Saturday, June 13 marks the opening of the St. Albert farmers’ market for the 2009 season. While this event is usually viewed by the good people of St. Albert as a fun family event, I for one will not be attending this Saturday, or for that matter the rest of the summer.
Last year, I brought my young child to the market in hopes of spending a wholesome Saturday morning enjoying all that St. Albert has to offer. However, due to the negligence of the organizers of the market, this was not the case. First a lack of properly shaded areas meant that although my child was protected by SPF 45 sunscreen, he was subjected to the blazing July sun, leaving him with painful sunburns and a nasty case of heat exhaustion.
Next off, like many of the precious children of St. Albert, my son suffers from seasonal allergies. The outside setting of the farmers’ market coupled with July’s airborne allergens caused my child to break out in hives, which was both an embarrassing and uncomfortable experience for us.
Finally, to complete this horrific morning, as we attempted to make our way back to our vehicle we passed a stall providing free samples of baked goods well within my son’s reach, so naturally he grabbed one. Were it not for my vigilant eye, that treat could have been a one-way ticket to the emergency room, for you see, my son is deathly allergic to nuts, which that cookie may have contained.
I propose that the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce strongly consider making the farmer’s market an indoor, and strictly nut-free event. Not only would this eliminate some of the dangers that the market presents, it would also allow vendors to sell their goods year-round in a controlled environment. I know if these changes were implemented, I as well as many other concerned parents, would be able to participate with our children in what has come to be known as a St. Albert tradition.
Karen Paquette, St. Albert
