Dawgfather vows to continue fight against University Avenue bike lane

A well-known hot dog vendor in Halifax says a Nova Scotia Supreme Court decision to allow a bicycle lane on University Avenue in Halifax will devastate his business, and he's planning to appeal.

Jerry Reddick, also known as the Dawgfather, applied to block the pilot project to construct a protected lane — separate from car traffic — after it was approved in 2014.

The lane is designed to run along University Avenue in front of Dalhousie University for four blocks, from Le Marchant Street to Robie Street.

It's part of a larger project, called the Urban Halifax Institutional District Bikeways Plan, that would connect all of the universities and hospitals in the south end of the city.

Reddick said the bike lane would "devastate" his business.

He said it would prevent students in wheelchairs and drive-by customers from buying hot dogs. It would also prevent him from storing food in his vehicle, he said, which would mean he's breaking provincial rules.

"The health board makes it very clear that I have to elevate my bread and I have to have a place to store my food," Reddick said.

"I can't put my food on the sidewalk. So, if I don't have a place to have my vehicle then that is definitely going to impact my business."

Reddick said he plans to appeal the Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruling.

Cycling Coalition members 'relieved'

Ben Wedge, chair of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, said he's "relieved and excited" by the court decision. He said it's simply a question of priorities.

"Do we want a city where a small group of people can buy a hot dog right in front of the student union building?" Wedge said.

"Or do we want a city where people have a choice for safe, affordable, and convenient transportation where they're not relying on a car to do everything."

He said he's optimistic Reddick will find a way to adapt.

"To be blunt, there are hot dog vendors all over the world, in lots of cities with lots of bike lanes," Wedge said.

"Certainly, the Dawgfather is going to have to change his business model, but we think that he'll find a way."

Reddick won't move from 'key location'

Reddick said moving locations is not an option for him.

"Dalhousie Student Union is the key location. I mean there's no other location," he said.

"If Dalhousie was a town, from September to April, it's the third biggest town in the province of Nova Scotia, only outside of Halifax and Dartmouth." 

Reddick has been selling hot dogs on the Dalhousie University campus since 1996, he said, and a grandfather clause means he's exempt from a bylaw which requires vendors to bid on locations.

'Safest' kind of bike lane

Wedge said this will be Halifax's second protected bike lane, and it has the potential to expand the number of cyclists in the city.

"That's the safest kind of bike lane you can design, and one that's proven to attract large groups of riders … of all ages and abilities," he said.

"So you'll see kids, seniors, women — the people who you don't typically see riding a bike in Halifax."

Dalhousie University plans to remove 43 parking spaces to create the bike lane. The Nova Scotia government is contributing $150,000 to the project.