West Chester Open-Air Marketplace Ready Aug. 3, With Masks

WEST CHESTER, PA — It's taken nearly two months, but the "24/7 Open-Air Marketplace" is happening in West Chester. Shops and restaurants on Gay Street in the borough will open Monday morning Aug. 3 to pedestrians, with the street transformed into business space that allows for social distancing. Getting state permission to close the road took a while, the mayor said.

West Chester Mayor Dianne Herrin acknowledged Tuesday that as the marketplace opening happens, the pandemic is not over. "It is resurging in hot spots across the country, and the governor just restricted indoor dining to 25 percent of normal occupancy with no drinking permitted at the bars."

The mayor issued reminders Tuesday that mask-wearing and other measures will make it possible to stay open. In a newsletter, she pointed out that by extending dining into the street, "we can greatly reduce the risk of viral transmission and allow physical distancing while supporting our wonderful shops and restaurants during these very challenging times."

Herrin also wants borough residents to understand why it took so long to finally close the borough's main road to vehicle travel. "West Chester's main drag is a state-owned road. Unlike other nearby communities, we had to obtain the approval of PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration," she said in a July 21 newsletter.

Herrin added, "Our team has worked on these applications since May, and we put in many long hours, through two holiday weekends, preparing and revising plans on the request of PennDOT. Why didn't we give up? Because we love our Main Street! We have made West Chester a pioneer in the state!"

The marketplace opens with precautions prescribed. Hand-sanitizing stations and safety signage requiring mask-wearing will be very visible. Signs that read "Wearing is Caring" and "Masks Mean Business" will be part of the 24/7 Open-Air Marketplace scene, as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

"I am also working with our Police Department to be sure our officers partner with our visitors and business owners," the mayor's newsletter said. "We must wear masks because we care for each other here in our great town, and because wearing masks means we stay open for business!"

Herrin said the Business Improvement District will hand deliver a packet of information and safety precautions to business owners, explaining expectations for making the open-air marketplace a success. Businesses will also be given #MainStreetStrong social media tools developed by the Greater WC Chamber of Commerce and the WCU Cottrell Entrepreneurial Leadership Center, the mayor said in her newsletter.

The street closure area for the marketplace extends from Matlack Street to Darlington Street. The plan was devised by the "Main Street Strong Task Force" comprised of Herrin, the police department, borough council members, and municipal representatives from Parks and Recreation and Public Works.