The Brandywine Park Farmers Market is back on at a slightly changed location to resolve issues raised by DNREC.
DNREC proposed two options to the market organizer Katie Kutler in an attempt to address turf maintenance and parking concerns: either move to a new location in the park or shift to a bi-weekly schedule.
Locals including the market’s organizer and Wilmington City Councilmember James Spadola pushed against the change.
Spadola said he’s thrilled DNREC found a compromise — keeping the weekly markets but tweaking the location. Rather than being on the grass beside the Josephine Fountain, it will now run in the parking lot near the fountain down to the lot under the Van Buren Street Bridge.
“I think the big one [is] if you have rain one week out of the [month, you’re] down on that week it was supposed to happen,” Spadola said. “It doesn't happen for a month then. Also you lose the rhythm for the small businesses that are starting to rely on that revenue.”
Spadola said shifting to a biweekly schedule would confuse customers and volunteers, leading to less participation.
The farmers market organizer Kutler said in an Instagram post her team could not “in good conscience” agree to the previously proposed plan on behalf of the participants.
The post also said the alternate location 500 feet away “had narrow walkways, sloped grass, space concerns… and challenges for vendor load in/load out.”
Spadola said he’s glad the market will continue weekly in a spot closer to the original location.
“What started out as a small farmers market, it really turned into an amazing community gathering spot and also a small business incubation area…” Spadola said. “So many angles that make the market so positive. You have got the small business angle. You've got the residents that are getting access to locally produced food.”
Spadola added it also brings people outside to the park.
The market will return weekly on Saturdays starting May 2, with a few exceptions when it will be held Sunday due to other events at the park.
