With warmer weather, a schedule of upcoming events and a welcoming environment, the Town of Battleford is working to entice the public back to 22nd Street and into the downtown area. The latest draw: food trucks and farm stands.
The plan to create a "social experience" and atmosphere that would "make people want to be downtown" was presented at town council May 15 and unanimously approved.
The resolutions were brought to council by Chief Administrative Officer John Enns-Wind, whose accompanying report states "the intent of the policy is to facilitate a healthy downtown experience for residents and visitors. The expected outcome is greater downtown and business activity downtown."
Among comments made during the discussion period was a concern voiced by Councillor Shelley Boutin-Gervais that the pop-up food shops might take business away from the permanent restaurants in the area.
Enns-Wind eased the doubts raised by council noting they'd gotten approval from the local business association.
"Both these policies have been sent to the business association and came back with the 'OK' with the current wording. [The food trucks and farm stands] can't be located right next to the restaurant,"said Enns-Wind, referring to the guidelines included in the policy.
So far, the Town has only been in contact with one food truck and ice cream stand, but the hope is to create an "environment" that welcomes visitors and residents.
"We're trying to create more activity downtown. Studies have indicated when you bring in farm stands and mobile food trucks, surrounding businesses actually get more business and revenues go up," Enns-Wind said to council.
The business license to operate a food truck or vending cart is $85, paid to the Town.
Concerns about disturbances were also raised at the meeting, with Enns-Wind referring to the the mobile food truck policy, which states "[the food trucks] must not be a distraction to the surrounding area with the use of lights, sounds, and actions," nor with generators that may cause a disturbance.
Other guidelines laid out in the policy include the appearance of the food trucks and vending carts – "[they] must be clean, well-lit and aesthetically pleasing in appearance" – and placement – "the mobile food truck and food vending cart shall not hinder traffic or driveways…[or] be within 20 metres of an existing permanent food service establishment."
Although it was also mentioned that food trucks and stands could possibly do good business at the Battleford flats with slo-pitch season about to get underway, so far, the mobile food vendors are only approved for use in the downtown core.
