London’s new city council is getting their first crack at the long and winding debate that is food trucks in the city.
Just last week, the Community and Protective Services Committee unanimously voted to approve the mobile eateries.
Now, the decision to get more information from city staff heads to council on Tuesday. It will be the umpteenth time the debate has wrangled councilors.
Last council
Ward 2 Councilor Bill Armstrong was a part of last term’s council that couldn’t quite agree on the issue.
“Suddenly we went from what was talked about, the three or four trucks downtown around the park, to like, nine or 11 through the whole downtown,” says Armstrong. “And that’s why, at the last minute, we said ‘no.'”
Mayor Matt Brown was also a part of the last council and describes the stalled process.
“I know that I said ‘overanalysis leads to paralysis.”
Rolling out food trucks
Ward 7 Councilor Josh Morgan explains that food trucks are still a ways away from hitting city streets.
“The unanimous committee recommendation will go to council for council’s approval. Should council approve, a bylaw will come back to the February 18th meeting of the Community and Protective Services Committee. The recommendation coming out of that committee would go to council and, if approved, we would see moving forward with the bylaw and implementation.”
Mark your calendars, London. You may have a new favourite spot for a hot lunch by this summer.