By Cheryl Hammond
Marchés d’Ottawa Markets commenced operations in January of 2018 with a mandate to refresh and revitalize both the Byward and Parkdale Markets. As a not-for-profit organization governed by an active and highly engaged board of directors, this newly formed municipal- services corporation is led by Executive Director Jeff Darwin and a team of five full time employees. Seven student ambassadors were hired to be the face of the ByWard Market to both vendors and visitors throughout the busy summer months. We will be providing a regular column in the Lowertown Echo to keep our community, vendors and business partners up to date on further plans for the Marchés d’Ottawa Markets territory within the ByWard Market.
During the past eight months we have learned much about the ByWard Market, including its history and the many interesting people who live, work and play in the area. We have brought about a number of changes. Early in the season Marchés d’Ottawa Markets brought back a long-standing tradition of ringing the market bell daily to open the Byward Market. This bell was cast in 1877 and installed in the original Market building, constructed in 1876. After a fire in 1926 the bell was salvaged and hung in St. David’s Reformed Episcopalian Church until it was donated to the City in 1976. We encourage people in Lowertown to come and ring the bell any day of the week at 10 a.m. Call 613-244-4410 to book your day.
A key initiative was the development of a new strategic plan, which was presented to City Council on June 27th. The plan was accepted and the hope is that Lowertown will become a term-of-council priority following the municipal election. This plan is a roadmap that includes many proposals which you can read about further on in this issue of the Lowertown Echo. To see the complete plan please e-mail info@ottawamarkets.com and we will send you a copy. We encourage questions and feedback.
Marchés d’Ottawa Markets has a food-first mandate and works hard to attract and keep food vendors in both markets. Beyond the agri-food vendors on the ByWard Market, new to the scene in the outdoor-vending category are Nat’s Bread, Mitchell’s Soups and the Salty Don.
Inside at 55 ByWard Market Square there are also changes underway. A new way-finding board helps tourists find local attractions, and new signage and a general cleaning up of clutter is ongoing. We have space available for rent within the market building with the goal of attracting a more diverse and interesting mix to the offerings with 55 Byward Market Square.
Look for further columns with updated information on the many happenings here at Marchés d’Ottawa Markets. Contact info@ottawamarkets.com with questions or feedback.
Cheryl Hammond is in charge of Communications for Marchés d’Ottawa Markets