Second Market
The debate for the site of the market began almost as soon as the first council was elected. Lower Town had the political advantage, since it was entitled to four councillors out of seven elected. Lower Town enjoyed several other advantages over Upper Town for the site of a market building. Lower Town was linked with the outlying farming areas that extended from Gloucester Township to Russell and Prescott Counties. Lower Town was already an established commercial centre for goods and its citizens wanted to keep the major services there to prevent a population and economic shift to Upper Town.
After extensive discussion, a motion was passed that two markets should be built, one for each town. In Upper Town, Nicholas Sparks offered a piece of his land near Sappers Bridge for the West Ward Market. In Lower Town Mrs. James Inglis donated her property between Clarence and York Streets, which comprised four lots measuring 196 feet (60 m) deep by 132 feet (40 m) wide.
The two sites were approved by council on June 26, 1848. In order to oversee the construction of the two markets a Market Committee was set up. Charles Sparrow, a councillor for Lower Town, became the Chairman of the Committee.
The Lower Town Market Building officially opened on Saturday, November 6, 1848. The ceremony was marked by a flag raising, several speeches, and a band which played "Rule Britannia". This new market building was constructed of wood with room for market stalls on the ground floor and a well-lit upper floor to be used for public meetings. The Upper Town market was converted into a town hall and remained this way until 1878, when it was demolished to make way for a new city hall.
In September 1849, the market area was the scene of the "Stony Monday Riot". The conflict was sparked by the political and religious disputes between Catholic Reformers (in Lower Town) and Protestant Tories (in Upper Town). The controversy came to a head during a non-political reception for the visiting Lord Elgin. During the meeting in the Lower Town market building on September 17, the crowd became agitated. Reformers and Conservatives separated into two groups and a stone-throwing fracas began which lasted about 15 minutes. The group of Conservatives drove the Reformers off of the market square, west along York Street and up Clarence Street where they took refuge behind the fence of L'Esperance's Hotel. Soon after a gun battle began in the market square between the two parties. When the riot was over one man was killed, 30 were wounded and 15 men (all Reformers) were arrested.
The Lower Town market continued successfully into the 1850s. Due to overcrowding, it was decided that the market should be expanded. In 1853, four adjoining lots on York and Clarence Streets were purchased for the expansion plan. A bell was purchased and installed by the council in order to regulate the market hours.
Read more about this topic: ByWard Market, History and Evolution of The ByWard Market
Famous quotes containing the word market:
“The only reason to invest in the market is because you think you know something others don’t.”
—R. Foster Winans (b. 1948)
“I respect not his labors, his farm where everything has its price, who would carry the landscape, who would carry his God, to market, if he could get anything for him; who goes to market for his god as it is; on whose farm nothing grows free, whose fields bear no crops, whose meadows no flowers, whose trees no fruit, but dollars; who loves not the beauty of his fruits, whose fruits are not ripe for him till they are turned to dollars. Give me the poverty that enjoys true wealth.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)