[Vision2020] Fee Parking??

[amy smoucha]

I am fairly new to Moscow, and the Market is one of the best and most 
vibrant parts of the community.  I think moving it to Main Street is a good 
idea.  For one thing, there may be more vendor spots.  There are a lot of 
people with excellent local products and crafts who can't compete for the 
limited spots available.  As it is, potential vendors without a yearly spot 
must arrive in the middle of the night to get in line for the extra spots 
available.  We are very, very lucky to have a Farmers Market with plenty of 
both vendors and customers, and I hope this community jumps at the chance to 
have this resource grow.  In addition, the foot traffic on Main Street may 
bring more market shoppers into downtown storefronts.  I know a lot of 
people who travel from Pullman, the Valley and other towns to come to our 
market.

In terms of parking, I think we have to think realistically and flexibly.  
In town centers it is not unusual to have to walk a few blocks to enjoy a 
market or restaurant.  I think we have to make sure there is parking for 
people with disabilities or folks less mobile, but closing off a couple of 
blocks of Main Street certainly will not eliminate parking or make the area 
impossible to enjoy.

As a small community, we are lucky to have the challenge of a Farmers Market 
that is growing beyond its space!

Amy Smoucha


----Original Message Follows----
From: "Linda Pall" <lpall@moscow.com>
To: "John Danahy" <jdanahy@turbonet.com>, "Vision2020" 
<vision2020@moscow.com>
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Fee Parking??
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2003 11:36:12 -0700

Dear Friends of the Moscow Farmers Market:

I spoke to Deena Heath, Arts Commission Director, today and she assured me
that the "move to Main Street" is rumor only. No decisions have been made
about this. The idea of moving the market to Main Street has been suggested
by some members of the Moscow Downtown Association. Jerry Schutz, Downtown
Coordinator, or Pam Hays, Association President, should have more
information about this conversation. I have not seen a written proposal.

The Arts Commission will have a market vendors' meeting on Saturday, October
25, at 2:30 PM in the Council Chambers to give all of the vendors plenty of
opportunity to express their opinions about the market and its future.

The City hasn't taken any decisions about the Farmers Market and will only
make changes once the topic has been fully and publicly discussed. The
mechanism for any changes in location or configuration would be to have a
recommendation from the vendors to the Arts Commission and from the Arts
Commission to the Administrative Committee and/or the Public Works/Finance
Committee and then to the full Council for final disposition. There are a
lot of opportunities to get into the conversation but earlier is always
better in these matters.

  Deena told me that she views the market as a partnership between the
vendors and the City. The Market can't happen without that partnership and
it is the reason for the success and vitality of the market.

Those of us who love the Market and want to see it 'live long and prosper'
should plan to participate in the deliberations about the Market! It's a
great gift to Moscow and one of the hallmarks of our community.

All the best,
Linda Pall

   ----- Original Message -----
   From: John Danahy
   To: Vision2020
   Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 5:21 PM
   Subject: [Vision2020] Fee Parking??


   I just heard an unbelievable rumor that the city intends to eliminate the 
free parking off Jackson between Third and Sixth and use the lot for permit 
only parking seven days a week.  Also, in order to free up more permit 
space, the city wants to move the Farmers Market to Main Street on 
Saturdays, and eliminate Main Street parking to accommodate the market. Is 
this really true??



   John

   jdanahy@turbonet.com

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