Plans to open a farmers market in Kirkland were dashed again this week even though the town is now reviewing an antiquated bylaw that could pave the way for the sale of fresh fruits and vegetables outdoors.
Mayor Michel Gibson said any new bylaw that is written to govern the sale of goods outside, including fruits and vegetables, will promote local businesses, not a farmers market.
Gibson made the comments Monday after learning that Daniel La Tour, a member of the ad hoc citizens’ group behind the farmers market initiative seemed to think a bylaw change would favour the farmers market.
“We are not Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue,” said Gibson, alluding to the popular farmers market on that town’s boardwalk. “They are a tourist destination.”
“There is no demand from the population for a farmers market,” said Gibson, justifying the town’s position.
Since last summer, Groupe-Marché Public-Farmers Market Group has been trying to open a seasonal farmers market in Kirkland, much like the one that operates at the Beaconsfield train station.
Standing in the group’s way has been bylaw 90-58, which prohibits the sale of commercial goods in public parks, industrial areas and commercial zones.
The bylaw is now being studied by the town’s urban planning committee.
Gibson said the town will likely draft a new bylaw in time for the summer season. However, Gibson added, a new bylaw would be about lifting restrictions on grocery stores from setting up outdoor fruit and vegetable stands or garden centres in their parking lots.
“Mayor Gibson has the wrong view of what it takes to build a community,” said a disappointed Daniel La Tour on Monday. “It’s not about bylaws in black and white.”
The Kirkland resident and an organizer of the Beaconsfield farmers market said he met with Gibson on March 1, during one of the mayor’s weekly open-house sessions at Kirkland town hall.
At that time, he said, he made the point that farmers markets already exist in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Beaconsfield, Dorval and Pointe-Claire among other West Island municipalities.
He said demand for organically-grown, community-supported-agriculture has been growing in recent years. For example, Lufa Farms, the Laval-based rooftop garden company, is now delivering fresh fruit and vegetables to drop-off points across the West Island, including to Del Monaco, a pasta shop on St-Charles Blvd.
“We are not going to give up,” said La Tour. “We want to go ahead with Marché Kirkland.”