Reaction mixed to Toronto’s food truck pilot project

While many are celebrating the city’s decision to allow food trucks in parks as part of a pilot project, at least one vendor isn’t thrilled about the prospect.

“To me, it’s disappointing that we’re not going to have food trucks on the streets,” Zane Caplansky — owner of the Thunderin’ Thelma truck and Caplansky’s Delicatessen — told CityNews.ca.

“It’s not a huge win as far as I’m concerned … This isn’t street food. This is park food.”

Starting Aug. 2, a number of trucks will serve their fare in a handful of Toronto parks, including Woodbine Park, Sherbourne Common, Roundhouse Park, Canoe Landing and Allan Gardens.

Caplansky’s is among some 20 gourmet trucks participating in the program, which will run until at least the end of September. The parks will host two trucks each, some only on weekdays.

“It’s better than nothing but not great,” he said. “What’s that going to prove?”

Caplansky, 45, said he’s “shocked and hurt” the city didn’t consult him about the project, especially after asking him to sit on its street food working group.

Had they asked, he would have said it’s not right that in a multicultural and food-focused city like Toronto, hot dog and chip trucks get preferential treatment and are allowed to station themselves outside city hall, the Rogers Centre and on the University of Toronto campus.

He said though he owns a bricks-and-mortar restaurant, he believes other restaurant owners, who may feel they’re losing business, pushed the city to get food trucks off the streets and into “the fringes.”

But Suresh Doss — who’s also on the working group and in charge of scheduling the trucks for the project — says feedback in general has been positive and the pilot is just a first step.

Dosh, 35, said project organizers worked with the city’s parks department and had to operate within existing bylaws, which now confine food trucks to private parking lots and special events.

The working group hopes to get council to change bylaws next spring to allow food trucks on other city property, like parking lots and street corners.

“At the end of the day it’s a start,” he said.

“We’ll collect data for the pilot project and see where it goes.”

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