BY THERESA VAN DESSEL, Guest columnist —
We, the Onancock Market Board of Directors, love trees.
We also love the market. Many farmers and artisans depend on it for their livelihood.
Which is why reports incorrectly linking the market’s future location to the future of the oak tree in the Queen Street lot are deeply concerning.
We’re appealing to everyone to keep these two important topics separate.
Fact: The new location of the summer market in the lot will be determined by parking lot professionals working for the town and is completely unrelated to the tree’s future.
Fact: The site of the winter market building, needed for vendors to sell products year-round, isn’t located in the parking lot and is over 240 feet from the tree.
The market is critical not just to farmers’ and artisans’ livelihoods, but to downtown Onancock.
Over 10,000 people shop at the market annually, stimulating the economy and providing a gathering venue for family and friends.
The market is a nonprofit that serves the community. A new business will soon occupy the property that we have been operating on for free, so we are working with the town to identify a no-cost alternative location.
We understand concerns about the oak tree’s future. However, it is inaccurate and damaging to the market’s future to depict the fate of the tree hanging in the balance with the location of the market.
Our farmers need to know now whether they can count on selling products in Onancock this winter.
We’re in the midst of a campaign to raise $25,000 to construct the winter market building by December and are relying on the goodwill and support of the community to raise the funds.
We are grateful to everyone who supports the market’s farmers and artisans.
Find information about the market at www.onancockmarket.com
— The writer is manager of the Onancock Market and submitted this piece on behalf of its board of directors.
