| Westland, MI - Westland residents will soon be able to catch a free ride to the Westland Farmers' Market, which is held in the City Hall parking lot every Thursday from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., on the city's new bus route. The route, which starts on June 13, 2013, will continue every Thursday through the end of the market season in October. The Farmer's Market bus route has been made possible thanks to a grant the City received from the United States Department of Agriculture's Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP). The FMPP offers grants to help improve and expand initiatives that bolster the connection between agricultural producers and their consumers, while improving access to healthy food and strengthening local economies. The goal of the new Westland Farmers' Market bus route will be to provide residents without transportation, mainly seniors, handicapped and low-income residents access to fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables.
"The Westland Farmers Market is really starting to grow and the bus route is great for people that have limited mobility or lack transportation. It's important everyone in our city has access to local healthy food," said Mayor Wild.
The bus route has five (5) stops at the following locations and approximate pick-up times and return times:
| Bus Stop | TO THE FARMERS MARKET | FROM THE FARMERS MARKET | | Departure | Arrival | Departure | Arrival | Our Savior Manor
29495 Annapolis | 2:45 | 3:15 | 4:30 | 4:45 | |
Dorsey Community Center
32715 Dorsey
| 3:00 | 3:15 | 4:30 | 5:00 | |
Greenwood Villa
7600 Nankin Ct.
| 3:30 | 4:15 | 5:30 | 5:45 | |
Holliday Park
34850 Fountain Blvd.
| 3:45 | 4:15 | 5:30 | 6:00 | |
Presbyterian Village
32111 Cherry Hill
| 4:00 | 4:15 | 5:30 | 6:15 |
"We are honored to be recipients of the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program grant. It has given us the opportunity to grow our market and to add the bus route, creating greater accessibility for all of our residents," Senior Resource Director Barb Marcum added.
The FMPP grant also allocated funding to the Westland Farmers' Market for management and marketing to aid with market expansion. The Market is now managed by Growing Hope, an Ypsilanti-based non-profit with a mission of empowering local communities to grow and eat healthy food.
All times are approximate and can vary with traffic, weather, etc.
For more information, contact Shannon Ackron, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.
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