Dickie Dee fan hopes for return of the bike cart

Halifax comedian Bill Wood would like to serve you coffee from his bicycle cart this summer, but he’s having trouble when it comes to bylaws.

For years Wood has been planning his newest business venture, even purchasing a three-wheeled bike from Quebec to cart around coffee.

But he soon ran into trouble.

“All of a sudden everything fell apart because the law said that you can only sell prepackaged frozen treats from the back of a bicycle,” he said.

“I just wanted to get up early and sell people coffee and muffins. It was going to be a fun way to be outside in the summer.”

Now Halifax regional council is considering widening the options.

Christopher Davis, a right-of-way engineer with Halifax Regional Municipality says the proposed bylaw would allow for more flexibility.

“Pretty much anything that's food,” he said. “If you can get the health permits to do that from a bicycle, then it would be fair game.”

But there’s a catch.

Bike vendors in Halifax could sell pretty much anywhere, but they would have to avoid school zones, and change locations every 10 minutes. 

Wood says those new rules may put him back in business. 

“I imagine partnering with someone who wants to do the pedalling work,” he said.