CED unveils Farm Market Gateway plan

BY KIRK STARRATT

The Advertiser

NovaNewsNow.com

A draft Kings County Farm Market Gateway proposal was presented recently to Kings County council’s committee of the whole. However, it has been referred to the Kings Community Economic Development Agency (Kings CED) committee that proposed it for further work and input from county councillors.

Kings CED development officer Marianne Gates, who made the presentation to councillors, said the proposal would help brand our area as a farm market shopping destination.

Gates presented the proposal on behalf of Elderkin’s, Hennigar’s, Stirling’s and Noggin’s Corner (Bishop’s) farm markets. Representatives of the four farm markets brought the request for a farm market designation for the Greenwich area to council several months ago. The recent Greenwich planning study commissioned by council recommended the community be designated as a farm market capital.

The Kings CED met with representatives of the farm markets and formed a committee including representatives from the municipality and the provincial departments of Agriculture, Transportation and Tourism to develop a proposal.

“We recognize there’s a concern that this is just a Greenwich project, but we see this as a starting point for the county,” Gates said.



Four-phase agenda

She said the proposal was broken down into phases to make it more palatable financially. The first phase, to take effect immediately, would involve contracting a graphic designer to develop a concept for the farm market signage. A sign would be placed on both sides of Highway 101 Exit 11 indicating a “Farm Market Gateway.” These would replace existing highway signs and the approval of the Department of Transportation would be required.

The potential second phase would involve the development of a website to promote all farm markets in Kings County. A potential third phase for 2008 would involve the development of “Way Maps” to be used at off-exit stopping points and operator locations to indicate the whereabouts of all other farm markets in the county. A potential fourth phase for 2009 would involve signage placed at additional highway exits where farm markets are located.

The estimated cost of the first phase of the proposal is $20,800, including $3,000 for design and $17,800 for the highway signs. The four Greenwich farm markets would contribute $2,000, and $18,800 would be required from the municipality.

Gates said the implementation of this strategic focus would further increase development of farm markets within Kings County and increase economic and community development.