Fiddle Park Commissary Kitchen hosts open house ahead of full opening

July 30, 2026 · 0 Comments

Written By JOSHUA DRAKES

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

The Town of Shelburne opened the doors to its Fiddle Park Commissary Kitchen on July 23 at 3 p.m., giving guests a chance to visit, explore, and learn about the space before it fully opens to the public in a few weeks.

Guests were also treated to food and drinks courtesy of Comfort Foods Canada, which catered the event.

Economic Development Officer Carol Maitland said that the Commissary Kitchen is almost ready and only needs a small amount of equipment and inspections before it can be opened up.

“We’re just waiting for the dishwasher right now, and a final inspection,” she said. “But once all that’s done, the kitchen will be ready for use. We’re expecting that to be done over the next two weeks.”

Despite the space not even being open yet and advertising not yet conducted, Maitland said word of mouth has spread quickly. Demand is already growing, demonstrating strong community demand.

“We haven’t advertised yet, but there’s about eight businesses already on a waiting list,” she said. “I think there’s a real need for a space like this.”

The Commissary Kitchen is a spacious facility with a variety of advanced equipment designed to give local entrepreneurs a leg up without having to leave town, a feature that’s quickly gaining traction around town.

Some of the equipment provided goes beyond basic ovens, basins, and other kitchen essentials. The Town has set up commercial dehydrators, vacuum sealers, mixers, and more, all with the intention of providing the best service and the widest possible options.

When it comes to space utilization, Maitland said the kitchen remains extremely flexible for how renters can use it.

“You can rent it as a one-off, or you can rent it for a series,” she said. “You could literally book out the entire year if you wanted to, or a series of four-hour slots for the entire year. For those people who rent it frequently and consistently, then we’re offering fridge and freezer storage.”

The storage space also includes pantry space, meaning returning users of the space will be able to leave some or all of their materials and tools on-site, making commuting and transporting to the space even easier, a detail Maitland said would be very useful for independent entrepreneurs and solo business owners who don’t have large vehicles or teams to rely on.

For those same entrepreneurs, Maitland said that the Town of Shelburne can also provide staff at an additional cost to help with some of the basic setup.

“We’re going to offer a concierge service,” she said. “There will be someone that’ll help them clean, prep, et cetera, and then they’ll just pay them on an hourly basis. But that will be an add-on, and that will be something that they’ll be able to do on their own when they want the space.”

The flexibility of the Commissary Kitchen has been well received, with the town noting that visitors and future users of the facility have been impressed by the services offered and the equipment available — all at an affordable price.

With just a few weeks remaining before the kitchen opens for use and several community members already expressing interest, the Fiddle Park Commissary Kitchen is expected to become a valuable resource for years to come.