Launch of the Regent Park Farmers' Market

Yesterday was the launch of the Regent Park Farmers’ Market, and Regent Park Boulevard** was bustling with patrons taking in all that the vendors had to offer (see the full list at the end of this post).  The Market will be running every Wednesday, until October 30^th, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be serving locally grown foods and locally made goodies.

BBQ corn, butterfish sandwiches, samosas, smoothies, and butter tarts were just some of the food people were enjoying yesterday. Homemade breads, spices, organic herbs, and fresh root vegetables were in abundance. This market is aimed to be different from others in the city; Regent Park Farmers' Market is an affordable option where you will experience the wonderful diversity found in the community.  

Besides the delicious food and treats, the atmosphere was lovely. In many instances, people were meeting each other for the first time on the Boulevard and taking time out to engage with their neighbours. Several of the vendors were from Regent Park and provided some cultural favourites that will surely keep you coming back every week. The Market truly has something for everyone and is a lovely place to meet new people in the community.

We see a bright future for the Regent Park Farmers’ Market and hope you will support this endeavour. We will have a table there each week and hope you will stop by and say hi. For more information about the market please visit their website at www.regentparkfarmersmarket.ca.

**Regent Park Boulevard has not yet been officially named. It is the street colloquially known as "Street P Parking," running north/south on the East side of the Daniels Spectrum. Make sure to come out to the official street naming the same day as Sunday in the Park, on July 7th.

This list is of the venders at the market June 5, 2013. List will change throughout the season.

• Arman Farmers' Market (Wali) - bbq corn / coconut juice / sugar cane juice = RP local resident & hero
• Fish Shack (Ali) - cod fish & veggie fritters / fish & veggie sandwiches / homemade juices
• Hymark Farms (Zach) - beans / potatoes / other fresh produce = will also have Halal Goat at future markets
• Southern Horizon (Margaret & Rodney) - fresh greens / root vegetables
• The Food Smyth (Dave) - artisan cheeses
• Simply Buds (Maryann & Andrew) - raspberry & blueberry berliners / pecan tarts = RP local residents who cooked at Paintbox Bistro
• Exact Edge (Denzil) - knife sharpening
• Incredible Spices (Sanjiz) - all homemade spice blends / sauces / dips and samosas / mango lassi
• Red Pocket Farm (Amy) - fresh greens / root vegetables
• Wicklow Way (Greg & Elaina) - organic vegetables / flowers / honey
• De la Terre Bakery (Chad) - fresh baked assorted breads / muffins / date squares = they grow their own grain for the breads / treats
• Fathima's Tasty Treats (Fathima & Ahamed) - veggies & chicken samosas / fish balls / cupcakes = RP local residents who cooked at Paintbox Bistro
• Sally's Spring Rolls (Sally) - veggie & chicken spring rolls / chutney = RP local resident (caters many community events) = cooked at Paintbox Bistro
• Fresh City Farms (Arlene) - fresh greens / broccoli / root vegetables
• Paintbox Bistro's Boxie - coffee / fruit smoothies

Regent Park Food and Gardens

 Ensuring all people have access to affordable, culturally diverse, fresh and nutrient-rich foods is vital to the overall health of the community. Regent Park has a long history of food advocacy. In the 1980s, the high cost to buying fresh food was identified as a barrier to good nutrition, so the Regent Park Community Health Centre, along with the CRC, negotiated various green spaces in Regent Park to convert them to urban gardens. Well over 300 families worked on their own allotted gardens and grew foods for their families.

What we found was we had some excellent urban farmers living in Regent Park. They’ve been able to grow such foods as okra, black pepper, and even rice! 

However, we also knew that not everyone could farm nor did we have the space to ensure there was enough room to grow food for everyone who lives in the community. Developing food security initiatives has therefore long been a priority for Regent Park. 

Currently, there are several new projects that are working to enhance food security for the community. The new Food Centre at the Christian Resource Centre and the Regent Park Farmers’ Market are just a few of the initiatives that are coming into the neighbourhood this year.  

Even more food initiatives will be developing alongside the completion of Regent Park park and still more when the Athletics Grounds are complete. This unique approach to urban agriculture speaks to the creativity and ingenuity found in Regent Park.

With the support of long-serving community agencies, urban farming continues to be a vital tool for many residents, and we are excited to see the new food projects being initiated in Regent Park -- especially the Regent Park Farmers’ Market, which launches today! Make sure to stop by and check out the flyer on our website for more information.

Getting ready for summer in Regent Park

The snow is finally gone (we hope), the tulips are starting to sprout, and our winter clothes have been put away; spring is in the air! As we look forward to the next few months of sunshine and outdoor activities, we are anticipating all the events that are to come.  Here are some that we are looking forward to:

Sunday in the Park 2013

This year, RPNI will be spearheading Regent Park’s annual summer festival, Sunday in the Park.  For over 20 years, this event has brought us all together to celebrate the diversity and beauty that comes from our community. Many of you have participated in the past to make the day a success.  We are looking for the same commitment this year to make this the best Sunday in the Park yet.  The next planning meeting will be on May 21 at 1pm. It will be held at Daniels Spectrum on the 3^rd floor.  We hope to see you there.

Farmers Market

Starting this June, every Wednesday there will be a farmers market hosted in Regent Park. If you are interested in growing or cooking for the market, or just want to learn more about this exciting project, come out to the next meeting.  It will be held on May 7^th at 5:30 p.m. at 500 Dundas St. E. (the Presentation Centre). If you would like more information contact Nina at nphillips@danielscorp.com

...many more to come

This summer will bring many more events to the community, creating opportunities for us to come together. We will be telling you about them as they come up and provide a recap of the events we attend. We hope that you all take the opportunity to participate in the diverse events that are all around you. 

New Year. New Blog. Same Direction.

Welcome everyone to our blog! We are super excited for all the new things that this New Year will bring to RPNI.  In the next few weeks we will be unveiling our new initiative and new ways for you can get involved. Until then there a few changes we want to tell you about.

New Location

Many of you know that we have recently moved to the New Daniels Spectrum building at 585 Dundas St. East. We are located on the third floor in the Centre for Social Innovation and could not be happier. We are fortunate to be surrounded by many organizations that are doing great work in Regent Park and beyond. As always we encourage you to come visit us and checkout the space and while you are here connect with our new friends.  You can find many of them on our new programs page. We look forward to your visit.

New faces

We have recently added new staff and board members to the organization.  These individuals bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise that will take RPNI into the future. Soon we will be unveiling these individuals and hope you are excited as we are.

Same Commitment

RPNI was founded  to ensure Regent Park is a healthy and vibrant community where everyone belongs, is heard and celebrated; and we stand committed to that. We are currently going through our own changes and are looking forward to show them to you, including:

• New Website
• New Blog
• Memberships (coming soon)
• Events
• More community involvement

We hope that you will all join us in our endeavour. We are here to advocate for you and need your input in everything we do.  So please, let your voices be heard. We are all in this together.

(Originally posted on January 17 By Krystle Henry)