Community Food Market at Pandora Park: Open to all
Community, Events, Highlights, News, Social Inclusion, Stories
Story and photos by Liam Hill-Allan.
Neighbours in the Hastings-Sunrise may have noticed something new happening in Pandora Park on Wednesday afternoons.
The Kiwassa-led Pandora Community Food Market is all about bringing healthy foods into the neighbourhood. The market offers the community a mix of fruits and vegetables that change weekly depending on seasonality and availability.
“We essentially get produce at 10 per cent below wholesale,” Kiwassa Food Programs Coordinator Blain Butyniec explains. “And then we sell it for the exact amount, so it’s a way to get affordable, fresh produce into the neighbourhood.”
The market also offers further subsidies to low-income individuals living with diet-related illnesses. Those who qualify with a doctor’s referral are offered membership cards, along with $10 to $25 a week to be spent at the market for 15 weeks. These subsidies are a part of a Community Food Centres Canada initiative called Market Greens—a program dedicated to making life easier for those living with dietary health challenges.
“We’re recruiting 40 households for [the Market Greens program], both this year and then again next year,” Blain says. “So that’s something that is ongoing that people can apply for, they can get in touch with us.”
Along with creating access to healthy produce, the Pandora Community Food Market aims to bring back the sense of local community currently impacted by COVID-19. Thanks to its location outdoors, the market has ample space for social distancing and other safety protocols.
“With COVID, there’s lack of accessible or safe spaces in the community,” Blain says.
“And so we try to be super tight on social distancing and we encourage everyone to wear masks when they come, but we’re also creating community space that is kind of vanishing right now.”
With the exception of Kiwassa staff like Blain, the event is mostly volunteer-driven. Set up and operation of the market largely relies on the generosity of local community members. Volunteer Isabel Porter says the market has already made an impact in her community.
“I think people are happy to see some affordable alternatives and just to be able to be in their community in a small way in this really isolating time,” Isabel says. “Because Kiwassa is closed so we can’t really socialize right now.”
“I think people are happy to see some affordable alternatives and just to be able to be in their community in a small way in this really isolating time,” Isabel says. “Because Kiwassa is closed so we can’t really socialize right now.”
Those interested in attending the market can find it in the South-East corner of Pandora Park on Wednesday afternoons between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. while the weather permits.
“We will move into the Pandora Park field house when the weather goes bad,” Blain says. “So people can just look for the blue tents which we will set up out front.”
For more information on the Market Greens program, check out the Community Food Centres Canada website.
Everyone is welcome, and we encourage you to invite neighbours to the Pandora Community Food Market.
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