Troy Market Stays Course (Times Union)
This story by Kenneth C. Crowe II was published in the Albany Times Union on July 20, 2021.
Troy Market Stays Course (Times Union)
TROY – The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will stick to Riverfront Park for now and not spread out back into downtown streets, market organizers said Tuesday.
The market’s board of directors opted to stay put in case there is a surge in COVID-19 cases.
“We simply cannot afford to move the market up to the streets only to have to relocate again if COVID-19 Delta variant cases begin to surge and regulations are reintroduced,” Zack Metzger, president of the market’s board, said in a statement Tuesday.
“So for now, we ask that the community at-large respect our decision to remain put and to still focus on the health and safety of our community as we provide essential access to fresh local food and products,” Metzger said.
The market has stuck to Riverfront Park during its outdoor season in order to provide a safe, controlled setting for shoppers during the pandemic. In past year, the market has been located on downtown streets surrounding Monument Square.
“The board recognizes that having downtown Troy’s beautiful streetscape as our setting is what has helped establish our market as a regional attraction, and we intend to return to the streets. But for the time being, the board has decided that the park is where we are going to be,” Metzger said.
In May 2020, the market reopened during for its outdoor season in a Russell Sage College parking lot. In June 2020, it moved into the parking lot at Riverfront Park.
During the indoor winter season, the market moved to Lansingburgh where it was in the former Price Chopper supermarket on Second Avenue. After the 2020-21 winter season, the market moved back to Riverfront Park in downtown in April for the outdoor season.
The market announced it has 80 vendors this season and is attracting about 6,000 people when it is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
“As the CDC and the state have relaxed COVID-19 regulations and guidelines, we have been able to relax our rules,” Metzger said. “If you’re not fully vaccinated, we ask that you wear a mask. Otherwise, masks are not required. Our one-way flow remains, but we have added more cut-throughs and backtracks to make shopping easier.”
