Ann Johnson-Cruz asks Alex Stillman, Stacy Atkins-Salazar, Gregory Daggett, Genevieve Serna…

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Farmer's Market access for person's with disabilities

I am a regular user of the Plaza and truly enjoy being able to attend Farmer’s Market and frequenting the area businesses. I am also in a mobility scooter and need the ability to park and get around.

The recent change to Farmer’s Market placement has greatly affected my ability to participate safely. Because of the sharp upward angle of the blacktop (which is exacerbated by crowds of people) I am in constant fear of tipping over while trying to navigate the market on two of the four sides of the square.

I am not the only one affected by this new set up. It’s true that there were accessibility issues previously, but they weren’t dangerous.

There are several potential solutions to this issue, including the most basic fix of moving the line of vendors further into the street to provide a flatter surface to navigate.

Is this a problem you would tackle as Mayor?

 

— Ann Johnson-Cruz

Responses

Stacy Atkins-Salazar

Thank you for raising this issue Ann. I recently met with the Farmer’s Market team to reflect on and discuss the recent layout changes to the market. While the community in general has been supportive of the Plaza being closed to traffic during the Farmer’s Markets, there are still some areas that need to be figured out. We did discuss issues regarding accessibility and how to make the market more accessible to everyone. The North Coast Growers’ Association and the City are committed to working together to make this a space that can truly be enjoyed and utilized by everyone in our community.

Alex Stillman

Accessibility is always of concern. During events, its important to have accessibility to the Plaza from all directions. Your concern is one to be addressed with the Market and other event users to make sure there is clear accessibility to the Plaza in their plan during the permitting phase and checked on to during the event. Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention. 

Genevieve Serna

Thank you for this question.

Keeping the plaza and our wonderful events accessible to all members of the community should be a priority. Feedback like this,  collaborating with other community members and the North Coast Growers Association will be necessary to ensure that the Farmers Market is available and safe for all visitors to enjoy. If elected to the city council I will work with events organizers to take in this feedback and consider necessary changes.

www.SernaForArcata.com