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Ice cream trucks can play music again

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The tinkling music from ice cream trucks will be heard on West Kelowna streets, after all, this summer.

Council has reversed itself and voted to allow mobile vendors to play music while they cruise around town.
"I'm certainly pleased with this result," Coun. Bryden Winsby, who opposed the music ban in the first place, said Wednesday. "Council listened to all the outrage this generated and made the right decision"
Kathy Erickson of Scooters Ice Cream said she's pleased council has backed down from the ban in the face of considerable public opposition.
"I'm happy I can keep on selling ice cream and earning a living for my family," Erickson said. A music ban would have seriously dampened sales since people wouldn't know when the ice cream truck was coming along the street, she said.
Councillors looked at imposing the music ban during a meeting in mid-May when they considered the municipality's mobile vending policy.
As part of the policy, no form of music or voice-amplifying device was to have been allowed on a mobile vending unit.
Councillors who supported the ban said they'd heard from residents who didn't like the noise.
"We responded to public opinion on this," Mayor Doug Findlater said Wednesday. "We heard from the public loudly and clearly."
The revised policy will allow mobile vendors to play music while the vehicle is moving, but not when it's stopped. And they cannot park in one place for more than half an hour.

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