An indoor public market in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The City of Eau Claire is considering building a year-round indoor market, and it wants you to be part of the conversation. Downtown Eau Claire Inc. is hosting an Idea Lounge discussion on the topic at 7pm on Thursday, March 3, at the Eau Claire Children’s Theatre, 1814 N. Oxford Ave. The theater is in the Cannery District, a redevelopment area on the west bank of the Chippewa River which the city has considered as the possible location for a public market. The city will be conducting a feasibility study about the public market this year, in part to determine if creating one will help boost the Chippewa Valley’s burgeoning local food movement (and improve the economy and public health as well). The project is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire, Marshfield Clinic, and Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire. The Idea Lounge is free, and the 7-8:30pm event is preceded and followed by half-hour schmoozing periods (a cash bar is available). Panelists will include Ted Spitzer, president of Market Ventures Inc.; Mike Schatz, city economic development director; Deidra Barrickman, manager of the Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market; and Peter Farrow, CEO of Group Health Cooperative. To learn more, visit eauclairewi.gov/departments/community-development/public-market.