The food truck that had to take its fries elsewhere
Mobile Toronto vendor accused of blocking hotel taxis in 1994
He didn't have to go home, but he couldn't stay there.
"It's practically a Toronto landmark," said CBC reporter Lisa Papas as the camera showed a chip truck parked in front of a waterfront hotel in the shadow of the CN Tower.
But the mobile vendor selling hotdogs, hamburgers and fries out of the truck was going to have to drive his operation somewhere else in May 1994.
"The hotel just wants us out of here," said truck owner Chris Blue. "Simple as that."
Taxi trouble
Papas said the dispute was related to the taxis that also parked in front of the hotel.
"The ones in front of the chip truck are here legally," explained Papas. "But the ones behind are not."
Blue was there legally too, and paid $4,000 annually for a permit to do so.
"We are not the problem," said Blue, who had been slinging fries there since before the hotel went up. "The taxis here are the problem for the hotel. The hotel says it needs a place here for all the cabs."
No fighting City Hall
Blue had the support of a passerby who liked "nice little things" like his food truck, but Coun. Tony O'Donohue had a different perspective.
"We should be able to move vendors from time to time if it inconveniences the movement of traffic in an area," he said.
And that's just what happened when city council voted to revoke Blue's permit, giving him just one more day in front of the "American-owned" hotel.
"Blue said he'll defy that order, and be back first thing Wednesday," said Papas.
Cabs yes, truck no
On May 31, which was the last day the city was allowing Blue to peddle burgers and fries from the spot, Papas followed up with a second story.
"City council thinks it's dangerous when cabs have to pull around the chip truck," said Papas.
A cab driver disagreed, saying "No" when Papas asked if it was difficult to pull out from behind the chip wagon.
As a result of the bylaw change at City Hall, cabs were legal in front of the hotel. And Blue's truck, which was named Chrisie's, was illegal as of the next day.
"I don't want to wait until somebody is killed," O'Donohue told the reporter. "Perhaps you can put that on TV."
'Get a life'
Papas said "more than 150 people" had called CBC to respond to the story.
Not one supported City Hall's decision; CBC at Six aired a selection of audio from those who disagreed with it.
"Get a life, Toronto," said one man.
Another caller suggested all the councillors should be "turned out of office."
According to reporting by CBC the next day, Blue had turned up in his usual spot the following day and was fined.