Kitchener Market to expand interim operations, cut vendor fees after July fire

The Kitchener Market is set to expand its interim operations next month, giving most vendors a chance to return to business while the city continues working toward restoring the market building after a July fire.

Beginning Sept. 5, the city says "temporary infrastructure and services" will allow the majority of market vendors to operate in a modified format. The expanded setup will also give shoppers access to a wider range of products, including meat and dairy.

"We're excited to welcome back most vendors next month while we continue the important work required to fully restore the market," said Andrew Sturgess, the city’s director of business growth and entrepreneurship.  

In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson for the City of Kitchener said vendors will "operate in outdoor spaces connected to the existing Market footprint, specifically the breezeway and the parking area at the back of the building."

In addition, the city is adding more electrical and water services with a goal "to maintain the Market experience that customers and vendors know and expect while restoration work continues," the spokesperson said.

"Looking ahead to the winter months, the City is exploring options to temporarily enclose portions of the existing covered produce area to support operations during colder weather."

The announcement comes just over five weeks after a fire broke out at a vendor stall on the market’s second floor on July 12. The blaze caused an estimated $50,000 in damage and forced the closure of the indoor market.

• Kitchener Market vendors asked to move inventory, equipment as restoration work could take months

• 'It makes us feel uneasy': Kitchener Market vendors express concern over lack of clear information on closure

Although the building has remained closed, the market has not missed a Saturday, the city says in a news release on Friday. It says more than 30 vendors have continued serving thousands of customers each weekend through the city’s temporary outdoor market.

Vendors concerned

In late July, vendors voiced concerns about the lack of clarity surrounding the closure and how long they would be unable to operate indoors. Gordon Hum, co-owner of Mango and Rollz with his wife, Grace Thampiromporn, said the market was the business’s only location where it could offer its full range of Thai food.

The couple also said the outdoor setup was difficult for food vendors because of the equipment and public-health requirements needed to operate safely.

At the time, city officials warned that the recovery would take months, rather than weeks. Smoke, soot and other fire-related contaminants had spread throughout the facility, including mechanical and ventilation systems, requiring extensive cleaning and remediation before indoor operations could safely resume.

Friday's announcement provides a more immediate option for vendors while that work continues.

An important part of the community

Since July 18, vendor rental fees have been waived as the city developed its recovery plans. A staff report going before Kitchener city council on Aug. 24 asks councillors to approve temporary fee reductions for vendors operating under the interim model.

Over an estimated six-month recovery period, the city expects to invest between $240,000 and $270,000 in vendor supports, temporary infrastructure, services and rent reductions, the release said.

Sturgess said the market has been an important part of the community for more than 155 years.

Remediation and restoration planning is ongoing in co-ordination with insurers, public health authorities and contractors, the city says, but it has not yet provided a date for the market building’s full reopening.

For now, residents can continue visiting the Kitchener Market every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.