TEMPLE, Texas — The City of Temple announced 'The Yard Food Truck Plaza' will be discontinuing and will turn into an event space for city and private events.
This decision comes after food truck owners faced numerous incidents of theft and vandalism while parked at the plaza since its inauguration as a two-million dollar project in 2020.
Temple spokesperson Megan Price explained, "All the feedback concerns that we were getting sort of drew us to pivot and create a new plan."
The thefts endured by truck owners included various items, from generators to power cords, with power cords being the primary source of power for their trucks.
Paul Cobo, owner of 'You Da Man Noodle Man,' who has been parked at the Yard Plaza since January 2023, faced significant damages after someone placed his water hose inside his truck, causing flooding and resulting in thousands of dollars in expenses.
The plaza, located at 212 S Main St. in Downtown Temple, is in close proximity to the police department. Before reaching this decision, some truck owners held discussions with city officials and local police to address their concerns. They proposed the installation of surveillance cameras at the plaza to enhance nightly security patrols.
However, these cameras were never installed. The Temple Police Department increased patrols in the area to enhance security and expedite responses to any incidents.
6 News reached out to some of the truck owners for comments on the new changes, but they declined to appear on camera while expressing their disappointment that the city did not install cameras or effectively address their concerns. As a result of the plaza's closure, some truck owners are now facing double the parking costs, while others are still searching for new parking locations.
Megan Price added, "We do know that this transition will have an impact on food truck owners, so we've waived rent for the rest of the year for truck owners. We are working to find solutions to address those challenges they might be facing." All food trucks must vacate the plaza by January 1, 2024.