Chappaqua Winter Farmers Market in Jeopardy of Being Canceled
A Chappaqua winter farmers market is once again in jeopardy after the market’s board of directors learned this week that it would only be granted five Saturdays to operate at the municipality’s community center this season.
The sudden turn of events, revealed at Tuesday night’s town board meeting, came when the New Castle Recreation & Parks Department informed the board of directors through Town Attorney Nicholas Ward-Willis this week that there were previous bookings for some dates.
Ward-Willis also said that department Superintendent Robert Snyder cited a policy where the Senter Street facility shouldn’t be rented to the same person or entity on consecutive weeks.
However, board of directors member and Chappaqua resident Will Wedge said that on Nov. 24 the town verbally agreed with the market’s board for eight Saturdays starting Dec. 20. The remainder of the dates would be in January and February.
Although during previous winters the market operated for 20 weeks at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin until it was able to return outside at the train station in May, the board of directors accepted eight weeks, which is likely the fewest number of dates to be able to retain vendors, Wedge said.
The confusion is now prompting some vendors to flee Chappaqua for neighboring markets, he said. Unless the issue is resolved this week, the chances of having a winter market will evaporate.
“A vendor is a business,” Wedge said after a Tuesday night confrontation with the town board. “A farmer is a businessperson. They need to know I’m going to be here for eight weeks selling my goods. I need to lock in a place to sell my goods. If you can’t tell me I’ve got eight days I’m going to Pleasantville, which is what’s happening. We are losing vendors to Pleasantville.”
A new home was needed for the Chappaqua winter market after St. Mary’s looked to double the market’s rent earlier this year. The Chappaqua School District then rejected the idea of having one of its school buildings as the host. Keeping the market outdoors at the train station was also discussed but access to heat lamps and the town-owned building at the train station is necessary.
Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein said there are complications with using heat lamps. The town board also doesn’t have the authority to supersede the Recreation Department.
“We have liability issues with the heat lamps and we have a Rec commission which doesn’t want to rent it to the same people every week,” Greenstein said. “We’re not the Rec commission. What I’m suggesting to you is go speak to the Rec commission because that’s their rule and they’re the ones that don’t seem comfortable ending that rule.”
Wedge demanded town officials explain what changed so abruptly during the past week. He then threatened to submit a Freedom of Information request to see who is renting the community center in hopes of learning if officials are speaking truthfully.
“If there are people who leased the space and have their applications processing, I will walk out the door right away,” he said. “If not, then I would like to know what the story is.”
Councilwoman Lisa Katz said since the market has been an overwhelming hit in town the past five years, perhaps the board of directors could convince the Recreation Department to ease its policy. The outdoor market draws an average of about 2,000 visitors week, while the indoor operation has also proven quite popular.
“Maybe you can talk to them and try to convince them you’re so important to the community as a whole to have this available to everybody,” Katz said.
Councilman Jason Chapin urged the town board to work with the Recreation Department and the board of directors to make sure the issue is resolved this week.
Wedge said he is concerned the episode will hurt the reputation of the Chappaqua Farmers Market.
“That makes us look like idiots,” he said. “Our market manager is livid because we aren’t getting a straight answer as to whether this town wants to support a farmers market. (It’s) an innocuous thing that brings great benefit to the town.”
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
