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Sudbury, Ontario
Articles & NewsSudbury - 1988: Main Street co-ordinator Maureen Luoma says: "1988 was the first year of our Downtown Festival Market. It was a test year to see if a market would work here. If it does, we'll develop a permanent market. The secret of a good market, we think, is organization. It's important to get as many people as possible behind it. Our market, for example, was subsidized by Metro Centre, the Merchants Association, the Farmers Association, and the Regional Development and Planning Department. There wasn't a Farmers Association until the market idea came up. We said to the farmers: If you want a market, get organized. And they did. We also received $44,100 from AgraNorth. When we established a location (a city owned parking lot), we developed a comprehensive package to present to city council. After a two-hour debate, council voted in favour of the market: the first unanimous vote I can remember. Why our success at getting council behind it? Our very detailed and careful presentation. So far, most merchants are pleased with it. The market is close to downtown but not right in the heart. What we have avoided is a flea market approach. The market offers farm produce and arts and crafts but not a lot of other things sold in town. We don't want downtown merchants to see this as competition. The first day, for example, somebody showed up wanting to sell plastic thermoses. We said "No" to that. This past summer, long and hot, has been a tough one on farm communities. It was probably not the most propitious summer to start a farmers' market. Still, the response has been very good. Odds are that we will launch a permanent farmers' market next year." Main Street CIRCUIT Rues principales, Aug./Sept. 1988. Sudbury - 1988: When, a year ago, we asked Main Street coordinators to list their biggest downtown headaches everyone placed parking near the top of the list. There are, of course, a hundred and one things that can be tried to ease parking woes. One, reports Maureen Luoma, is being studied this May by Sudbury Metro Centre. The city is undertaking a one-month experiment, offering two hours' free parking on Saturdays. We'll keep you posted on how the experiment goes. Main Street Canada Newsletter, 1988, Vol.4, No.3 Sudbury - 1988: Maureen Luoma suggests Main Streets should consider
hiring Barrie, Ont.-based consultant Sharon Beattie for talks on
window displays and interior merchandizing. At a recent Sudbury
evening, 45 merchants were given down-to-earth advice. The merchants
liked the hands-on approach and are already trying out some of the
ideas. Main Street Canada Newsletter, 1988, Vol.4, No.6
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Maureen Luoma, Coordinator, 1986