Logan Square Farmers’ Market Faces Opposition From Alder. Colon

Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, like many others, has long had farmers markets up and down its streets, but politics nearly prevented them from continuing, as Alderman Rey Colon tried to have the permits take away.

Local reports said that Colon was angry to see political campaigning for his opponent in the last election at the market. He alleged it was being done by an employee of the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce.

The LSCC insisted that the the Executive Director of the chamber, Paul Levin, the accused, did not campaign for any candidate while he was working and on their time, and added that the chamber did not endorse anyone for public office. In any case, the chamber does not run the farmers’ market, though Colon pushed the matter.

Local news source Gaper’s Block wrote, “Colon reportedly contacted the Chamber in recent months, stating that if Levin were removed from his post, they would retain their permit; the Chamber did nothing and went ahead with their application for this summer’s market.”

Vendors, farmers, and residents began to worry about the effects the removal of the permits would have, on the community. The market is a large source of revenue for the area, not to mention the fact that vendors and farmers had already put down deposits for this summer’s market.

Tuesday however, Ald. Colon “withdrew his application for opposing the market’s permit, but whether the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce will be allowed to run the Market this summer has not yet been decided.”