Don’t forget to brave today’s rain and check out the opening of the West Central Marketplace. You’ll find it at its new location in A.M. Cannon Park [map], located right behind the West Central Community Center. It runs from 3 to 6pm and will be there every Tuesday until the autumn.

The Marketplace is a Project HOPE initiative, so it’s focused on two things: fresh, local food and youth empowerment. The organization’s aim is to give young adults in the West Central and Emerson-Garfield neighborhoods a positive, community-oriented alternative to the traps that can often lure low-income and disadvantaged youth. Our neighborhoods benefit in a number of ways — reduced crime and affordable access to healthy food, to name two obvious ones.

And here’s another reason to support the West Central Marketplace: The EGNC is partnering with Project HOPE and benefitting from their expertise in establishing a farmers’ market right here in our neighborhood. (The anticipated launch date is July 19. We hope to have more specific details within the next 24 hours.) By working together and supporting one another’s endeavors, we have a chance to improve both of our neighborhoods in important ways.