Farmers' Market, Ideas Inc., and Market Square

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The City’s former electrical garage was renovated in 2008, and its adaptive reuse created an indoor farmers’ market and public market. New doors and the use of existing skylights provide natural light for the indoor market, while keeping a link with the past.

Adjacent to the building, Market Square allows for summer outdoor markets and special events. Market Square includes a unique and fascinating interpretative feature that highlights the history of the former Immigration Hall that once was located on the site. The “Market Square Storytelling Chairs” are a series of stainless steel chairs that have images and vignettes of life at the Hall. The feature received the Award of Merit in Collaborative Category from the Design Council of Saskatchewan in 2007.

Attached to the south end of the Farmers' Market Building, another renovated structure has been turned into Ideas Inc., a business incubator to help young businesses grow, and to create new jobs. Ideas Inc. also offers Street Stall Saturday outdoor markets. For more information, visit them online: www.ideasyxe.com.

Following a formal Request For Proposals for the lease to operate the Farmers’ Market Building in River Landing issued in October, 2018, the City will not be awarding a lease and the RFP is now cancelled. During the RFP process, it became apparent that ongoing water issues with the roof on the building will require significant repairs, and as such, the building will need to close for approximately three months to accommodate those repairs.

During the RFP process, the City received two applications and it thanks the parties that submitted a proposal. However, awarding the lease to a tenant, only to close the building for a lengthy period, would be unfair.

The City has offered to extend the lease of the current tenant through the 2019 growing season, and the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Cooperative (SFMCL) has agreed to stay on, in which case the building will remain open until December 31, 2019, when the lease with the SFMCL will end. Closure of the building and subsequent repairs to the roof would take place in early 2020.

The City issued an RFP (Request for Proposals) on November 8 for the lease of the Farmers’ Market Building. The RFP closes on December 31, 2019. Interested parties can visit the SaskTenders website for more information.