Douglaston Leaders Aim to Draw Green Market to Community

A city non-profit group is not expected to make a final decision until early next year on a proposal to create a farmers market in Douglaston, but community leaders said they are pushing to get the plan in the works as quickly as possible.

Douglaston leaders are attempting to lure Greenmarket Farmers Markets, also known as GrowNYC, to the neighborhood.  The Manhattan-based group operates 51 markets across the five boroughs, including a massive market in Union Square and six in Queens.

Residents from the neighborhood said a greenmarket would provide residents with a fresh alternative to supermarket chain stores.

"I think it's an excellent idea," resident Marie Pollicino said. "We only have one supermarket. Everybody needs more variety."

Douglaston resident Lee Fiorino passed out a petition at Community Board 11's Nov. 8 meeting to bring the market to the neighborhood.

Susan Seinfeld, district manager of CB 11, said the non-profit was reviewing the plan, but would not make a decision until early 2011. If approved, the market would take one year to organize and could be ready to open by spring 2012.

GrowNYC, which could not be reached for comment, has been operating greenmarkets throughout the city since 1976. The group also helps communities create and maintain community gardens as well as provides recycling and environmental education programs.

Eliott Socci, president of the Douglaston Civic Association, said the market would likely open each year in April and remain in business through November.

The manor association has suggested placing the market at the loop near Douglaston's Long Island Rail Road station.

"They have 2,500 providers," Socci said. "You can indicate which ones you want. They take care of the permits and sanitation. The providers clean up after themselves."

The community must provide GrowNYC with a list of signatures as proof that a greenmarket would be supported by the neighborhood. Douglaston leaders said most residents would likely get behind the proposal.

"The concept is to bring greenmarkets to neighborhoods where people are not getting enough fresh vegetables and fruits," Seinfeld said. "There are not that many fresh fruit places here anymore."

Socci said many residents in the community want the market to operate on Sundays, but GrowNYC has indicated that most of its providers were already committed to other markets on that day.

Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) said northeast Queens has at least one alternative for fresh produce – Floral Park's Queens County Farm Museum – as Douglaston residents await news of whether their neighborhood will be approved for a green market.

"There may be issues about location and how vendors would work, but I would love to see more of this sort of thing," Halloran said of the proposed market.