A new public market in the Red Deer Lake area is taking a strong focus on local products and education.

Granary Road, located at 226034 on 112th Street West and south of Highway 22X, houses a market and food vendors, a green house, and a 37 acre educational park.

All produce in the greenhouse will be fresh and the market has 30 hand picked, permanent vendors.

Jane Walter- Lockwood, director of business development for Granary Road, says a great deal of research was put into developing the educational park.

"Our curriculum was developed by a local Calgary teacher who is a practicing teacher so she actually goes in and teaches a class and has taught for many years so she brings that experience with her. She's also done stuff with the Zoo and Telus Spark and the curriculum she's put together for us based on our 11 exhibits is just over the top."

One of the play areas in the active learning park. (Photo Courtesy: Granary Road)

The park will open with 11 exhibits that are based around small animals, insects, and agriculture with the goal of getting children off technology and instead getting them active outdoors.

Walter- Lockwood says Granary Road has a strong focus on supporting local.

"We spent months combing the markets for just the right vendors," she says. "We wanted to make this something big, somewhere for Albertans to come and bring their children and their families, somewhere they could go and there would be a story behind it. Make it a fun place for families to want to come and give them a sense of pride in these local companies that are just at their doorstep."

Admission to the active learning park will be $17 for adults, $15 for seniors, children ages 3-14 are $13, and children ages two and under are free. Admission to the public market is free.

The park will be open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. from April to October and the market will be open all year Thursday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

It's scheduled to officially open late June.

To learn more about Granary Road click here. 

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