News that the 104 Street Summer City Market could be moving this summer has received mixed reaction.

Vendors told CTV News they were notified at a board meeting last week that the market will relocate to a year-round indoor facility at 97 Street and 103 Avenue.

Tenants were told the change could come as early as this spring.

City Market hosts dozens of vendors in the winter months when it operates out of City Hall, and nearly twice as many during the street market in the summer.

However, the event was only held once a week on Saturdays, and could be hampered by poor weather.

Additionally, the Valley Line LRT’s construction would have cut off the farmer’s market by crossing 104 Street, as it runs along 102 Avenue.

Some vendors are optimistic about the new location.

“I think it’s a big change and with change, there’s always uncertainty, but we’ve been a part of this market for so long and it's done a lot for us,” Chris Lerohl, co-owner of Honest Dumplings, said.

The local dumpling company got its start at the outdoor market, and hopes to move to the new, indoor market.

“We're excited to see it, maybe, grow and change and transition,” Lerohl added.

The summer market often draws a big crowd—which will be missed by many businesses along 104 Street.

“I don't think it was necessarily anything we were relying on, but something we were very much looking forward to,” said DOSC Restaurant’s Tony Britton.

The ward’s councillor, Scott McKeen, also said he is expecting an impact on 104 Street business by the move, but that the “good news-bad news” presented other opportunities for the area.

“I’m certainly willing to sit down with the businesses on 104 Street and look for other opportunities to drive people and interest to that street. It’s a great street,” McKeen said.

 

On Wednesday, the chair of the Edmonton Downtown Farmers' Market Association said the group has searched for a new space for almost 10 years.

"While 104 Street has been our home for nearly fifteen years, and we've cherished the memories we've made there, we always knew we would one day need to move on to a more permanent location," Sarb Dhaliwal wrote in a statement.

Dhaliwal said the new building would allow the group to expand, add new vendors and would offer an outdoor street space in the summer months.

The 97 Street building was formerly the Great Western Garment Co. factory, and the Army & Navy Building. More recently, the Red Strap Market used the space. Architect and former city politician Gene Dub owns the building through real estate company Five Oaks Inc.

With files from Bill Fortier