Food trucks may become more common sight in downtown area during the summer months

NEWS — The Kamloops urban environment may soon be “animated” with food trucks and more choices of what to eat.

City council will be asked Tuesday to call a public hearing on amending bylaws to encourage more food trucks, particularly in the downtown area.

Food trucks are also being looked at for Riverside Park.

The trucks are growing in popularity in other cities and often do a roaring business at community events in Kamloops, but bylaw amendments would open up more places for them to set up.

“Food trucks can have positive impacts on the community, including animating streets and urban spaces and increasing consumer food choices provided appropriate measures are put into place to mitigate issues such as noise and impacts to on-street parking and brick-and-mortar restaurants,” says a report going to council from development and engineering services director Marvin Kwiatkowski.

The Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association pitched the idea to council a few weeks ago, and staff have also talked to the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce and North Shore BIA about it.

The trucks are seen as a way of generating street traffic and a more vibrant feel as well as economic spinoffs, tourism, and more food choices.

Bylaws would be changed to regulate food trucks both on private property and on city streets.

The downtown-street pilot project would run from mid-May to Oct. 31, during which food trucks would be allowed on Seymour Street adjacent to Gaglardi Square, and alternating between Victoria Street in front of the Paramount Theatre, and Fifth Avenue in front of the Civic Building.

It would be reviewed at the end of the year.