With regards to the WCDC Farmers Market, there are a few things that the public should know.
Two or three years ago, persons who said they represented the Warsaw downtown merchants, or downtown coordinators, approached the Farmers Market about relocating downtown Warsaw. Apparently, no one was shopping or patronizing these merchants. And they wanted the Farmers Market to bring customers downtown. The present Farmers Market know very well all about the downtown traffic congestion, the street and parking lot parking problems, and how hot asphalt can get in the summer months.
We in the Farmers Market are well aware not only of our vendors needs (5 to 30 vendors, vendors selling from automobile trunks to those who have up to 16-foot trailers), but those of our varied customer needs as well (everyone from expectant mothers, to those mothers with children in tow, to those who have disabilities, as well as older seniors who have trouble walking, and good safe customer parking.) All which are fairly well being met at the present fairgrounds location.
Knowing the above requirements, to the coordinators, the following four questions were asked: 1. Where are the vendors to park?
2. Where are the market customers to park?
3. With regards to the customers themselves, will there be full access to all, from those with children, to those with disabilities, to the most senior of our senior citizens, without crossing any busy streets, without worry entrancing or exiting the market area, due to street congestion? The present Farmers Market has some with Smith Street traffic, which so far the city of Warsaw has kindly seemed to ignore. Anyone who has traveled either the South High or South Buffalo streets, or have pulled into or out of these parking lots, well know these problems.
4. Liability? Mr. Editor, as of this letter, not one of these questions has any downtown coordinator or anyone else seen fit to answer.
Instead of answering, they decided to go behind closed doors and create, in secret, a new Farmers Market, one that until the Times-Union first reported it, was not even discussed with or known by the present Farmers Market officers. It was also found out, after the fact, that these same planners met with the fair board, telling them that the Farmers Market would not be held at the fairgrounds any more! That from now on the Farmers Market would be held downtown Warsaw and supposedly under a new name. Which I must say was and has been a real slap in the face to not only to the Farmers Market officers but to the member vendors as well.
Mr. Editor, it has always been my policy to support the local merchants when and wherever possible and to encourage others to do so as well. But no longer will this be so! This especially refers to those downtown merchants involved in this fiasco of deceit.
