Just in time for another harvest, Colonel Samuel Smith Park – located in South Etobicoke – becomes home to Toronto’s newest farmers’ market.
Starting on September 12, you can find the Sam Smith Park Farmers’ Market at 65 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive (Kipling and Lakeshore) every Saturday, 8:00am to 1:00pm through October 31st, rain or shine. The market is a test run to help determine the suitability of the location, day and time before taking off as a full season market in 2016.
Jolene Casella and Brian Liberty, two area residents that had similar visions to bring energy to the seasonal skating trail during the summer months, founded Sam Smith Park Farmers’ Market after meeting at a community event.
“The market will take place right on the skating trail in the park. It is such an incredible space”, said Jolene. “The City is currently renovating the interior of the adjacent Power House Recreation Centre. We hope the market will run year round some day to make use of the Power House through the winter.”
Colonel Samuel Smith Park has a long history as a community gathering space. Once home to the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital up until its closing in 1979, the land was used for farm crops and livestock to feed the patients and staff of the hospital. “This park is really important to the community and to us”, said Brian. “People will have the opportunity to meet up together each week, enjoy the outdoors and get to know the people who grow and make their food.”
The market will feature more than 20 vendors, both locally and from Southern Ontario, offering a wide variety of fresh farm fare, cheeses, meat and seafood, bread, prepared foods, baked goods, juices and even an organic winery. It will also have a selection of craft vendors and weekly activities and entertainment for the family.
“We knew there was interest for another market in the area, we knew that farms and businesses were interested, but we never thought it would take off so quickly”, said Jolene.
The Sam Smith Park Farmers’ Market has partnered with several organizations and businesses from South Etobicoke. We are proud to announce local arts service organization and Lead Partner, Lakeshore Arts. They will provide free arts programming, workshops and will curate rotating featured local artists at the market. Other partners include DeGroot Design, Friends of Sam Smith Park and Lakeshore Collegiate Institute.
The market will have it all – from 15 different kinds of organic garlic from Fat Rooster Farm (Victoria Harbour, ON) to delightful goat cheeses from Crosswind Farm (Keene, ON). Veteran storefronts of the Lakeshore will be on site including More Than Pies, Tatsu’s bread and the Healing Muse Apothecary, along with our new neighbours The Fix and Co. and Fit Organix. And don’t think about representing your ‘hood without checking out On Twenty Ninth and their fun collection of hand silk screened totes and apparel.
Join us each week to shop and eat locally. By visiting the Sam Smith Park Farmers’ Market, you are supporting our farmers as well as businesses and community members. And hey, IT’S REALLY GOOD FOOD.
For more information, please visit www.SamSmithMarket.ca, or follow along on Twitter and Facebook; @SamSmithMarket
