As it stands, Belleville’s waterfront pop up shops will be back again this year, but a couple of city councillors weren’t thrilled with an agreement passed on Friday morning.
The plan calls for any returning vendors whose business was essentially washed out by flooding last summer, to not have to pay the $500 rental fee this year, but councillor Pat Culhane felt that plan was unfair to new vendors trying to join on with the program, given the current climate for small businesses.
Councillor Kelly McCaw had agreed with Culhane.
But others including Councillor Bill Sandison suggested it made sense to give those returning businesses a break.
The plan passed and assuming there are no impacts from COVID-19, the program will open in mid-June and run through the Labour Day weekened, with six pop ups and a couple of food trucks running out of West Zwicks Park.
A formal request for vendor proposals will go out in the coming weeks.
