THE MARKET

Local growers and makers add flavor and pizzazz to your Saturday

The Market in West Chester is about more than fresh food. The Market is also about community.

The weekly markets on The Square @ Union Centre kick off May 22 with special opening day activities; every Saturday through September 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Local growers and makers line the street and are joined by musicians, special activities and more creating a colorful experience for all.

“Everything sold at The Market was made locally or grown locally,” said Community Outreach Coordinator Monica Dexter. “But people come to The Market for more than shopping at the booths. Guests also enjoy having a cup of coffee while they get some gardening tips from vendors or listen to music. They might visit with adoptable pets that attend The Market on occasion or participate in other special activities.”

Things have been pretty quiet since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the small cottage businesses represented at The Market have continued to sell their wares. Masks and social distancing will be encouraged at The Market, but music and special activities will resume this summer.

The Market operates year-round with adjusted dates indoors at the Muhlhauser Barn, November through March, and special spring and fall dates on The Square.

Every week is different at The Market and the best way to know who is going to be there, what they are selling, and special activities is to follow The Market Facebook page or visit www.westchesteroh.org.

WOLF Program Returns

The WOLF (World of Land, Forest and Friends) Program returns to Keehner Park this summer for children ages 5 to 12. WOLF is a six-week program focusing on nature and the environment with speakers, hands-on activities and hikes. The class is free and will begin the last week of June.

The sessions will take place on the Amphitheater stage, 7211 Barret Road, to encourage social distancing. Visit www.westchesteroh.org to learn more about each session and to register for the program.

Highway Art

Highway overpass bridges have become a way for communities to create identity through art and architecture. West Chester has five highway overpasses on I-75 – Allen Road, Union Centre Boulevard, West Chester Road, Cincinnati-Dayton Road and Tylersville Road.

With recent opportunities to make improvements, West Chester worked with designers to create unique stainless steel fences that highlight different aspects of our community. These fences still meet the strict guidelines of ODOT for overpass vandal fencing and offer unique impressions from the highway, and when traveling on the bridges.

The clock designs in the Union Centre Boulevard bridge represent the clock tower on The Square with times set at 5:13 (the area code) and 6:23 (translates to 18:23 military time – the year Union Township/West Chester was founded).

The Tylersville Road bridge fencing features soccer balls and the Voice of America Museum. The Voice of America is a true landmark in the Township and the Voice of America athletic fields bring thousands of visitors to our community each year.

As a Township, West Chester is obligated to meet certain ODOT rules which limit representation from the highway. Townships cannot be named on official highway signs. The Union Centre Boulevard highway exit sign, for example, reads “Union Centre Boulevard, Hamilton and Fairfield” – rather than West Chester.