The popular weekend market Brooklyn Flea has not exactly endeared itself to all of Fort Greene's residents. Now, even though it only operates in the neighborhood on Saturdays (it's in Williamsburg on Sundays), some car owners are upset yet again with the bustling antique, clothes and food activity, because Flea has asked the city to reserve a loading zone for them...and that would take away precious free parking spaces!
Brooklyn Flea, which has operated in the schoolyard of Bishop Loughlin Memorial HS for four years, wants to set aside the entire south side of Lafayette Avenue from 7-10 a.m. and again from 5-8 p.m. so that the more than 150 vendors won’t double-park when they set up and break down their booths. But at least 17 locals told Councilwoman Letitia James on Monday that that is asking too much of them: “I live on this block, so why can’t I park on my block?” said Carolyn Mayers-Williams, who the Post slyly points out actually lives a bit further away near Carlton Avenue.
Even worse, residents opened up about their deepest, darkest fear...that they might be forced to park...in a garage! And it's not even like residents are getting anything out of the deal, like a unique cultural market in their backyard. Flea co-founder Jonathan Butler called parking the "third rail of politics," and argued that a free space was a privilege, not a right ("no one owns these spaces"). He also said there’s “no silver bullet” to fix the parking troubles in the neighborhood, and added, “We are just trying to make life easier and safer.” If you live in Fort Greene and want to take a side on the issues, Community Board 2 will address the matter at their next meeting at St. Francis College on May 17 at 6 p.m. But everyone should try to stay calm and reasonable, because parking fights tend to escalate quickly.
