City aims to improve traffic flow at farmers market

City officials are looking to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety at Sudbury's Market Square when it opens for the season June 27.

A report going to city council tonight says they have recognized a need to revise the site's layout at the former CPR train station on Elgin Street.

“The Downtown Market Working Group has recognized that the Market is in need of a more effective and safer method of guiding traffic flow for both vehicles and persons either vending or attending the Market,” the report said. “Thus, an updated site layout is a priority for the 2015 season.”

The modified layout will remove vendor trucks from the middle of the Market, “creating a space and common gathering area more akin to a market plaza, and enticing more consumers to come and to visit longer at the site,” the report said.

“It has been determined that the primary means of improving the flow of pedestrian traffic within the market area will be to remove the vendor trucks from the center of the layout to the outside, enabling vendors to interact with customers on the inside while keeping foot traffic separate from vendor trucks.”

A revised layout will be in place in time for the 2015 season. The goal is to create improved traffic flow and safer pedestrian access to the Market. They'll do that through the use of temporary barriers and pop-up tents, which will can be easily adjusted “since they are modular and can readily be moved to accommodate an evolving Market.”

Last year, the Market was open June 28 to Oct. 26, for a total of 36 operating days. Opening day at the Market saw almost 400 visitors come through, with another 150 visiting on Sunday.

“Attendance was steady at the Market during the 2014 season, with an average of 647 people visiting on Saturdays and Sundays combined throughout the season,” the report said.

“Total consumer attendance for 2014 was 11,722. Saturdays were busier with an average of 443 consumers per day versus an average of 210 on Sundays. This traffic is slightly lower in comparison to 2013, which saw a total of 12,768 consumers over that season, with a Saturday average of 591 versus 181 on Sundays.”

Rain was the main culprit for the slightly lower attendance, the report said, with close to 600 mm in total falling during the 2014 season, an increase of more than 275 mm compared to 2013.
Other highlights of the report include:

Staff co-ordinated a pilot antique market for several Sundays in October in order to increase traffic on these days.

More than 150 consumer surveys were collected during the 2014 Market season. Highlights of the results show that 67 per cent of respondents heard of the Market by word of mouth, and when asked, “What brings you downtown?” 72 per cent of respondents cited it was the Market.

Locally grown, fresh produce was mentioned as the most popular item at the Market in 93 per cent of responses.

Last year, a total of 37 different vendors participated in the Market over the course of the season, with 14 vendors installed for the full season and the remainder of vendors purchasing daily, weekly and monthly stall rentals.

Vendors offered products such as fresh produce, baked goods (pastries, breads, and desserts), meats, spices, teas, crafts, jewelry and more.

The 2015 Market Square season will run June 27 to Oct. 25, with operating hours running 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.