It started with Solary Ha wanting to teach her daughter work ethics.
“I wanted my daughter to learn the value of money,” says Solary, a resident of Ormiston who took the initiative of starting the Ormiston Family Market which now has around 40 to 50 stalls.
Held on the fourth Saturday of every month at Ormiston Primary School, Solary says that it’s lovely to see kids and their grandparents selling bespoke toys and books along with local businesses and not-for-profit organisations as well as craft stalls making their presence felt.
“This market is unique because young people can sell as well, and it brings people together in an area where they hardly know each other. Our community market is focussed on connecting people in a new neighbourhood and it’s great to have locals walk down to the market with their families and spend their morning there.
“We often have a free fitness and dance jam session, a free Zumba session, lolly scramble or a bouncy castle for kids. The family market is also a good opportunity to introduce small businesses to each other.”
The first Ormiston Family Market was held in December last year, and there have been three held since with the fourth one to be hosted on May 26.
Talking about the indoor-outdoor flow of the market the Human Resources professional says: “There is a lovely sustainable playground right outside. While most of the stalls are inside, due to the weather conditions, all food stalls are outside.
“So when it’s a nice day we try to have tables and chairs and beanbags outside and have a musician to entertain, but it’s all weather-dependant,” she says.
And while the community is thrilled to have the vibrancy of a new family market in its midst, many are disappointed to hear that the markets will be held only until August.
“I have instructions to only have six markets a year so I will stick to that. Unless, of course, the community gets together and pushes for resource consent. I am more than happy to continue,” she says.
James Dowding, manager Resource Consent South, Auckland Council says: “Back in 2013, the organiser of the market enquired about setting up a community market at the school ground on Saturday.
“They did not wish to go through the resource consent process. Instead they relied on the ‘Temporary Activity’ provision to get the market up and running.
Under the ‘Temporary Activity’ provision of the then Manukau City Council Operative District Plan, temporary activities were permitted in all zones provided they:
- Did not exceed a duration of six days in any calendar year
- Did not operate outside the hours of 7am-10pm; and
- Did not involve the assembly of more than 500 people.
Ormiston Family Market is held on the fourth Saturday of the month at Ormiston Primary School. The next one will be hosted on Saturday, May 26.
