NORWICH – Major changes to the summertime farmers market in East Park in Norwich are underway that will likely embellish and diversify the market, thereby increasing the number of vendors and local patrons in coming years.
The Chenango County Board of Supervisors last week adopted a resolution establishing the Norwich Business Improvement District Management Association (BID) to oversee the farmers market within the county-owned East Park in Norwich. According to the resolution, the role of the BID will be to facilitate market vendors and events, and promote the market as an asset to both consumers and businesses to increase participation.
The resolution additionally states that the farmers market is a benefit to the health and welfare of the consumers of the area, and an important income source for Chenango County farmers. Therefore, having administrative assistance from the BID will likely benefit the market so that vendors can direct more attention toward marketing their own products.
The change was largely in response to a reduction in the number of vendors and product selection at the market in recent years. The Chenango County Farmers Market, which has been the lead organization of the farmers market in East Park for many years, will be subject to changes that are yet to be determined by the Norwich BID.
Currently, the BID is working closely with vendors, city and county officials, and members of its own board to determine the most viable course of action for the Norwich market. The agency plans to release more details in the coming weeks.
Although East Park is property of Chenango County, operation of the farmers market has historically abided by City of Norwich bylaws. In order for the BID to successfully manage the market, some of those bylaws may need to be addressed in the near future, explained Ken Smith, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County and a leading advocate for growing the local market.
“A sense of coordination at the farmers market will encourage more vendors to come in,” he said at a Chenango County Ag, Buildings and Grounds Committee held Tuesday. “At the end of the day, I think what farmers really want is a place where they can sell their vegetables.”
Smith added that while factors such as population and income make it unfeasible to compare the Norwich market to successful markets in nearby communities such as Hamilton and Ithaca, the BID may make changes to the local market using a similar model.
In the meantime, Vital Vittles, a separate entity from the Chenango County Farmers Market, is continuing its wintertime farmers market in the SUNY Morrisville Norwich campus on Conkey Ave. Changes to the summer market in East Park will not affect Vital Vittles’ winer farmers market.