Hi all!
I know it has been a bit since I have been in the kitchen, life has been busy with work, spring landscape, house projects and working on a new home automation project for the house. I have a number of things on the go for the site, but need some time to finalize recipes before I can put them on the site.
Tonight I have my dander up a bit, and while I don’t really want to engage in political discussions in the kitchen, I guess the privilege of being the Chief Cook is you can break your own rules – even if it is just this one time.
Tonight is the 1st Annual Food Truck Festival here in Kamloops. It is a fundraiser for the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association, and features a number of local and out of town food trucks assembled for some great eats. It is an awesome idea and cause, so Kathy and I headed down to check it out.
Wow… We headed down about 6:30 PM, and you couldn’t get near the event. It has had an AMAZING turnout, there were people everywhere and traffic was lined up trying to get a spot to park. I am thrilled that the weather has been cooperative, and that Kamloops residents have come out in droves to support the cause and check out the trucks. Unfortunately, due to time constraints we had to bow out and make an alternate plan. Hopefully a ‘next year’ will happen and we will try again with more time to hang out and enjoy.
Now, the purpose of this post isn’t to congratulate the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association on the success of the event, although that is something that I heartily do. This event has poked a real sore point with me regarding the City of Kamloops, and its complete and total mismanagement of the Food Truck scene in Kamloops. The throngs of attendees to the event tonight demonstrated the support that Kamloops residents have for the idea of food trucks. However, through either incompetence and/or political idiocy, the Council and staff of the City of Kamloops have decided (yet again) to demonstrate that they couldn’t organize a duck drive down a ditch.
The City has paid little more than lip service to the food truck operators here in Kamloops. It is a classic example of “we’re saying yes, but really mean no” governance. They recognize a desire on the part of the populous to embrace the trucks, but for political reasons they have pandered to the brick and mortar restaurants and created a regulatory environment where it is completely impractical to operate a food truck in Kamloops. I listened to a manager with the City of Kamloops discuss on CBC Daybreak how he couldn’t speak to what other cities have done, because they haven’t bothered to check. It was embarrassing to listen too, and all too indicative of why the Kamloops Food Truck scene is a massive failure.
It is a completely missed chance to bring foot traffic and customers to the downtown area during the summer. There are many evenings when we like to take a walk, and aren’t in the mood for a full sit down meal. We won’t come downtown on those nights, as there isn’t a quick and creative option available. There are some great restaurants, and on nights when we do want a sit down meal, we can be found at Dorian’s, Mitz’s or Tokyo Sushi among other (non-chain) restaurants. However, on nights when we don’t want that experience, there are no options – so we stay away from downtown and do something at home.
Food trucks have the potential to increase business for the brick and mortar restaurants during the summer months by increasing the number of trips to the downtown core that residents take. Realistically, the Food Truck season is maybe 5 months, and then only weather permitting. The rest of the time, the brick and mortars have the town to themselves. If you get folks downtown on the idea a food truck meal, there will be some people who will decide that roadside food maybe isn’t what they are after when they arrive, and they may then hit one of the restaurants. More resident traffic downtown in the evenings is something that the City should be promoting, and this is a great way to increase that traffic.
Tonight has shown that people want food trucks – they are interested to try the unique and creative fare that the trucks can offer. But instead of listening and embracing the wishes of the electorate, the City has (again) followed its patently flawed logic and said no without saying no to food trucks.
Whether it is food trucks, wine sales, unenforceable smoking bans in parks or an ill-conceived pesticide bylaw, this current council is establishing a track record of making the wrong decisions for unsound reasons. I don’t put forth that there is dishonesty or malfeasance on the part of council – just monumental lack of vision and common sense. Perhaps Kamloops residents will remember these decisions when the next civic election comes around. If we can’t get council to change their ways, then perhaps we can change the council.
In frustration
Scott @ SCK