SURREY — Street food lovers may not have to make the trip all the way to Vancouver anymore, as Surrey embarks upon a food cart pilot project this summer.
Six sites are proposed, including parking lots at North Surrey rec centre, Bear Creek Park, Newton Community Centre as well as at the new Surrey City Hall plaza.
The city is also looking at allowing vendors at Newton Athletic Park and Cloverdale rec centre for special events.
While the city considered on-street food vendors in City Centre, it decided against doing so for now, due to lack of parking.
The 2014 pilot project will likely include a mixture of “rotating†and “event specific†permits for food vendors.
As for how to select merchants, the city plans to use a panel, which will look at vendors’ experience, qualifications, menu diversity, healthy options and waste management plans.
While the project is a first for the city, Surrey began a “PARKit†program for 10 days in 2012 in the North Surrey rec centre parking lot. The program involves transforming asphalt parking space into places for people to hang out – and grab a bite to eat.
PARKit will be back this year, and will grow to accommodate three vendors at the site.
Jose Manzano, owner of the Guanaco food truck, which serves up Salvadoran cuisine, participated in PARKit in 2012.
The North Surrey resident said at the time he was happy to see the city embracing food trucks.
“Vancouver is doing it. Other cities have to keep up,†Manzano said at the time. “The program implemented in Vancouver is great. Surrey is expanding. In a couple of years the city’s downtown will be the perfect place to bring food trucks.â€
Manzano suspects it’s the experience that attracts people to eats on the street.
“It’s something different, something made right in front of your eyes. And people are able to get authentic foods,†he said. “But also, it’s the experience. People come here, talk to one another, talk to the owners, it’s that openness.â€
The City of Surrey is currently in the process of developing a contract for vendors, and following the vendor application deadline of May 30, the program is set to kick off on June 16.
Meanwhile, White Rock council has approved three spots for food carts along the city’s promenade, set to begin this spring. But a decision on whether to allow larger food trucks in White Rock has yet to be made.