Duncan Farmers Market
Protocols for the Winter–Spring Season 2015
At the start and end of every market day, there are many
vendors arriving and departing at the same time. This requires
patience on everyone’s part while we load and unload our
vehicles. If you are new or it takes a while for you to load
your vehicle at the end of the day, please allow neighbouring
vendors to go first, they are pros at this and have developed a
very efficient system.
Traffic Flow
One-way traffic is always in effect in City Square. Please
observe the directional signage already in place. Traffic on
Ingram Street is also one way, entering from the post office
and exiting at the Pharmasave.
Market Hours
During the Winter-Spring season, the market is open for
business from 10 am until 2 pm. All vehicles must be into the
market by 9:00 am and off-loaded and out of the market by
9:15 am when the bollards and barricades are placed on the
roads. If you are late, you will have to pack your stuff in by
hand and may also be reassigned to another stall location or
denied entry. All stalls must be completely set up and open
for business by 10 am.
Drop-Off
Please remember to drive into your stall as much as you can
so other vendors arriving after you can get past. Turn off the
engine so we’re not breathing your exhaust. Quickly stack
your tent, tables and products at the back of your stall area.
Do not set up your tent at this time (unless there
happens to be a downpour). Jump back in your vehicle and
head for Evans Street to park. Your neighbouring vendors
will keep an eye on your stuff while you park your vehicle.
Parking
Evans Street and the CVRD parking lots on Evans Street have
been designated by the City as official vendor parking areas
where we can park free all day. This frees-up downtown
street parking as well as the parking lots beside the railway
tracks for our customers. Vendors are not permitted to park
on any other downtown streets without medical permission
from their physician and the City of Duncan. Failure to
observe this regulation will result in a $50 fine.
Tents
For the safety of your fellow vendors and our customers, you must
use weights for your tents. A slight breeze will lift your tent and
send it crashing into a neighbouring stall or worse, it may really hurt
someone. Also please keep in mind that tent sides (between vendors)
cannot be used unless it is raining. If you have been assigned a stall
which sits in front of a commercial business in the Square, your rear
tent wall may only be used from table height to the ground. With
tent walls there are sometimes exceptions to the rule, so if you are in
doubt, please ask.
Breaks
Ask a neighbour to watch your stall while you take a short bathroom
break. Two washrooms at the Green Door have been rented for
vendor use. Please remember to return the key.
Take-Down
We are open for business until 2 pm. Please don’t start to take down
your tent until 2 pm. Shoppers are still in the market and you may
miss a sale. Pack up your products, fold tables, collapse your tent
and place it all near the back of your stall again. When you are
completely packed up... you can walk back to Evans Street to fetch
your vehicle. Vehicles are allowed back in the market at 2:10 pm,
not before. This 10 minute period allows vendors to pack-up their
stalls and get out of the way of the vehicle parade which follows.
Vehicles
To alleviate traffic congestion at the end of the day, please discuss
with your neighbouring vendors who will bring their car into the
market first. Please turn off your motor if the line of vehicles ahead
of you is not moving and remember to park prettily again so other
vehicles can get past. If you have a vehicle which leaks fluids or oil,
please have it fixed. Pets and people walk on these roads and the
leaking fluids have varying degrees of toxicity.
Reminder
As much as we love our pets, the only ones allowed at the market
belong to our customers.
Note: These points do not replace the official rules and regulations
of the Duncan Farmers Market, they are meant only to clarify some of
those points. The complete rules and regulations are available on our
website: www.duncanfarmersmarket.ca