Trinidadian business owner Calvin Sennon organizes ‘Celebrate Canarsie’
Amid what is regarded as a significant drop in local tourism, Trinidadian business owner Calvin Sennon is one of the organizers behind this month’s “Celebrate Canarsie” that aims to boost tourism in the Brooklyn neighborhood.
Sennon, the owner of TriniJam BK and founder of Visit Canarsie, told Caribbean Life on Monday that local businesses are facing a “significant drop in revenue since Local Law 18 limited accommodation options for visitors.”
He said the law, which restricted short-term rentals in the outer boroughs, has “drastically reduced the number of visitors to Canarsie, causing up to a 70 percent decrease in foot traffic and revenue for TriniJam.”
The bar at TriniJam BK. Photo by Calvin Sennon
In response, he said “Celebrate Canarsie” aims to attract visitors with food, arts and music, “centering the community spirit of Canarsie with the hope it can bolster local tourism once again.”
As the unintended consequences of restricting short-term rentals have rippling effects for neighborhoods such as Canarsie, Sennon is one of the many local leaders who is speaking out and showcasing how his community is finding new ways to sustain their businesses and support their local economies.
“’Celebrate Canarsie’ is about restoring the once growing and vibrant flow of visitors from around the city and the world to a neighborhood rich with culture, heritage and natural beauty,” he said. “The city’s strict rules on short-term rentals have made it virtually impossible for visitors to stay outside Manhattan, and that’s a loss for small businesses in the outer boroughs.
“Unless the city revisits Local Law 18, small business owners like me are going to continue to suffer from a lack of foot traffic and economic activity,” added the small business owner and community leader, who has lived in Canarsie for the past 25 years.
The Trinidadian immigrant said he has brought to Canarsie his passion for sharing the rich flavors of his heritage.
TriniJam BK interior looking out.Photo by Calvin Sennon
In 2020, amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sennon said he opened TriniJam BK and quickly gained acclaim for serving “the best jerk chicken in New York City” by “drawing hundreds of new customers to the neighborhood each month.”
But, by his estimate, Sennon said “the steady and growing stream of newcomers to Canarsie has significantly decreased by up to 70 percent” in their Rewards Network Customers since Local Law 18 went into effect last fall.
Recognizing the new economic challenges faced by local businesses due to the city’s strict short-term rental rules, Sennon said he launched Visit Canarsie, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting tourism and supporting neighborhood merchants.
Through this initiative, Sennon has become a leading advocate for small businesses in Canarsie, helping to organize events like the upcoming “Celebrate Canarsie” festival, starting on June 20, which aims to boost local tourism and economic activity.
Before advocating for small businesses through Visit Canarsie, Sennon said he helped found and lead the Canarsie Merchants Association, working “tirelessly to foster a supportive and thriving environment” for small businesses and the communities they serve.
Today, Sennon said his “fierce dedication to community resilience” makes him a pillar of the neighborhood.
