Valérie Dufour, coordinator (left), and Yan Lapointe, president of the Vallée-de-l'Or Public Market (right), pose with Martin Lavoie (City of Val-d'Or), Marie-Pier Bordeleau Genest (Senneterre Economic Development Corporation) and Tommy Auger-Cadieux (Town of Malartic).
After Malartic, the Vallée-de-l'Or Public Market (MPVO ) once again extends its tentacles by offering three dates in Senneterre during the summer.
The population of this sector will be able to meet 10 to 12 exhibitors on Saturdays, July 22, August 26 and September 23.
We did a pilot project last year with a only date and the population responded very well, underlines Marie-Pier Bordeleau Genest, development officer at the Senneterre Economic Development Corporation.
“Being able to meet market gardeners is always a winner. Many people who come to the market do not necessarily have any means of getting around Val-d'Or. It is important to be able to offer them this directly on the territory. »
— Marie-Pier Bordeleau Genest, of the Senneterre Economic Development Corporation
Public Market managers are delighted to now be able to offer producers three options for presenting their products. Malartic returns with seven appointments on Fridays starting June 22, while the market will be present every Sunday morning in Val-d'Or from June 11 to October 8.
We worked to restart the Public Market in Malartic and it went very well, says Yan Lapointe, president of the MPVO.
In our agreement with the MRC, we had the optics to touch the three poles. When Senneterre approached us, we said go. As much the merchants as the population, people like to meet. When you are in front of the table, when you buy your tomatoes, your cucumbers and when you have in front of you the person who puts his hands in the ground to grow these products here, on the territory, it seems that it tastes better! says Mr. Lapointe.
Up to 35 exhibitors are expected for each of the public markets at Place Agnico Eagle in Val-d'Or. The organizers hope to be able to energize the experience by adding a series of activities and animations, in particular in partnership with the Festival Trad, Salsa Abitibi-Témiscamingue or even Val-d'Or tells you its story .
We want to start off on this aspect and participate in energizing the downtown area, adds Yan Lapointe. There will be dancing, music, even a BBQ every week. We want the time people stay at the Market to be longer. Let it become the new square of the church, let the world come here to see each other, to chat. There is such a beautiful park around, there are picnic tables, people can sit down and already taste what they have bought there.
