The city government is now looking at
something new for their employees, a fresh fruit and vegetable cart
in the lobby of the Government Center.
Building on an idea used by the High St
Y, Councilman Steve Kay is circulating a survey of the city's staff
in order to gauge their interest. Kay, a "Y" member, apparently has
recognized that the idea has merit.
I am unfamiliar with the extent of
variety or the quantity of the offerings on this produce cart, but
the survey indicates that they will be those items that are “in
season”. A selection of locally grown, and hopefully organic
produce at reasonable prices could be another part of the new
wellness aspect of the revamped health care package being promoted.
The first floor of the Government
Center has become a fairly busy place under the Gray administration,
what with the Mayors office being moved into the former ballroom. It
remains to be seen what will happen during the holiday season which
used to include many social functions for the staff.
A primary concern may be for the
vegetable cart to occupy a lesser used corner of the lobby, but what
if the response is so overwhelming that the offerings, in order to
match the purchases, grow to an unmanageable size. I assume that it
will be first come - first served, but will they park the delivery
truck out back just for storage?
What if it goes beyond the fruits and
vegetables? What else can the city offer to sell to its staff (or
anyone else for that matter)? Will the first floor turn into an
urban market? I recall seeing a photo of the old City offices before
they moved to the now departed Municipal Building on Walnut St (now N
Martin Luther King). See it here. The old Market house was on the
ground floor while the City government ran out of the second floor.
It was located on the corner of S. Lime and Vine St (opposite the
current Phoenix Building) and built before the eastern portion of
Vine st was constructed in the early '20s.
Maybe what was old is new again.
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