The group Tamworth Growers Market, set up by fitness company owners Jay Lynch and Dwone Jones, will bring a fresh approach in more ways than one to its expanded plans to put a restaurant into Bicentennial Park.

The restaurant and growers’ market would be part of the planned recipe for success for the $2.2 million revamp of the Paradise end of the park precinct under way.

Mr Lynch yesterday said tomorrow’s information session was designed to build on the initial results of a public survey about the growers’ market concept.

“The feedback from  a total of 1530 respondents overwhelmingly showed people wanted a growers’ market,” he said.

“There was a whole bunch of views and we have collated those responses just from our web survey. We haven’t gone out yet seeking or talking to the public, but now we want to build on that momentum that anecdotally we thought it was needed, but now we have the responses and we want to convert the energy.”

The survey attracted more potential or interested buyers or consumers than growers, but identified some very vocal opinions about the plan.

Nearly 90 per cent noted local produce as the major issue.

Another 70 per cent identified chemical-free as a main issue, while another 40 per cent believed organic produce was a key element.

Half of the surveyed sellers who responded were backyard growers.

“Locals are split between wanting to be able to buy fresh, local produce once a week, or two to three times a week, according to survey results,” Mr Lynch said.

“And it was quite clear that people want to have produce grown in the local area and not produce that travels down to Sydney and goes into cold storage and then comes back to the local market. They obviously don’t want organic produce trucked up from Sydney, either.”

Survey respondents said having a choice in how they bought produce was the biggest attraction of the market, followed by its location alongside the new Hopscotch restaurant, which is being built by 360 Fitness owners Jones and Lynch, in the redeveloped Bicentennial Park.

Although the initial moves were for a twice-weekly growers’ market on the site, the survey results and a walk-before-you-run philosophy might mean they start out with a weekly event, most likely a Saturday, the overwhelming survey vote.

The plan is being backed by the local community garden group, and organisers are waiting to see whether other individual, casual and market stall operators want to be involved, although they haven’t yet formally approached too many of them.

“I suppose what we also want to see is whether we do need another growers’ market, or at least places where you can buy all this local produce in one spot on a regular basis, because, in the end, there’s no point in doing it if there’s no response or demand,” Mr Lynch said.

But the initial survey results suggested there was, and tomorrow’s briefing at 5.30pm at the Tamworth Community Centre will gauge the actual support for the concept.

But, importantly, it will also provide a springboard for potential growers.

“It’s important for those interested to see where we are going, because, if they are going to supply produce, then they have to start planting soon,” Mr Lynch said.

The growers’ market is a not-for-profit organisation run by the community, proudly sponsored by 360 Fitness Club, and Mr Lynch says a board to run it will be elected over the coming months.

At this stage the plan is for the markets to kick off in November – when the extensive revamp of the park is expected to be completed.

The partners’ planned Hopscotch park restaurant is also on track.

“We’re hoping to be open and able to operate by the park open day date, but the weather has pushed things back a bit, although we are really confident we will be doing our thing before Christmas,” he said.

The works are part of the $2.2 million upgrade of that end of the park precinct in Kable Ave, which continues to evolve, with the first of the major park equipment pieces due in July.

The centrepiece of the regional playground is the Skywalk, a towering, nine-metre rope-and-slide structure, but there will be a bike track, junior and senior fitness circuits and a flying fox too.