MAHONE BAY - Anyone who may not have known there is a weekly farmers' market at the Mahone Bay Centre soon won't be able to miss the fact.

 Town council has approved a street banner promoting the event, subject to the okay from its electrical department.

 The request came in the form of a "proposal and petition" presented January 12 by Paul Seltzer, chairman of the centre society. It was signed by 76 people.

 "The crux of this is the market urgently needs to increase public awareness of its existence, its opportunities and its location. This is the conundrum that we're trying to address," Mr. Seltzer said.

 "The conundrum is that the vendors want more customers and the customers want more vendors."

 There are small signs directing people to the centre, but Mr. Seltzer said they simply don't seem to be working.

 "Something more needs to happen," he said.

 Meredith Bell, one of the organizers and vendors at the farmers' market, said the event needs more visibility. Many people outside the town don't know it exists and have difficulty finding the Mahone Bay Centre.

 "I really feel that there needs to be more visibility in terms of what's going on at the centre and how people can find it and I think signage is just one step towards doing that," she said.

 Council passed a motion approving the banner if it gets the nod from electric utility staff. There were concerns about safety and the ability of certain poles to support the large sign.

 If it gets final approval, the two-sided banner will cross Main Street somewhere near the post office.

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 Council also agreed to consider smaller directional signs for the centre, although they cannot be placed on utility poles as requested by the petition.

 The farmers' market is held Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

posted on 01/19/10