02/19/2026
NOW THAT THE SHOCK IS OVER!
WE NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
First, we will address THE MARKET AT NORTH END REC. Samantha from Cedar Rose Homestead and Tina from Lekker Samoosas & Snackies asked us if they could keep a market going at the North End Rec, to fill in our absence until we began our Spring Market on April 4th, 2026.
We thought it was a great idea, especially for the customers who came out every Saturday, to get their weekly goodies.
They were not competitors; we support them totally.
They booked the North End Rec until the end of March. Unfortunately, they were kicked out of the North End Rec on the same date as the Thunder Bay Farmers' Market. They were not allowed to finish their dates until the end of March. Samantha and Tina did try to offer $50 to $100 more each Saturday to be able to finish up the month of March; however, the answer was still NO.
Secondly, let us address the North End Rec committee's reasoning for cancelling our Markets. They stated in the interview with Thunder Bay News-tbnews/watch.com, that it had to do with the hall floor. We have been there since September 2022, and during this time, they have stripped and waxed the hall floor on many occasions. There had been no issues brought to our attention until December 2025. They did not discuss this with us before hand, we opened the door to the center, and found large signs about removing footwear before entering the hall. We could not ask that of our vendors nor our customers. There was considerable tension that day. We contacted the Health Department, which assured us that food could not be sold or bought without footwear.
Also, we respected their hall by not overcrowding the hall and keeping the tables and chairs away from the walls to protect them and be sure no damage was done. We swept and washed the hall floor after every Market.
Let us be clear, we did not get a discount price for the hall; we paid what all renters paid. We would have gladly paid more if given the opportunity.
The North End Rec committee also stated that they wanted to be more family-oriented with functions on Saturdays and Sundays.
We ask you, "What is more family-oriented than a Farmers' Market?"
We hope that this adds clarity to what has transpired, and we want to thank each and every one of you who have reached out to us.
Regards,
Esther, Fred, and Diane.
Management Committee
