Photo: QueensPost
Dec. 16, 2014 By Christian Murray
The Sunnyside Greenmarket, which had been operating from May through December, has been approved to open all year round.
The coordinator of the program received word about 10 days ago–after putting in a request earlier this year to open every Saturday for the entire year.
Greenmarket representatives started a petition drive in August calling for a year-round market. More than 1,000 residents signed it. The community board then sent a letter of support.
The market operates every Saturday from 8 am through 3pm and is located on Skillman Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Streets.
“I think the neighborhood is ready for it,” said Jessenia Cagle, the coordinator of the market, in September. “There are a lot of people in the area who like fresh, local food—and they don’t want to have to go too far to get it especially in winter.”
The market, which opened in June 2007, has proved to be a success. Presently there are 16 farmers/vendors out each weekend selling vegetables, meat, fish and bread.
Most of the vendors will continue to operate during the ice-cold winter months—with only the wine and fish vendors unlikely to participate.
The move to open a year-round is not unprecedented in Queens. Cagle said the market in Jackson Heights, which was once seasonal, now operates all year round.
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29 Comments
this is a very good thing for Sunnyside. Only an idiot would criticize it. No shortage of them in Sunnyside!
Very pleased to hear the market will be year-round (though I do wonder what kind of produce we can buy in February). I’m puzzled by the whole car thing. I’ve lived in NYC for 23 years and never once felt the need to own a motor vehicle.
Great news! We get higher quality produce, support local farmers and lessen our carbon footprint. Most produce you get at supermarkets is flown or trucked in from thousands of miles away. Getting free parking is NOT a right. Get over it, and get rid of your cars.
Love that the market will be open year-round. Great to hear!
The market closes at 3 so why is the parking restricted till 6?
Do these people really need three hours to pack up their stuff and go?
Give them till 4 then let people park.
Less cars, more fresh and local food.
Parking is needed more then having the farmers market year round! If you keep building more and more buildings adding in the LIRR station they gonna add in parking going to be more horrible then ever! Instead of supporting the farmers market support your local grocery stores that sells organic food! Dam hipsters go away
This issue was already discussed, in depth, months ago. It’s been decided that WAY too much has already been given over to parking, and way too much of it “free parking” and we p[refer the Farmer’s Market. Regardless of where they place the tables, their trucks are still going to be parked along Skillman, so you might as well get used to it.
Most people around here do not have a car and do not need a car. The Farmer’s Market is a thriving congregation of people, on foot, interacting and networking. I prefer that over another boring street with dozens of vehicles parked, many of them rarely used; driven only a few miles a week. Maybe you can suggest that they build a parking facility over the Sunnyside train yards?
But muh car!
You obviously have a personal vendetta against cars and the people who drive them. Despite that, they are a fact of modern life. The people who drive them pay their taxes, registration fees, inspection fees, tolls, gasoline taxes – all of which pay for the roads and bridges etc.
They have more than paid for things like a place to park.
If you want to live in bicycle heaven, please try moving to Holland or China.
You don’t have to want to live in bicycle heaven to see the value of a farmers market in this neighborhood. I understand needing a car, but wouldn’t say it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure spaces for everyone who has one – people should consider the cost of storing their vehicle during the 99% of the time it’s not in use as a cost of ownership.
It’s also a fact of life in NYC that less than 50% of residents own cars. This majority of non-car-owning people ALSO pay taxes and deserve to have a community that doesn’t put motorists’ needs before that of the community as a whole.
Also, I own a car!!! I pay all these fees and taxes, too. I never have issues with parking (yes, sometimes I have to walk a few blocks to get home – oh well).
Lurtz, it sounds like you have more of a parking issue then a farmer’s market issue.
yeah, screw the brick and mortar places that pay rent and taxes! Stick it to the man and send your money upstate!!
I think they should make that building that they wanted to use for the FDNY into a regular parking garage. Or at least something near it. There would be steady demand. But the farmer’s market year round is great.
Right on!
exactly a perfect building for parking, but to make the hipsters stop whining about noise and traffic make it monthly only….no daily parking
Wonderful! I think the market manager has the list of which farmers will be year-round. That information would be helpful to include. Also the food scraps collection will continue as well but the textiles recycling ends this Sat.
We love the Farmers Market!!!! who cares about parking spaces. I never had a problem parking maybe because I parked near the Railroad tracks on 43rd Street. it’s the LAZY FAT ones who need to park there cars right in front of there house or Apt. Building.
You are a sick piece of crap, you know that? You presume that your abilities are the abilities of everyone else. Grow up. People are all different. And lots of them care about parking spaces.
Oh great, even less parking year round now… Why don’t they move into the park instead and free up the actual street? Most of the food is way overpriced for what they’re selling anyway.
Every other day there seems to be a film crew around here closing streets for some show that’s probably going to get canceled in a month. The building they’re building on 44th street has no parking and not sure about the one on 43rd.
Maybe instead of petition to save that dump of a movie theater. They should be petitioning for more parking spaces / parking garage.
How exactly does losing a handful of parking spots on Saturday affect you? If you really need a car in Sunnyside, then you should actually think about using it from time to time (like on the weekend). Of all the things that Sunnyside needs, more parking is pretty low on the list.
I’m so sick of people whining about parking. Move to the suburbs if this is such a huge concern to you.
I’m sick of people who think they have a right to harass people with cars. Who the hell do you think you are? You read the latest propaganda from the business/political complex and begin to preach. Go take a hike. You are an idiot. Mind your business and we will mind ours.
look i have a car and would have liked to move on that side of queens blvd. but i need my car to make money so i pay less rent in an old house and have a much longer walk to the 7 but have off street parking when i need it….my landlord doesnt want me to get any alt side tickets.
So glad they changed the times.
if you want fresh local food just go to fucking food bazaar you idiots.
Crap
I agree with the market to be open but not to prohibit parking on skillman ave from 43rd to 41st streets from 6am until 6pm. Its unlimited parking space already.