Belleville’s Pop Ups On The Bay project in West Zwick’s Park seemed to be well received by both the community and the vendors themselves.
The 2020 pop up season ended on Labour Day, but almost half of the vendors have been allowed to stay open until the end of September, on a part-time basis.
Coordinator Anne Munro and Economic Development Manager Karen Poste updated Belleville’s Economic Development and Destination Committee Thursday, about the 2020 summer pop up season and says all of this year’s vendors have already expressed interest in coming back next year.
Poste says that’s leading to more discussions about how to improve, or possibly expand the pop ups in the future, but there are some limitations.
“For 2021 just to say on a preliminary basis, major expansions down there are probably not on the agenda. We may be able to add a pop up or two, a food truck or two, but our limitations are water service and electricity. They’re both issues, but with funding we could overcome them.”
(Photo: Submitted / Pop Ups On The Bay)
It also doesn’t look like the pop up season will be able to extend into the winter this year.
Despite some interest in the idea to extend the pop ups into the colder months, perhaps with some skating or other attractions at West Zwick’s Park, Tourism and Pop Up Coordinator Anne Munro says discussions with city staff brought up some issues that would prevent that from happening.
“The water needs to be cut off because of freezing. As well, because of the external electrical panel and fears of people coming down to the park to draw power, that sort of thing, they’re recommending we shut down the electricity as well. I think there’s a great opportunity in the future, but there are a lot of hurdles.”
(Photo: File / Quinte News)
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Belleville Downtown District says if the city’s Pop Ups On The Bay project is able to expand to other locations in the future, the Riverside Trail might be a good spot.
Marijo Currier says based on the success of a few food trucks downtown and on the Riverside Trail this past summer, the pop ups would be a perfect fit there.
“I know that it’s becoming very much focused on Zwick’s Park but I sure would like to see a cluster eventually at least considered in the Downtown District. Maybe not the types of pop ups you have now, because they are fairly large, but some alternate solution for the riverside.”
Poste had noted that moving the pop ups has similar challenges of needing water and electricity services for most businesses, so that would need to be looked into as well.
A full report on the 2020 pop up season is being prepared for Council, with the City also in the process of putting together a parks master plan and the future of the pop ups would be factored into that.
