REPORT TO

MAYOR AND COUNCIL

PRESENTED: JUNE 15, 2009 - SPECIAL MEETING REPORT: 09-86

FROM: RECREATION, CULTURE, AND PARKS DIVISION FILE: 1850-20
SUBJECT: LANGLEY FARMERS MARKET SOCIETY – COMMUNITY GRANT

RECOMMENDATION(S):
That Council approves payment of a $2,500 Community Grant for Langley Farmers Market
Society.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On Monday, May 25, 2009, Mr. Gary Jones, Horticulture Instructor, Kwantlen Polytechnic
University, appeared as a delegation before Council regarding the opening of the new Langley
Farmers Market. Mr. Jones described the market organization and plans, and indicated that
$3,000 in funding is required in order to offset parking costs. Council approved a referral motion
to staff to consider a recommendation based on Council policy.

Staff requested that the Society complete an application for a community grant. After reviewing
the application, staff have determined that the initiative would have met the criteria for approval
of a grant application for community events and/or projects had it been received by the January
31, 2009 application deadline. Under this policy, grants for special events, programs and
scholarships are provided on a 100 percent basis to a maximum of $2,500 for each grant.

Council has $13,050 remaining in its 2009 grants budget. Staff recommend that Council
approve payment of a Community Grant for Langley Farmers Market Society in the amount of
$2,500 which would be consistent with Council policy.

PURPOSE:

To provide Council with a recommendation as per Council policy on grant distribution for
Langley Farmers Market Society application.
LANGLEY FARMER’S MARKET SOCIETY – COMMUNITY GRANT
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BACKGROUND/HISTORY:
On Monday, May 25, 2009, Gary Jones, Horticulture Instructor, Kwantlen Polytechnic
University, appeared as a delegation before Council regarding the opening of the new Langley
Farmers Market on the university property. The market has recently been established and a
non-profit Society has been formed for the operation of this new community initiative. Mr. Jones
provided a brief history of the Society which has been meeting since November 21, 2008. The
Board of Directors of the Society has recently hired a manager to oversee the market on a day
to day basis. Mr. Jones continued that partners include the City of Langley, BC Association of
Farmers Markets, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Fraser Health Authority, Langley
Environmental Protection Society, and Well Seasoned Food Store. He added that space has
been secured, initial funding received, stall holders recruited, and the opening day has been set
for Wednesday, July 8, 2009. He noted that the benefits include the use of Kwantlen space,
community links, reduction of carbon footprint for residents, building local food policy and
security capacity, and adding a visitor’s destination for the municipality. He noted that $3,000 in
funding is required in order to offset parking costs.

Council discussed the item and referred the matter to staff and asked for a report with a
recommendation based on Council policy.

DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The Langley Farmers Market Society request is consistent with the 59 approved requests that
the Township received earlier this year through its 2009 Community Grant process. According
to Policy 02-021, non-profit organizations that operate in the Township of Langley may request
by January 31 of each year, a grant for the organization of events and projects that benefit the
community. Grants for special events, programs and scholarships are provided on a 100
percent basis to a maximum of $2,500 for each grant.

Criteria for the approval of a grant application for community events and/or programs are:

1. The applicant must be a non-profit group or organization serving the Township of

Langley;
2. The majority of the membership should be residents of the Township of Langley;
3. The application must demonstrate that all other avenues of income generation have
been pursued;
4. The requested funding must not provide for administrative salaries. Preference will be
given to groups whose applications show a great deal of voluntary effort;
5. The event or the program must be held in the community and should promote tourism or
the identity of Langley; and
6. Only one grant is provided for each applicant for a community event.
LANGLEY FARMER’S MARKET SOCIETY – COMMUNITY GRANT
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Upon the referral of this request, staff asked that the Society complete a Community Grant
application. Staff have reviewed the application (see Attachment A) and have determined that it
would have met the criteria for approval had it been received by the January 31, 2009 deadline.
Staff understands that the Society was in its infancy four months ago and the planning for this
years’ market was just underway.

Given that funds remain in the Community Grant budget, staff recommends that Council
approves payment of a $2,500 Community Grant for Langley Farmers Market Society.

Applicable Policies:

Policy 02-021 Community Events Grant and Application

Intergovernmental Implications

The actual market will be operated on lands situated in the City of Langley. Recent Council
discussions related to Farmers Market considerations in the Township of Langley are not
directly applicable to this request.

Community Implications

The market will serve both City of Langley and Township of Langley residents, as well as
visitors. The benefits of the market were described by Mr. Jones during his delegation and are
described in the grant application.

Financial Implications

Staff reported on April 20, 2009 that upon payout of all approved 2009 grants, $9,250 would
remain as unallocated. Since then, it has been determined that there was an overpayment of
$3,800 to one grant applicant. The revised current balance in the 2009 budget for Community
Grants is $13,050. Should Council approve this additional community grant application in the
amount of $2,500 as recommended, this balance would be reduced to $10,550.

Respectfully submitted,

David Leavers
DIRECTOR
for
RECREATION, CULTURE, AND PARKS

This report has been prepared in consultation with the following listed departments.

CONCURRENCES
Division Name
FINANCE DIVISION D. Sparks

ATTACHMENT A – Community Grant Application