If the Sidney Street Market temporarily operating out of the parking lot of the Mary Winspear Centre is an indicator, the municipality is seeing a resurgence of visitors from beyond the Saanich Peninsula.
Market organizer Laurie McDermid of West Coast Impressions said it is too early to categorize visitors by geography, but she has observed a growing number of out-of-area shoppers among the general rise in visitors since the market began in early May.
B次元官网网址淲e are happy that we are getting a real variety, people from everywhere,B次元官网网址� she said.
Darren Westwood, who helps to organize the market, has observed a growing comfort level with the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, as vaccinations become more widespread and public health measures become less restrictive.
B次元官网网址淧eople are more relaxed, they are happier and they are talking to the vendors more,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd the groups (visiting the market) are bigger.B次元官网网址�
One such group were eight members of Bikers Against Child Abuse, a non-profit with chapters across North America. Tug, who spoke for the group with his road name, said they chose to come to Sidney after hearing about it.
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B次元官网网址淪omebody told us about the market,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o a couple of us wanted to end up here, so this is what we did.B次元官网网址�
The main selling point for his group, which on this day included riders from Parksville, Ladysmith and Greater Victoria, were the food trucks. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 realize until we got here, there were vegetables and food (stands).B次元官网网址�
For Tug and his friends, most of whom have received two vaccination shots, B次元官网网址渏ust because we are a little older than the average kid,B次元官网网址� SundayB次元官网网址檚 ride still marked another reason to feel good about the summer.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like being alive again,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭ime stood still for that year or whatever.B次元官网网址�
The rising number of visitors is also good for local merchants at the market.
Jerry Antoniuk of Island Jerky said he has seen a lot of tourists return in the last couple of weeks.
B次元官网网址淭hat has really come back,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧rior to this, there wasnB次元官网网址檛 a lot of it. But I have had (contact with people) from Yukon, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, lots from Alberta, but of course, nothing from overseas. We used to get lots of that. But we canB次元官网网址檛 complain.B次元官网网址�
For more about the market, visit .
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