To the Editor:

So many of my conversations with friends and neighbors, and a significant amount of the conversation in city council meetings, revolves around how to bring more people into Peekskill. Why are there so many empty storefronts? How do we bring people to the downtown?

That’s why, when walking through a near deserted downtown one recent cold Sunday afternoon, I was puzzled to see “no flea market downtown” signs on several storefronts. Why shut down an event that brings 2,000 people to Peekskill each Sunday, week after week? An event that gives local residents a chance to buy practical goods cheaply, without schlepping out to the endless strip malls of Cortlandt and beyond? That brings shoppers and restaurant-goers into the the heart of downtown, on what would otherwise be a veritable dead time?

There are other benefits to having the flea market downtown. As Councilman Brian Fassett noted, the market raises money for the Business Improvement District [BID], which helps bring more services to the downtown. Did you enjoy seeing the Harriet Tubman statue downtown? That came to Peekskill because of the flea market revenues. Did you notice the station to downtown shuttle over the summer? That free service to bring more people into the downtown was possible because of revenues from the flea market. Peekskill should be celebrating and promoting such events, not trying to push them out.

Let’s keep the flea market in downtown Peekskill!

Luke Davenport
Peekskill

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[Editor’s Note: Send your letters to [email protected]. Include your name and town of residence, which is published, and phone number and email, which is not published.]