Hull supermarket could help community, say smaller grocery stores

The island of Hull has been branded a "food desert" for its lack of a supermarket,and even smaller grocery store ownersworking in its absence say the community could use one.

The downtown community right across the Ottawa River from Ottawa's parliamentary districthas a few shops and depanneurs that sell food, but no full-size grocery store.

The manager of March de solidarit rgionale de l'Outaouaisa co-op allowing people to orderlocal food online, that just expanded to a new walk-in shopping space on Eddy Streetsaid they'll still have their niche if and when a supermarket opens nearby.

"I really hope there will be more and more opportunities for businesses to grow up here and bring the fresh food [to]the community definitely it will be us but also different types of enterprises because really there's a need and there's a demand for it as well," said Anne-Marie Dufour.

A little further down the street, the new co-owner of theMarch Monette grocery shop said a supermarket could change the way people think about Hull.

"A lot of people go to other places to do their shopping, pretty much everybody, and we have to try to get them to come here," said Charles Seguin.

"You don't have the same nutrition when you have to buy food at thedepanneuror somethinghealthwiseit's absolutely vital for a community to have access to fresh food,"Dufoursaid.

"It's creating a community as well where you can walk it's more sustainable when you can walk to everything."

False starts

According to the community groupCooprative de solidarit de l'picerie de l'le-de-Hull, which has been trying to get a large grocery storesince 2005, the last Hull supermarket closed in 1999.

There have been several false starts through the years including in January, when plans for a 12,000-square-foot store in thenew W/Econdominium project at Eddy and Wellington streets fell through.

People pushing for a new supermarket are focusing on two potential sites: another condominium building under construction across the street from W/E or the SAQ depot on Des Allumetieres Boulevard, since its lease expires soon.

Seguin said he'd prefer if a new supermarket opened in about five years, when more people are living in these and other new condominiums in the neighbourhood to buoy all kinds of businesses.

"People attract people, if we can get more businesses obviously here we need more people," he said.

"When new people come into condos, more businesses are going to come and eventually Ithink we'll have a great area here with small shops."