Alex Pope, who is well known in Maple Ridge as a candidate for the Green Party, will be running the Haney Farmers Market.
The Fraser North Farmers Market Society has announced the hiring of Pope as the interim executive director the remainder of the 2021 fiscal year. The society manages the Haney and Port Coquitlam Farmers Markets.
“We thank Melissa Maltais for her leadership over the past two and a half years, and directing our society through the COVID-19 pandemic,” said an announcement by the society.
“Her contributions to building an online market and ensuring continuity of funding ensured that our farmers markets will continue to serve the vendors and the communities of Maple Ridge and Port Coquitlam for years to come.”
Maltais is moving to a new job as Membership and Programs Lead with the BC Association of Farmers Market.
READ ALSO: Great start to Haney Farmers Market
Pope has a long history of volunteering with a variety of non-profit societies, including six years on the board of the Fraser North Farmers Market Society, with two years serving as the chair. His professional background is in information technology and custom software, and he is close to completing an Executive Master of Business Administration in Social Enterprise Leadership.
READ ALSO: More vendors planned for Haney Farmers Market
Pope is known on the local political scene, and last ran for the BC Green Party in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows in 2017.
The Haney Farmers Market runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Memorial Peace Park from May to November.
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