Stephan Burnett
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 06/03) - The general manager of the Black Knight Pub, James Hodgson, never thought setting up a hot dog vendor outside his establishment was a big deal.

Scott Eckert, kitchen manager with the Black Knight Pub stands beside the barbecue vending unit outside the establishment. The Black Knight has been operating its vending stand legally since Raven Mad Daze. - Stephan Burnett/NNSL photo

According to the laws governing easement within the city of Yellowknife, there was no problem with the hot dog stand; it was simply a service the Black Knight Pub was legally offering to their customers.

Even though a previous bylaw outlawed street vendors within the downtown core, city hall is now rethinking its position, even outside of easement allowances.

"It was never an issue. It was something we did through Raven Mad Daze and had nothing to do with the bylaw," said Hodgson.

"People enjoy having something to eat on the way home ... maybe for some it sobers them up," said Hodgson.

The manager of the Black Knight Pub explained, as long as you have a downtown business that possesses an easement allowance, business owners will have no problem offering street-vendor services.

Hodgson said the investment in the stand was relatively small.

"It was just a matter of buying a barbecue and a table really," said Hodgson.

"I don't really understand why the city did what they did," said Hodgson, concerning the city's current vendor restrictions.

Mayor Gordon Van Tighem said, early in this electoral term, city council accepted a downtown redevelopment scheme to provide more accessibility to services.

"Food street vendors promote community market places and increase the vitality of the street life in a positive fashion. Probably, April through May it became apparent the existing bylaws did not support the downtown plan and when some of the vendors came in they were initially turned aside," said Van Tighem.

Now, council has decided to revisit the street-vending issue.

"We've done first reading of an amendment to that bylaw that would allow street vending in the downtown," said Van Tighem.

"In the interim, the review of the bylaw is dependent on second and third readings, which could occur within the next couple weeks," said the mayor.

"Any city you go to they've got these things. The key thing is that it's seasonal and non-interventionist, not a single restaurant has raised a concern about them," said Van Tighem.