Collegiate Times

Plans are in the works for an improved Farmer's Market with a mini-park for the community that will be known as Market Square Park.

The Housing and Community Development Advisory Board of the Blacksburg Town Council has proposed that $500, 000 of community development block grant funds to be used for the Farmer's Market Proposal.

It is planned for the market to be moved from its current location on the corner of Roanoke Street and Draper Road to the parking lot behind the UPS store on Main Street in order to accommodate more customers as well as the now-cramped vendors,  said Susan Anderson, a town council member on the advisory board.

The move is also a safety measure. Currently, the Farmer's Market shoppers fill the sidewalks. "When the sidewalk gets crowded, people will step out into the street to get around," Anderson said. She also notes that with the new design, there will be greater shading for costumers and produce, which will keep the foods fresher.

The intention is also that the market will provide an area for recreation, with trees and grasses, a far cry from the barren concrete there is now.

 "It'll be much greener and will be a great space to hang out, to read a book, to eat," Anderson said.

However, some local businesses are wary of losing the parking on Main Street. The park's creation requires the removal of 22 of the 39 parking spaces. During the construction, parking will be even more limited.

Susan Murphy, owner of the UPS store on Main Street, is afraid that she will lose costumers during the already difficult economic times.

"I could lose possibly up to 50 percent because people are not going to come down and hassle with parking," Murphy said.

According to a survey she performed from January through February, 83 percent of her customers drive to her location.

Hargewinn Bekele, owner of Excellent Table, an Ethiopian take-out restaurant, fears for her business during times of construction as her door is located right in front of the parking lot. She is also concerned about dust and debris from the construction entering her restaurant and violating health codes.  

"When they start tearing down the parking, I'll have no place to go," Bekele said.

Murphy suggested for the city to use the parking lot of the old Dock Roberts building, which is also on Main Street and is city-owned. However, Anderson explained that vendors at the Farmer's Market board and most of the downtown merchants want it downtown. She also argues that the mini-park will draw more customers to the shops.

"The vendors, the Farmer's Market board and town staff have put a lot of hours on this project and have received a tremendous amount of citizen input. It's really going to be an asset to Blacksburg and downtown in particular."

The Blacksburg Town Council and town staff intends to help businesses as much as possible during the construction process by planning construction timing and possible signs to show costumers where parking is available

One major focus will be to educate citizens on already existing parking around Main Street, including the public parking lot behind the post office off Church Street which has a direct walk way to Main Street, as well as adding 10-minute parking spaces on top of the two already existing ones. They also want to encourage citizens to take advantage of public transportation, ride bikes or walk to their destinations.

Anderson says that parking is not an apprehension for most downtown business owners.

"Very few people have I heard anything negative from. Most people are excited about turning that parking lot into a mini-park. They are looking forward to it."  

Still Murphy and Bekele are worried about their businesses during the construction, which they fear could last up to a year.

"This is my personal money that I invested in downtown Blacksburg," explains Murphy.

Citizens are invited to hear the council members speak about the budget April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal building before it goes to vote April 28.