A shopper (
August 4, 2008)
Very interesting numbers, but will the powers that be pay any attention? |
STAN (
August 4, 2008)
Put the farmers market at Central Park permanently! Enough of a few whining Main St. merchants complaining about a loss in business! Why are they privy to free facelifts, when others are in DESPERATE need? Why are the tax-payers footing the bill so the round-a-bout literally funnels the tourist to their door?Aside from pizzas and banking, ask yourself this; when was the last time you spent any real money on Main St.? I think the working person would rather spend his cheque at an affordable store rather than at one with higher prices. I can buy two shirts for the price of one on Main St. And as for people and the farmers market are concerned, I fervently believe they park on Main Street to go to the market for produce, and NOT to also go and buy a new T.V. or a shirt. To prove a point, poll the next farmers market, and ask the public if they plan on doing ANY Main St. shopping afterwards. You'll see that they just want to get out of traffic afterwards. Nuff sed! |
Chris (
August 4, 2008)
Central Park is perfect! The Harourfront was a good place to have it but with the way the "City" is changing the Harbourfront (after all the work went into it by Mayor Winkler) by putting in the traffic circle they are wrecking everything. The Downtown merchants should be blaming the City Council not anyone else. By the way there are more businessess than just the Main Street merchants. Council, listen to Buck for once, he has great ideas and they are for the better of the city, they are not self centered ideas. |
Ed (
August 4, 2008)
Just who's calling the shots in this town?, our elected representatives or the downtown merchants? The market only returned to the harbourfront because the downtown merchants were not happy. Central is a better location during the construction period and everyone knows it. Maybe when council's term expires we don't have an election, we let Kenora Biz run the city. Just think how much money we will save and how much happier the downtown merchants will be drawing more attention and resources to themselves. |
Richard (
August 3, 2008)
I think the harbourfront should be the location - I don't care which tent. We need this area to host as many events as possible, it's good for Kenora overall when people think of this location as ground zero for everything. It's also good for downtown businesses. Yes, parking is an issue but that will settle out over time. I just park at Zellers and walk down, eventually more people will realize that you can park a few hundred yards away and walk for 3 minutes and still be there. |
Market Shopper (
August 2, 2008)
The best location for the Farmers Market is Central Park. Alot more parking and free parking at that. Easy access for those that are handicapped. The vendors liked having more room. I have a hard time believing the downtown merchants had a decrease in sales on the Wednesday it was at Central Park. How many people go shopping in the stores with their hands full of bags of vegetables and other purchases after being at the market. If people want to shop downtown or go for lunch they will go do that after. If the turnout of people that day at Central Park was any indication then it proves that people did not mind going there. Maybe some of the downtown stores could stay open past 2 or 4 o'clock on a Saturday to make up for the sales they say they loose on Wednesdays, if the market is not at the harbourfront. Don't be so greedy downtown stores. |
Frustrated Shopper (
August 2, 2008)
I attend the markets every week. The week it was at the Curling Club was the best. There was plenty of parking, the roads/sidewalks are level (I push a stroller), the ice surface was a great place for tables because it doesn't matter if it rains or is windy, and there was enough room to actually look, rather than get pushed through the line under the big tent. I feel frustrated that 9 downtown business owners were able to dictate where 1500 people were forced to shop. If the downtown merchants are losing money, it's because of all the mess going on down there, not because a market was moved 4 blocks away for 4 hours one week. I get tired of having no say in what goes on in this town... A democracy? I think not. |
Eddy (
August 2, 2008)
Lets spread out the congestion away from the harbourfront for a change and get to an area with a little parking.
The Curling Club also has a little easier ingress and egress for vehicles and people.
And it would be under a solid roof in a building that is underutilized during the summer. Seems like a win win for everyone. Plus there is a big field accross the road for more parking and maybe pony rides or something... make it even more of a family event.
Plus you don't interupt the parking on the harbourfront.
Look at the success of the Central Park festival that recently happened. It was terrific and lots of space for traffic.
Trick is to listen to the customers... not the merchants!! |
(
August 2, 2008)
Most people that shop at farmers market are not entering stores downtown. They are there to get in and get out. That is why Central Park is the best place to be. A shuttle is great for the boaters to get there and they will still shop downtown before and after the market. No one thinks about emergency vehicles trying to get through traffic like last Wednesday at Harbourfront... |
Randy (
August 2, 2008)
I think the market should be moved around. Why should only the downtown merchants benefit from increased traffic flow. I'm tired of hearing about the downtown merchants. There is no fee they pay to have the market on the harbourfront, yet they seem to think that they are entitled to it. There are other businesses in this town other than the "downtown bunch" who would like to see the market in their area, say Keewatin, Norman, the shopping mall and the Central Park area which has been the best location to date. Easy access for seniors who live across the street, and great parking. In fact I was at the central location and overheard both exhibitors and patrons say they really liked the location. Given the present downtown construction, the harbourfront is not an ideal location. I have read in the paper about how happy the downtown Kenora Biz people are having the market back at the harbourfront and how they attribute the decision to move it back to teamwork between themselves and town officials. Well I say not everyone in this town is happy and what they call team work I call complaining and whining. I am just so surprised how town officials jump everytime the downtown merchants have something to whine about. |
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