Salmon Arm council has an appetite to see one of the city’s mobile food vendors flourish at the curling club.
Stewart and Kristin Fells, the owners/operators of Hungry Panda Curbside Noodles, sent a letter to the city seeking support in relocating their mobile concession from 510-5th St. SW to a spot just between the front of the Salmon Arm curling rink and the Salmon Arm Lawn Bowling Club.
“We feel the address… is a better fit for our business, as we are further from other food providers, but still in an easily accessible location,” write the Fells, adding there is washroom access, and a dumpster onsite for easy disposal.
The Fells note they already operate a concession and catering business from the Curling Centre from October to March, providing them with a fully certified kitchen at the site. They said they will continue to rent this facility for the operation of the Hungry Panda.
Coun. Ken Jamieson said he’d talked with a lot of people about the Fells’ business, and that it’s “something that seems close to a lot of people’s hearts.”
City administrator Carl Bannister explained the curling club leases the property from the city, and that the lease states the property cannot be used for anything else unless approved by council.
“If this were in another area of the city, for example a city park, it would be a much different story, it would be opening up a much bigger can of worms,” said Bannister.
Jamieson suggested council might later consider a broader vision for mobile food service units around town.