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ny: Re: 'Green spaces wanted, not parking spaces,' Letter, Nov. 7.

I would like to say that the letter and opinion expressed by Ajay Kaura is a crock. Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti tends to hold community meetings and invites only those who he wants there, as was the case with the meeting held this past June.

Mr. Kaura's letter has Mammoliti's spin team written all over it.

The truth is that the land in question was expropriated from plaza owners with the intention of widening Islington Avenue - it was never designated as a green belt.

In fact, commercial space needs to allot a certain amount of parking spaces per business. Thousands of area residents, business owners and patrons have signed petitions to keep the parking spaces because they realize the true issue - it's the economy.

Parking spaces are essential for small businesses that rely on walk-in customers from main streets like Islington Avenue. Without adequate parking these businesses will be driven out of business. You will eventually have large vacancies with boarded up store fronts.

Perhaps, once local business is effectively killed off, Mr. Kaura, Mr. Mammoliti and all the out of work store keepers and autoworkers can have a picnic in the middle of a plaza on their newly established greenspace.

Nadia Gennaro