Spring is in the air and as temperatures rise St. Albertans will soon be doing their best Looney Tunes impersonations as they float toward the alluring scent of barbecues and other outdoor cooking craft.
This year, the tempting scent of everything from Asian and Indian cuisine to the more traditional burgers and hotdogs, might be more prevalent on St. Albert streets than in years past.
The city will launch its mobile vendors pilot project beginning May 1, which will allow food trucks to use designated city land to sell their fare. Prior to this year, food trucks were barred from using city-owned land and many had to make other arrangements or do business elsewhere.
Food trucks have taken off in recent years. A quick look through the Food Network program guide shows a plethora of food truck-related programming. Here in St. Albert, city denizens showed their love for the evolution of street food, from what was fondly known as “street meat” to what it has become today, when thousands flocked to the MusĂ©e HĂ©ritage Museum’s food truck jamboree back in August. That same month, The St. Albert Food Bank was gifted $222 when food trucks operating in the city teamed up with students at V.J. Maloney School for the school’s first charity food truck rally. Students and parents made 444 orders from the Orbit, Drift and Lemongrass Grill trucks, which agreed to donate 50 cents per order to the food bank and offering further proof to the travelling vendors’ popularity.
While, many of us love the quick, easy and sometimes-creative offerings food trucks are known for, they do not come without some controversy. When city hall debated the pilot project, Coun. Sheena Hughes was concerned about giving the land to the vendors for nothing and losing out on “a potential revenue source.”
Hughes makes a good point about the city charging a fee to allow parking on its land, something that might be considered once the success of the pilot project is weighed. City businesses that might compete with the small influx of food trucks this summer do not seem to be concerned about the competition. When city hall held an open house to discuss the issue, only mobile vendors attended. If, after completion of the pilot project, the city considers allowing more vendors that might change and a broader discussion will have to be had.
As it stands, with four sites around the city – two in the downtown – the restaurant market will not be saturated by additional dining options. In fact, the biggest problem might be the food trucks being unable to fill the demand if the popularity of past events is any indication of St. Albert’s craving for the street eats scene.
Another bonus, with two sites in the downtown area, one near St. Albert Place, food trucks might also help to increase foot traffic in the heart of our city, which might benefit city shops and the vibrancy of downtown.
