Dufferin Grove farmers' market

Dec.10, 2024, from Jutta Mason

door opener usually broken

This farmers' market just celebrated its 21st birthday (with birthday cake -- the cake obtained by market manager Nicole Jacobs). For most of that stretch of time it used the inside of the rink change room on market day (Thursdays), as well as the zamboni garage (minus the zamboni). Then in 2020 the building was renovated and now the market must all fit into one big room. There are benches set out for sociability and for people to put their bags down when they need more hands. But it can get crowded fast.

To get inside, there are three doors with automatic door openers. But the doors are so heavy that the buttons keep breaking. So most of the time they don't work.

The spaces between the benches and the market tables are too narrow to accommodate wheelchairs or walkers, but the seating is good and the atmosphere is very friendly. However, carrying heavy bags of groceries while still looking to buy more is tough, especially for people with bad knees or bad balance. I offered the market manager a donated shopping buggy to be kept at the building's skate room for market days. It could then be loaned out to anyone who needs mobility help (not only old people with bad knees but also market visitors with little kids who may need to be carried). A buggy has a smaller footprint than a stroller, reducing the tight squeeze when the room fills up with customers and -- off to the sides -- with skaters, during rink season.

The market manager was enthusiastic, but the offer was not okay with city staff.

Photo: Nicole Jacobs

Photo: Nicole Jacobs

shopping buggy

Nov.29, 2024, from rec supervisor Michelle Sirianni

"Regarding the cart....we will not be responsible for storing it for you. Donating your cart for public market use and having it be stored with other market stuff, will have to be a discussion between you and Nicole. I cannot comment on that."

But the fact is, the storage areas at the park are often a mess, most of the staff are not reliable and -- except (hopefully) for the skate-lending room -- there is no secure place to store the equipment, including our donated shopping buggy.

Nov.29, 2024, From my email to the rec supervisor:

"Re the shopping buggy -- it's an accessibility tool for me and could be for other market shoppers as well. It's even a help for a parent who has small kids and finds that she can't carry three bags of market produce and a suddenly tired kid at the same time. (In stores you never have to carry all your stuff -- farmers' markets are less convenient for people, too bad.).....There are plenty of places in the skate room that could have a hook for it to hang on, out of the way. Accessibility needs vary across a spectrum, they're not "one-wheelchair-fits-all." However, judging by your comments, I will now need to get the buggy back to my place (no need for you to bring it, I can get it picked up when I can get help) and to stop shopping at this market because it doesn't work for me. Problem solved."

Back to Accessibility Notebook front page