Historic Lewes Farmers Market seeks 10-year lease

Historic Lewes Farmers Market officials say George H.P. Smith Park is the perfect location for their weekly market, and they want stay there for 10 more years.

HLFM Vice President Nancy Staisey took the request before the parks and recreation commission July 15, touting the market’s sterling track record in the three years it’s been operating in the park.

“We’ve certainly never been told we weren’t meeting all of the conditions of our permit,” Staisey said. “To our knowledge, we are. I hope people also see we’ve tried to go beyond the conditions of our permit.”

Those actions include adding a handwashing station for patrons to wash their hands with soap and water instead of hand sanitizer. The farmers market also paid for an ADA-accessible portable toilet; it facilitates planting a tree every year as part of Kids’ Day at the market, and market officials donated $1,000 toward new playground equipment in the park.

“There’s a whole series of things we’re trying to do to be good friends of the park,” Staisey said.

Parks and rec commissioners voted 6-0 to recommend mayor and city council approve the market request. Three members were absent for the vote.

Despite the unanimous vote, not all commissioners were fully supportive of the request.

Commissioner Lorna Dempsey asked if officials could ban trucks from driving on the grass in the park. Though the ground was already compact when the market started using it in 2016, she said, constant use could make conditions worse.

“I just worry about how long it takes for that soil to get back to being usable after it’s had trucks and trailers and cars on it – the volume is just incredible,” she said.

Market officials meet with parks and marina administrator Alison Kirk every fall to assess the area where the market operates.

“She identifies what work is to be done, and we’re responsible for making all of the repairs identified,” Staisey said. “Anything we do to the park is done at the direction of and the approval by Alison.”

That work includes reseeding the market area each year.

“Anyone who visits the park will see that there’s been no damage,” Staisey said. “The grass has been restored each year. Now, it often looks better due to repeated seedings we’ve done.”

Commissioner Christine Besche said the grass indeed returns each year, but during the months it’s in operation – May to September – it doesn’t look great.

“It’s lush green grass everywhere else,” she said. “Where the farmers market is now is brown. The grass planted last year is gone, and it’s not even halfway through the season. Right now, to me, I find it unattractive.”

Besche also urged market officials to consider other locations, and she offered to provide them with a list of potential locations she developed. Other places, she said, may offer the market more control, and access to amenities such as water and electricity.

Staisey agreed to look at the list, but said it’s likely they’ve already considered most. She added that the stability of staying in one place for a long period would benefit the market.

“Stability allows us to focus efforts elsewhere, including park enhancements,” she said.

Other commissioners were positive.

“They have been conscientious stewards of our park,” said Commissioner Harry Keyser. “They are aware of their surroundings and make an effort to not disturb our neighbors as they set up and take down. When they leave, the grounds are clean and tidy.”

Commissioner Warren Golde said the farmers market opened many people’s eyes to George H.P. Smith Park, which was once a very underutilized park.

“Several years ago when Lewes in Bloom first entered the America in Bloom competition, one of the recommendations made by the judges was that the parks were underused,” he said. “Certainly now, I think, the farmers market has alleviated some of that problem, and the farmers market is part of the Lewes experience.”

The decision on the farmers market’s future in the park lies with mayor and city council. It could be on council’s agenda as early as August.

The farmers market runs from 8 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, from early May until the end of September. To learn more, go to www.historiclewesfarmersmarket.org.