Photo: QueensPost
Jan. 8, 2013 By Christian Murray
Say goodbye to the Skillman Avenue street fairs.
Joe Conley, chairman of Community Board 2 chairman, said that they have been canceled in 2013 following a number of complaints from nearby residents and Skillman Avenue business owners.
The first batch of complaints came last April, when Rita Lowry, the owner of Welcome Home Real Estate, told the community board that a large truck parked outside her Skillman Avenue office for hours during the Spring 2012 fair– with a loud generator. Lowry said that her employees could not hear themselves on the phone.
Anther woman complained that several residents’ cars were towed away and garbage was left on the streets. She also complained about excessive noise.
Conley said that the organizer of the street fairs, Clearview Festivals, was notified of the concerns at the time but failed to adequately address them. In fact, more people started complaining over the course of 2012.
In the end, Conley said the fairs at the Skillman Avenue location had to be cancelled.
A spokesman for Clearview would not comment on the two fairs. However, he said that the company would be talking to Community Board 2 about its decision.
Nevertheless, Conley is looking to find an alternative location for the two fairs since many of the local non-profits—Sunnyside/Woodside Lions Club, Kiwanis, Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce and Sunnyside Community Services—depend on them for funding.
Clearview typically splits some of the profit from the two fairs–with the four non-profits. What proportion of the profits is split is not known.
Meanwhile, the two fairs on Greenpoint Avenue, while still on, are in jeopardy as a result of similar complaints.
