Farmers' market is NOT a Grand Prix casualty
UPDATE: The Farmer's Market is ON for Sunday, September 4. I just got a call from Deputy Mayor Kaliope Parthenos confirming it. The Mayor, Parthemos said, made the decision a few weeks ago. I hadn't been notified.
Here's Michael Dresser's on the continuing traffic woes caused by preparations for the this summer's Baltimore Grand Prix.
There will be no Sunday farmers' market on September 4. Although the race track for the event doesn't cross the farmer's market grounds, the city wants the markets lots for event parking.
It's a drag for market-goers not to have the farmers market, of course, but it's a real setback for the vendors, particularly vendors. The Sunday of Labor Day weekend is among the most, if not the most, lucrative days of the market season. It makes sense. Summer produce is peaking, and folks are back at their routines.
I don't have a solution. I just know that there is one, if enough people want it.
A few farmers I spoke with said that a relocated market would be better than no market at all.
If you have a good idea about how to save the Labor Day weekend Farmer's market, email it to me at richard.gorelick@baltsun.com and I'll update this post. Let me know if I can use your name.
Baltimore Sun photo/Algerina Perna
your responses below:
►Hi Richard, I'm sitting in a meeting and just read your blog - not knowing where the grand prix route is and thinking about easy access and parking - how about poly/western parking lots as an alternate site?
►How about hosting the farmers market in the parking lot of Western High School off Cold Spring and Falls Rd? It's just off 83 and is large enough.
►Instead of using the under pass for parking and further adding to the congestion of get around for the grand prix, leave the under pass alone and keep the farmer’s market going that day.
Use the parking lots at the Port Covington WalMart and now abandoned Sam’s club and simply bus people to the GP.
►Put the Farmer's Market in amongst all of the other vendors at the Grand Prix event. Everyone hates the carny food that typically gets setup at events like this. It would show off Baltimore's farmers. It could be really cool. Call the mayor.
►Perhaps at the location of another market but one that is closed on Sundays: Waverly?
►What about the parking lot at Poly/Western? It's right on main roads and main bus lines. This will also keep it away from what will be a traffic nightmare in the heart of the city. - Kelley Ray
►my solution is have the big mkt spread out at all other mkt spaces that operate during the week.
call it farmers market day and highlight another great part of our city on a day people are watching. @bmoreconnected via Twitter
►Suggestion: Relocate the Market to Western/Poly’s Parking Lot. Big outdoor space that is convenient from the JFX. Also has a lightrail stop (Coldspring) and great service by bus. It is far enough away from downtown not to be TOO affected by Grand Prix congestion, but close enough to be convenient to typical Sunday FM customers. -David N. from Hampden.
►My solution is we tell the grand prix to sod off. Hanne Blank via Twitter.
►I'm sure Patterson Park could handle it. (Which is where it should be anyway! CookinLikKeller via Twitter.
►They should use the Falls Rd area between Maryland and Chestnut (near G-Spot, south)...under that massive bridge there. - via Facebook
►The business-unfriendly traffic tie-ups downtown are a hidden cost of this and will get worse. Other GP cities have been paralyzed. Course closings mean you can't even walk across town at the ones I've worked at. Already the crossing guards the city uses to police intersections apply baseless no left turn restrictions all over. the solution is to eat in Greektown. - via Facebook
►I’d recommend moving the Farmer’s Market to Patterson Park. The park hosts several festivals throughout the year and the vendors will have access to the surrounding neighborhood. I think it would be a win win.
