The first 100 people to attend the inaugural day of operations will receive a Niagara Falls Exchange tote bag. Photo Credit: The Exchange
This Saturday will be a historic day for Niagara Falls as The Exchange, the city’s new cultural hub and home of the Farmer’s Market, opens its doors to the public. The milestone marks the conclusion of a multi-year construction project in which the grand opening date has been pushed back six times. It also represents new opportunities for local artists and small business owners seeking to share their offerings with the community.
The Niagara Falls Exchange is located at 5943 Sylvia Place, behind the Niagara Falls History Museum, and cost $17 million to build. Garritano Brothers Ltd., a construction company located in Oshawa, was contracted to complete the project. The venue was originally slated to begin serving the community on Canada Day 2022, but encountered various delays during the phases of edification. It was argued that the impact of pandemic closures on supply chains and manpower unavailability drew the project out beyond schedule. However, local officials, including Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, became less sympathetic to this reasoning as the delays mounted, arguing that the time for “more excuses” had long passed.
Clark Bernat currently serves as the Senior Manager of Culture for the City of Niagara Falls. Bernat says that the state-of-the-art 3,000-foot Exchange building will provide enough space to run up to 45 outdoor and indoor vendors. This combination of indoor and outdoor facilities will be perfect for the Farmer’s Market as it can now operate year-round. The Exchange will also include key features, such as a cafe, a culture and market hall, an art studio as well as an art gallery, and a woodworking studio.
The market will run from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 18th. The first 100 people to attend the inaugural day of operations will receive a Niagara Falls Exchange tote bag. A full list of festivities has been planned for this celebratory occasion.
Those interested in learning more can do so at the following link: The Niagara Falls Exchange
Nick Redekop completed his Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Labour Studies at Brock University. He has previously served in municipal and federal politics. In his free time, Nick enjoys following sports, taking part in outdoor activities, and reading biographies. Nick resides in Niagara Falls
