Harrisburg’s historic farmers market was given the all clear to transition to a nonprofit entity tonight, as City Council approved a lease and management agreement with the soon-to-be-formed Broad Street Market Alliance.
Though not on the agenda, a resolution to enter into the agreement was approved by a unanimous vote after council brought it up from the floor.
Market Manager Beth Taylor, who attended tonight’s meeting, said the management agreement will allow the market to enter a new era, able to tap into grants reserved for nonprofits and raise funds more easily for upgrades and improvements.
“I find this to be an exciting time,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the future to see everything that the market is able to do.”
For decades, the market, which dates back to 1861, was squeezed among various entities, run by the for-profit Broad Street Market Corp. under the auspices of Historic Harrisburg Association. In addition, the city owns the two market buildings and property and had been liable for all maintenance and repairs. That responsibility now will fall to the Broad Street Market Alliance.
“This is big news on the Broad Street Market,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said after the meeting. “The new Alliance will be able to start out completely fresh.”
Papenfuse said that market leadership already is eyeing a $100,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant that would allow it to make critical repairs. The grant, he hopes, will be awarded in springtime.
Before approving the agreement, council passed an amendment that will give council members or representatives two seats on the Alliance’s 15-member board of directors.
Moreover, council introduced a resolution that would add more free parking for the market. Under the resolution, James Street, William Street and N. 4th Street would become two-hour market parking from Verbeke to Sayford streets.
Currently, those streets are residential permit parking for the Marketplace neighborhood, though most of the effected blocks are lightly developed. Having been introduced, the resolution likely will be voted on by council next month.
The market also plans to form a group called Friends of the Broad Street Market, which will assist the board in raising funds and will participate in other efforts to support the market.
“Now the real work begins,” said Chris Herr, president of the current, for-profit board. “There’s lot of work to do.”
The first order of business, he said, will be organizational—dissolving the current Broad Street Market Corp., officially becoming the new, nonprofit Broad Street Market Alliance and naming board members.
“It’s very appropriate to the new year that we have a new beginning,” Taylor said.
Author: Lawrance Binda
