There’s a lot that people want to see out of the renovations to City Hall and the adjacent Market Square. Fundamentally, though, most respondents to the city’s survey want Market Square to continue operating as a real market.
Market Square regularly hosts activities on the plaza, including the ever popular Old Town Farmers’ Market — the oldest farmers’ market in the country continuously held at the same site.
Responses from city outreach so far found a plurality of respondents said they wanted Market Square to remain a market.
While there were no numbers attached to the figures, the next highest priorities were seasonal events, a universal design, and a water feature.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the bottom three activities listed were playground, commemoration and active-passive learning.
Of the four designs shared so far, concepts 2 and 4 proved the most popular, with roughly 65% and around 80% approving of the designs respectively.
A presentation prepared for City Council said that the Old Town Farmer’s Market will also need to be temporarily relocated to an adjacent space during the renovation.
“The City’s intent is for the Farmers’ Market to continue uninterrupted,” the presentation said.
Alternative temporary locations being considered are as close at Tavern Square at 421 King Street and as far as the Del Pepper Resource Center in the West End at 4850 Mark Center Drive — which somewhat strains the definition of “adjacent space.”
The survey is currently still open to community response. The presentation of a progress report is scheduled to go to City Council at the meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
