Food cart pilot project launched in Stanley and Queen Elizabeth Parks

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      Fish tacos, smoothies and Neopolitan-style pizza are among the menu items that will be featured in two Vancouver parks as part of a one-year food cart pilot program launched today (June 1).

      Vancouver Park Board chair Constance Barnes announced the three new vendors, which will be located at two sites in Stanley Park and one site in Queen Elizabeth Park.

      Seafood truck Feastro the Rolling Bistro will be located near the information booth in Stanley Park, San Juan Family Farm will serve fruit salads, juices and smoothies at Totem Park, and Neopolitan pizza truck PazzaRella will be set up near the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park.

      “The sites were selected for their visibility and proximity to high foot or vehicle traffic, and also to minimize impact on existing food operations,” said Barnes.

      The one-year leases on the three sites will generate just over $35,000 for the park board over the next year, according to Barnes.

      “We all know it’s been tough in the last couple of years with budget cuts, so what we’re looking at at the park board is what can we be doing to bring in revenue,” she said.

      Barnes added the revenue will go toward park programming, maintenance, and horticulture.

      Feastro the Rolling Bistro manager Candice Meighen said the truck’s specialities include fish tacos, crab and shrimp cake, and fish and chips.

      “What we specialize in is sustainable, local Pacific Rim fish, so we try to use as much local ingredients and organic ingredients as humanly possible,” she said.

      The Stanley Park site is the second location for the company, which has a food truck at Thurlow and Cordova Streets, and has been approved for another cart downtown.

      Anna Corcione, the co-owner of PazzaRella, said the cart’s menu consists of Neopolitan-style thin-crust pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven, with ingredients including flour from Naples, Italy and San Marzano tomatoes.

      The three vendors were recent finalists in the City of Vancouver’s food cart program, but did not receive one of 12 permits available this year. The food cart applicants are reviewed by the city’s engineering department, Vancouver Coastal Health, and a panel of judges.

      Barnes said the park board will re-assess the pilot program after a year and determine whether to expand to other locations.

      Comments

      4 Comments

      jonny .

      Jun 1, 2012 at 3:03pm

      we need more (reasonably priced) food carts at summer events. for example, all those outdoor movies that draw huge crowds have no food supply at most events!

      Tho there are other summer events with tons of food carts, and those carts tend to be way over priced. They raise their prices just for the events. So I will not buy from them.

      T. Y. P.

      Jun 2, 2012 at 7:07pm

      Great work, Park Board. Minimizing the impact on existing food businesses and really looking at neighbourhoods, demands, needs, cannot be understated. Thank you for expanding food jobs and livening public space.

      Sheeple

      Jun 3, 2012 at 8:10pm

      I like Food carts (yum) and I support small business.

      But more Licenses for more carts in Stanley park need to be given out you can not have an Oligopoly.

      Further if the Park Board needs more money as it seems it does you would think the geniuses running Park Board would bring in more carts for more revenues.

      You Think?

      Emily Cat

      Jun 4, 2012 at 10:07am

      Sheeple, it's called a pilot project. Hence the limited amount of initial food trucks.