©‰;·x­successisthepassionatecommunitybehindit.Whenyou headforhome,yourgrocerybagsandheartsarefull. ‘;xÝ;comealongwayfromthebasementoftheBerlinTownHall.Butourrootsasanurbanpublic marketremainfirmlyentrenchedintheheartsofthecommunity. Thetypesofevents,music,vendorsandcrowdswillchange.Butwhatwillalwaysstaythesameisthe senseofbelongingandcommunitypridewefeelforthewaywecometogether,andthevalueswe share. 10|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 14 AppendixA:ActionItems {Ò¦¦š©·Ýz,©“·Ešš7-Ҍ·Ò©; tÒ©­Ò;Ý©z;·äšE¦©š7Ò-·­ Celebratefoodandfoodculture,andtherelatedtraditionswevalue(e.g.,Oktoberfest) SupportOntariofarmersandproducersbyensuringthemarketmaintainsastronglocal presence,thecornerstoneoftheSaturdaymarketexperience ClearlyidentifylocalfarmersandMyPickverifiedvendors Ensuretheproductmixreflectstheneedsofourcustomers(e.g.,offeraccesstoorganic,non GMO,glutenfreeoptions) Infuseculturaldiversityintomarketofferingsbycontinuingtoattractinternationalvendorsthat willfulfillemergingcustomerpreferences(e.g.,exoticspices,Halalmeat,internationalcooking classes,internationalfoodcourt) Supportsustainabilitybyencouragingawarenessofseasonalfoodpreparationthroughcooking classes(e.g.,canning) Preserveaccesstoaffordableproducts,including{ÒmŒä|fruitsandvegetables Offersoughtafteramenitiessuchasmarketbags,carts,andwaterfillingstations 9㦓7š¦;©·zš“­·šz’¦©šÝ;--;­­ Investigateexpandedoperationssuchasaweekdaymarketand/orextendedoperatinghours Explorenewoptionstoprovideaccesstomarketproductsincludingapickandpackdistribution system,afoodboxservicewithlocalfarmers,oronlinevendordistribution SupporttheimplementationoftheNeighbourhoodStrategybycreating,forexample,atoolkit tofacilitatepopupneighbourhoodmarkets Consideroptionstofacilitatemarketaccesssuchasvaletstyleassistancewithpurchases Buildstrongerrelationshipswithvendors,andshowcasetheirstrengths(e.g.,vendor informationwallboard) Workwithvendorsandcustomerstoinformandeducateaboutfoodsafetyandchoices,and encouragetwowaycommunicationtosharethisknowledge D©šÞ“7­·©;“m·w;“·w;©šŒ;­“Ò©,“¦Ò,Œz-’©‰;· hEE;©wzmwŒä;“mmz“m¦©šm©’’z“m Ensurethemarketcontinuestoofferawidevarietyofcommunityeventsthatreflectthe diversityofmarketattendeesandbuildastrongersenseofcommunity(e.g.,charityevents, boardgamegroups) Offerhighlyengagingkidfriendlyprogrammingsuchasagriculturalscavengerhuntsand interactiveeducation(e.g.,‰z7­xcamps,sheepshearing,applepresstruck) Expandintomarketrelatedclassesanddisplayssuchasfoodphotography,floralarrangements, food/agriculturalantiques,aswellasartisan/crafterbazaars Inspireastrongerconnectiontotheearththroughrelatedprogrammingsuchasaspring seedlingsale,flowermarket,andaccesstoinformationongrowingyourownproduce Contributetoavibrantdowntownbyofferingprogrammingthroughouttheweek Promoterentablespaceoptiontoprovidethecommunitywithaccesstoaffordablespacefor sharedexperiencesandlifeevents(e.g.,weddingshowers,corporateevents) 11|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 15 .;··;©z“·;m©·;·w;E-zŒz·äz“·š·w;­Ò©©šÒ“7z“m©;“7EzŒŒ·w;7z­·©z-·Þz·wŒzE; Investigatepossibleparkingoptions Extendthelookandfeelofthemarketoutsidethebuildingtoimprovethe’©‰;·x­street presence(e.g.,bettersigns) Improvesignagethroughoutthedistrict,especiallyleadingfromtheMarketLRTstationstop, andsupportbrandingofthestationareaastheMarketstationarea Refreshdesignmaterialstoreflectthea©‰;·x­evolutionintheeyesofthecommunity Animatethepiazzawith,forexample,music,dancing,theatre,buskers,popupminimarkets, especiallyintheevening UpdatethefacilitytoensureaccessibilitytoallmembersoftheMarketcommunityinclude upgradedwashrooms,andaccesstohighchairs EngagethecyclingcommunitytomaketheMarketmorebicyclefriendly,includingimproved parking/lockupfacilities Developacomprehensiveplantomakeoverthepiazza Createinvitingnooksandcozyspacesbothinsideandout,andshowcaseassetsliketheSweet Pea›{¦;¦š7|œfountain.(e.g.,establishacommunitylivingroomspaceforimpromptu gatherings,andinformationexchange) Investigatethecreationofacommunitygarden ‘š©‰Þz·w¦©·“;©­·š’‰;z·w¦¦;“ Buildstrongerconnectionswithlocalpartnerssuchasneighbourhoodassociationsand communitybuilderstotapintocommunityinterestsandvalues Engageartiststoanimatethespace Workwithcharitiesandcommunitygroupstoprovideaccesstoappropriate,accessibleevent space .;-š’;-·Œä­·Eš©·w;Ešš7z“7Ò­·©ä {Ò¦¦š©·Ešš7­·©·Ò¦­ Investigatethecreationofaculinaryincubatortoactasahubconnectinginnovatorswith peoplewithexperienceandknowledge Engagewithculinaryentrepreneurstoencouragepartnershipwiththemarketanditsvendors Promoterentablespace;eventsarethecatalystforculinarydevelopment. Upgradekitchenfacilitiestomeettherequirementsofchefsandculinaryworkers Investigatecreatinganetworkofcommunitybasedcommercialkitchensthatcanbecomea resourceforfoodstartups(e.g.,churchorcommunitycentrekitchens) Supportthelocalculinarycommunitybyextendingthe’©‰;·x­presenceoutsidethebuilding (e.g.,popupfruitstandsanddinners,weekendfoodfestivals) Stayontopoffoodtrendstoensurethe’©‰;·x­facilityandprogrammingisinnovative 12|Page AsofSeptember20,2016. 2 - 16