The Great Neck Park District is moving forward with a plan to bring a farmer’s market to the Village Green later this year, although details are far from finalized.
With the approval of a facilitating agreement by the Great Neck Village board of Trustees at a regular meeting last month, a more detailed inter-municipal agreement would be needed between the village and the park district before plans for the proposed market are approved.
Village of Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman said the board of trustees is “very interested” in the plan proposed by the park district, which operates the Village Green.
Currently, the park district is working to secure vendors for the once-per-week market which is expected to run on Fridays, according to Great Neck Park District Commissioner Ivar Segalowitz.
Searching under guidelines required by the state of New York for farmer’s markets, no vendors have been lined up by the park district to date, according to Segalowitz.
“The vendors are only allowed that which they have grown themselves, baked themselves or caught themselves,” said Segalowitz.
Final details of the farmer’s market are expected in about six weeks, according to Segalowitz, who confirmed that the proposed farmer’s market is still far from becoming a reality.
“All of it is predicated on us getting a farmer.”
About eight years ago, a similar proposal was met with opposition from the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce and others in Great Neck Village, according to Segalowitz, but support appears to be shifting in favor of the proposed market.
“I am up for it, with the one caveat that we will talk with affected merchants,” said Kreitzman.
Kreitzman said a public hearing will be scheduled in the Village of Great Neck to discuss the farmer’s market before a final decision is made by the board of trustees.
