The New West Farmers Market is always striving to keep things fresh.
The market will soon return to its spring/summer home in Tipperary Park, where it will runs every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. until the fall.
“May 24 will be our summer 2018 kick-off,” said Carly Fryer, president of the New West Farmers Market. “It’s our 10th year in operation. We’d like to welcome everyone to come join us every Thursday.”
Formed in 2007 as the Royal City Farmers Market Society, the organization held its first official market in 2008. Last year, it rebranded and changed its name to New West Farmers Market.
The organization has three strategic pillars: relationship building with its vendors, customers, community, and local businesses and government; organizational wellness, which includes succession planning; and knowledge building, which includes advocacy and customer and community education.
“For me, the knowledge building is the key,” said Matt Lorenzi, the market’s vice-president. “The reason I am involved, I am a big proponent of food security, farmland security, local produce, and the education that’s involved around that.”
In addition to its winter and summer markets, New West Farmers Market makes its presence felt at various events around the city including Family Day at Anvil Centre, the Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Festival and Fridays on Front.
“As we are getting bigger, we are getting invited to take part in more events,” Lorenzi said. “It’s great for us. It’s also a challenge for organization and resources.”
The New West Farmers Market also works with the local food bank to provide low-income families with access to fresh produce through a low-cost produce stand.
Coun. Patrick Johnstone said New Westminster is one of the only cities in the region that doesn’t have agricultural land, so the market helps address food security and ensures people have access to fresh, local food.
“It seems your organizations is always bringing new things in and constantly keeping things fresh,” he told market representatives following a recent presentation to council. “That is how you keep an organization like yours going for 10 years.”
New West Farmers Market is grateful to community members who’ve supported the market and helped keep it going for a decade, Fryer said.
“We hope to be here for another 10 years.”
