Bloomington has a farmers market, and so do almost all the other cities that ring Edina, including Richfield, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Minneapolis. But not Edina.

Next year, it might.

The city could add a farmers market as soon as next summer, if a proposal that's going to the Edina Park Board in January makes its way through city review processes in time. The proposed location would be Centennial Lakes Park.

"I have a feeling this will be well received," said John Keprios, the city's park and recreation director. "It would help create a sense of community, which really fits with our mission well -- creating community through people, parks and programs."

The idea of adding an Edina farmers market came out of a two-year, $1.6 million grant that was received by Bloomington, Richfield and Edina. The Statewide Health Improvement Program grant came from the state health access fund, funded by a fee paid by health care providers. The money goes to activities that are aimed at promoting health.

Advisory health boards in the three cities helped shape priorities in the grant, and in Edina the farmers market was suggested as a way to increase residents' access to fresh food, said Eileen O'Connell, health promotion and planning manager for the City of Bloomington Division of Public Health. Bloomington is the fiscal agent for the grant.

"People are very interested and excited about the potential farmers market," said O'Connell, who lives in Minneapolis near the Edina border. She used herself as an example.

"Now, I have to drive to markets in Minneapolis or Richfield or Bloomington," she said. "If one was added at Centennial Lakes, I could walk or bike because it would be closer to me." People who live near markets "hopefully are eating more fruits and vegetables, which research shows increases health. And it's locally grown, too."

About $19,000 in the state grant is earmarked for the farmers market effort, and could pay for a feasibility study, signs, focus groups and the time that city staff spends on the issue.

Because Edina's city code bars sale of farm produce in parks, Keprios is taking a proposal that would change that to the Park Board. The board acts as an adviser to the City Council, which would have to approve the change in the city code.

Keprios believes Centennial Lakes is the best location for a market because of the park's size and generous parking. Events like art festivals have run successfully there, he said.

"I think it would lend itself to this very well," he said. "There are a lot of businesses in that area, and some low-income families as well. It just seems to be a beautiful setup for a farmers market."

If a market is approved, Keprios said he believes vendors should be limited to selling only locally grown produce. "People want to know who the growers are," he said. "They want to talk to people who grow this stuff."

The proposal is expected to be discussed at the Jan. 12 Edina Park Board meeting.

Mary Jane Smetanka • 612-673-7380