Overland Park right to delay opening of farmers market during coronavirus pandemic

The Overland Park Farmers Market had planned to open this weekend at a temporary outdoor location.

But Tuesday’s announcement postponing the opening of what has been a popular — and crowded — open-air market was the right one. To open a public gathering place in the midst of a dangerous health crisis and a stay-at-home order would have been questionable at best and could have been potentially dangerous for vendors and customers alike.

Crisis averted.

Much like grocery stores, the farmers market is considered an essential business and is exempt from stay-at-home directives. Officials in the Johnson County city say that access to locally-sourced and affordable food is a priority.

And they are right. But that doesn’t mean the market should open at this perilous moment.

As of Tuesday, the novel coronavirus had claimed 27 lives in Kansas, and there were some 900 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state.

Johnson County continues to be a hotspot of contagion, with 10 deaths attributed to coronavirus. More than 219 residents have tested positive — more than in any other county in the state.

And the numbers keep climbing. With the projected peak still almost two weeks away, to err on the side of caution and simply delay opening was the best move.

Even with safeguards such as enforcing social distancing and limiting the number of customers, there was a reason for concern. In other cities, farmers markets have attracted throngs of shoppers eager to escape their homes. Safety measures have proven to be difficult to enforce, prompting shutdowns and suspensions.

In the past, the Overland Park Farmers Market has drawn thousands of people from around the area.

“One of the biggest reasons to keep it open is to cater to low-income residents,” city spokesman Sean Reilly said before the delay was announced on Tuesday. “We provide a healthy food source.”

The market’s move to a larger space was a good decision. And plans to institute social distancing guidelines and other safety measures were commendable. Some vendors were expected to offer pick-up and delivery services.

But now, the chance of spreading the disease will be lower after postponing the opening. We are hopeful that vendors can find other ways for customers to safely purchase their goods during the coming weeks.

Waiting to see if people got sick from standing in close proximity at the market was not going to be an effective strategy.

Farmers markets in Lenexa, Lee’s Summit and Independence also postponed their openings.

Markets in Brookside and the River Market area of Kansas City remain open. As of this week, there have been no reports of coronavirus cases linked to those locations, a development Overland Park officials were closely monitoring.

The planned opening of what has been a crowded market in Overland Park would have come during what U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned would be “the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives.” With the number of cases spiking, the timing for the market’s scheduled opening could not have been worse.

Civic leaders contended the farmers market would provide economic relief for downtown Overland Park, where businesses have been forced to close due to the outbreak. And farmers do need to sell their goods.

The economic pain inflicted by this pandemic has been devastating. But protecting public health must be our priority right now — to save lives and to get the economy up and running as soon as possible.

To benefit the city and its residents long-term, Overland Park made the right call to delay the opening of its farmers market.

This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 5:00 AM.