By Cecilia Nasmith

As welcome as a new season of the Cobourg Farmers’ Market would be, its planned opening on May 2 is not to be, following a motion at Monday’s committee-of-the-whole council meeting.

Municipal clerk Brent Larmer compiled an extensive report setting out some of the obstacles to the motion brought forward by Councillor Adam Bureau for a May 2 opening – but only with strict adherence to a long list of conditions governing its layout, its wares and the actions of vendors. Bureau's motion also called for an e-commerce option that would allow on-line sales with curb-side pickup.

Instead, council passed the amendment from Councillor Nicole Beatty eliminating the in-person market and calling for staff to work with the local farmers’ market organization to come up with a short-term model to offer wares through an e-commerce platform that involves curbside pick-up – with a report to come back to council May 11.

Bureau said that he had wanted an in-person option because it was the wish of vendors. Councillors, however, saw it as too risky.

Mayor John Henderson said the town’s demographics must be considered, reminding councillors that 35% of them are over the age of 65.

“The last thing we want is for those individuals congregating with vendors, even with all those systems and practices in place, especially when the pandemic time has been extended to May 12,” the mayor said.

“It goes against everything we are doing in the pandemic, it goes against our town’s messaging to stay home, stay put.”

As well, the reopening of the farmers’ market will require certain approvals from the health unit that could probably not be obtained before May 2.

Deputy Mayor Suzanne Seguin, a regular at the farmers’ market, noted that opening weekends have little in the way of locally grown food. Even home gardeners rarely try to put in their beds until the May 24 weekend, she noted. Visitors to the early farmers’ market see more booths with local crafts and artisans than with food growers. A delayed opening is not that big a loss to the agricultural community, she said.

“I think there’s a difference between curbside pick-up and having a retail environment,” Councillor Emily Chorley pointed out.

Provincial guidelines call for one shopping trip a week, Chorley said, and a trip to the farmers' market would amount to an additional shopping outing

“By its nature, it’s a communal environment and a social environment,” she added.

Beatty’s motion directs staff to work with the Cobourg Farmers’ Market to come up with an alternative short-term service model for market operation to reflect current social-distancing and other health measures put in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on e-commerce and weekly curb-side pick-up options only, with a report to come back by May 11.

Where pick-up might happen is yet to be determined, and Larmer said his report would offer some options. But he is not entirely comfortable with the suggestion in Bureau’s original motion of the Albert Street parking lot just to the east of the current farmers’ market location. It abuts a condominium community, he noted, and already has cars parked there continuously – probably belonging to nearby residents who are self-isolating.

Councillor Aaron Burchat had consulted with the town’s IT department about helping with the on-line set-up. Security issues made inadvisable, but Burchat approached the communications department about putting some kind of notice on the municipal website. They loved the idea, he said, as long as the vendors provide the information.

“That way, we are at least providing something for the farmers’ market,” he said.