Friday, October 29, 2010 At least 140 riders in costumes jumped on their bikes for the fourth annual Pumpkin Cross…
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Agriculture
Decision looms for Pitt market
Farmers markets featuring local produce and products are thriving in town. by Maria Rantanen mrantanen@mrtimes.com
Mitch Thompson/TIMES
Nathan Haider, two, reached out for the sugar cookie bought for him at the Mom and Me Pies stand during last Saturday’s Haney Farmer’s Market. The market has moved from its normal location in Memorial Peace Park to St. Andrew’s church for the colder season.
Market shopping is winding down for the year with three more Haney market days scheduled and tentative plans to continue holding a market in Pitt Meadows next year. The eight-week pilot market in Pitt Meadows was a huge success but in order to grow, there needs to be more parking than offered at Osprey Village, said market manager Eileen Dwillies. A decision was scheduled to be made yesterday, after the TIMES’ deadline, on how to proceed with the Pitt Meadows market. The Osprey Village Market in Pitt Meadows had an average of 800 customers, which Dwillies said is good for a new market. The Haney Farmers’ Market hasn’t had any huge increase in numbers of people coming to the market – customer numbers usually range from 1,200 to 2,000 per week – but the people who are coming are buying a lot more of the products on sale. “It’s just been wonderful – we’ve doubled sales,” Dwillies said. The Haney Farmers’ Market will still run indoors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. three Saturdays, including Oct. 30, Nov. 6 – with a special pancake breakfast 9:30 - 11:30 a.m – and Dec. 4. The market is at St. Andrews United Church at Dewdney Trunk Road and 222nd Street.
Development
Land reserve exclusion quashed The agricultural land commission concluded that the exclusion for the Pelton project would further erode farming in the area. by Maria Rantanen mrantanen@mrtimes.com
The Agricultural Land Commission has denied the Pelton family’s application to pull land near 203rd Street and 132nd Avenue out of the agricultural land reserve, saying the land is still suitable for farming. The Pelton family applied to have 66
hectares of farmland pulled out of the land reserve and wanted to develop the majority of the land into an industrial park, but also include a park and community gardens. “We’re not shocked, but we are surprised,” said Chris Rounding, co-owner of the Pelton Employment Lands. “We thought there was a lot of things that were beneficial to the community.” He added the family had not expected an outright denial or approval; rather they thought perhaps the land commission would have asked for some changes to things they were concerned about. The commission stated in its decision that the land has farming capabilities and is “suitable” for farming.
The commission further stated that the sive community benefits and the supproposal would “impact agriculture” and port received not only from Maple Ridge was “inconsistent with the Agricultural council but also from many members of Land Commission Act to preserve agricul- the community would have persuaded tural land.” the ALC of the merits of our proposal,” Rounding said he and Steve Pelton said in a press the rest of the family release. First seen as are trying to wrap their The Pelton family doesn’t heads around the decision have any plans for the breaking news at and don’t know yet how property at this time. They www.mrtimes.com they’re going to move have one year to ask the forward. land commission to recon“We had a plan A ... we didn’t really sider their proposal but it would have to have a plan B,” Rounding said. be significantly different or have signifiIn a press release, the Pelton family cant new information, Rounding said, but expressed its disappointment of the decithe family doesn’t know if they want to sion. have it reconsidered. continued on page 13… “We had hoped that the very exten-
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