A large and vocal crowd reacted negatively last week to potential concepts for moving the Overland Park Farmers’ Market to a nearby park.
Many also were critical of the idea of major changes even without moving the market to Santa Fe Commons Park.
“Leave it like it is,” said Byron Townsend, one of about 100 people who attended a July 19 meeting to discuss possible improvements to the park, at 8045 Santa Fe Drive, between Santa Fe Drive and Overland Park Drive in downtown Overland Park. Townsend and others complained that they had suggested only modest changes to the park at a previous open house on the topic in June. The most outspoken attendees weren’t enthusiastic about the colorful and creative concepts aimed at making the park more vibrant. Omaha-based RDG Planning & Design landscape architecture firm consultant Bruce Niedermyer said he understood the public’s skepticism and resistance to moving the farmers’ market from its current location at 7950 Marty St.
“This is what we expected,” he said of the passionate public reaction July 19. But he noted the firm’s instructions from the city were to come up with four specific conceptual plans: two including moving the market to the park, and two park-only concepts without a farmers market. That’s what they did.
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