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CLOSED: Cloverdale Flea Market shuttered indefinitely

Flea Market manager cites concerns over COVID-19 virus
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The Cloverdale Flea Market has been closed indefinitely. (Cloverdale Flea Market via Facebook)

The Cloverdale Flea Market has been closed indefinitely.

General manager Andy Janes emailed stakeholders with the news late on March 12.

“The Cloverdale Flea Market will be closed until further notice due to the ongoing concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus,” Janes wrote.

He added anyone who has questions or concerns can contact the flea market on 604-837-1676.

Janes told the Cloverdale Reporter that closing their doors was inescapable.

“We were thinking about it last week,” Janes said. “With the government announcement yesterday, it was clear we had to act.”

The B.C. government announced a ban March 12 on all events that would have more than 250 people attend amid growing concerns around the spread of COVID-19.

“We have to do our best to slow transmissions here in British Columbia,” said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

“It was a tough decision, but it was the most prudent decision to make,” Janes added. “We have a lot of senior vendors and we needed to calm the fears of the vendors.”

SEE ALSO: COVID-19: Province bans large gatherings in B.C.

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Janes said about 2,000 people visit the the 47-year-old flea market on an average Sunday, with that number ballooning in the summer – and when the weather is nice.

“About 250,000 people visit the flea market each year,” he said.

The flea market has both indoor vendors in the Alice McKay and Shannon Hall buildings and vendors outside the building on the fairgrounds.

Janes said they’ll wait until they get the green light from the municipal or provincial government before they reopen.

The Cloverdale Flea Market is an indoor and outdoor market that runs every Sunday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. The flea market has been open since 1973.



editor@cloverdalereporter.com

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Malin Jordan

About the Author: Malin Jordan

Malin is the editor of the Cloverdale Reporter.
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