Meet the Ice Cream man

THE HUNTERS AND THEIR PREY: Hollie Jacques, 8; Cielo Treavor, 9 and Zachary Jackson, 9, above, caught up with Darryl Jackson for a cold treat in Townsite. Find out when the truck drives by you, on Facebook. Right, another happy customer waves goodbye.

BY ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT | isabelle@prliving.ca

When kids hear the Ice Cream Man’s music blaring out of the big white truck, they pour out of their homes and excitedly come running down the street.

It’s this very reason why Darryl Jackson – Powell River’s Ice Cream Man – says he has the best job in the world.

For three years, Darryl has been visiting Powell River neighbourhoods and serving up a variety of ice cream products. Snow cones, ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, dairy free ice cream bars and allergen free fruit pops… they’re all a welcome reprieve to the heat of a hot summer afternoon or evening.

When Darryl launched his business, he had no idea what to expect. “I knew I wanted to recreate as much of the traditional experience as I could while bringing it to modern standards. I envisioned a white Grumman style truck with a passenger side serving window, bright color menus and signage, the Ice Cream Man music blaring over the loud speaker, traditional pre-packaged treats with a few alterations like snow cones and allergen friendly options,” he told Powell River Living.

Darryl says he has the best customers in the world. While most are children, he does have some adults, but it’s the children that warm his heart.

“I have countless stories,” he says. “Early last summer I was training a guy on our south of town route and we were driving down what looked like a virtually deserted dead end road when all of a sudden a little girl who couldn’t have been more than five, came running out. I can still picture it. Pigtails and a puffy dress. Jumping up and down, pumping her arms wildly, her face with the biggest, most excited expression you could imagine! We pulled up and she was so excited she couldn’t even talk.”

Another time, a young boy was in the bathtub when he heard the signature Ice Cream Man music. “He’d never seen an ice cream truck in his life. His dad was out of the room and the kid jumped out of the bath tub stark naked and bolted for the door. He was across the yard before his Dad could catch him,” Darryl smiled.

He enjoys seeing the photos people send in. “I have a contest each year where I ask people to send me ice cream themed pictures. Close to the start of the season I’ll post them on Facebook and people will vote for their favorite. The winner’s design goes on our staff shirts for the summer.”

The winner receives their own t-shirt, a special visit from the ice cream truck with free treats for them and their family/friends, and a personalized VIP gift card entitling them to a free treat off the truck all summer long.”

As well, 100 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of the shirts benefit the Orca Bus.

The Ice Cream Truck has a live truck tracker so people can find it whenever they want to, says Darryl. The Ice Cream Man couldn’t do what he does without his fabulous helpers! This year, his team includes: Rosie Rupf, Kray Karlsen and Melinda Boyd.

To find out when the Ice Cream Man is coming to your neighbourhood visit theicecreamman.ca and check out the schedule. Right above the schedule there’s a live tracker so you can see where the truck is at any given time. There’s also a Facebook page, and that is where to get the most up to date information.

“We make a point of posting every day of where we will be going and what’s happening. This year we started doing birthday parties, and the birthday boy or girl will get a treat off the truck courtesy of The Ice Cream Man.”

GREEN ICE CREAM

Fun fact: in 2018, the Ice Cream Man added solar panels to the roof of the truck making them the first ice cream truck in Canada to use solar power. “The solar panels can run the equipment inside the truck all day long without the need to run generators,” says Darryl.

Your 2019 Ice Cream Bucket List

BEACH HUT

My husband and I bought the business in 2016. We have had all of our children working with us and enjoyed running a family business. We came from Saskatchewan for a more fulfilling life. Making our own hand battered ling cod tails, halibut and the best poutine in town. The Beach Hut has 16 hard ice creamflavours. Milkshakes, sundaes and mini donuts are just a few of the items on our short but sweet menu. – Deanna Maher

DAIRY QUEEN

Like a Blizzard, rumours have been swirling that a franchise of the Minneapolis-based chain is re-opening here soon. PRL can confirm that the licensing and leasing processes are underway, but we can’t confirm when you’ll get your hands on a Treatzza Pizza or a Cake Shake.

THE ICE CREAM MAN

Ice cream comes to you. See the story above.

MCDONALD’S

Soft-serve cones for $1. What else is there to say? McFlurries.

PIRATE POPS

Pirate Pops is a gourmet treat company that uses natural, wholesome ingredients. Our specialities are frozen fruit ice pops, cream-based pops and decadent fudge pops. All of our treats are handmade with care using the freshest ingredients we can find. Come see us at our booth at the Farmer’s Marketon Sundays from 12:30 – 2:30, and soon there will also be select flavours in local stores!

PUTTERS

Putters Mini Golf and Ice Cream offers up amazing ice cream in more than 25 flavours from Island Farms on Vancouver Island. Add a dip or some sprinkles or opt for a gluten free cone. Waffle cones and sorbet are also enjoyed. Screamers and Slushies are amazing too! Come on down for a game of golf, or just an ice cream. Regardless of your choice, you will be pleased.

SALT & PEPPERS ICE CREAM PARLOUR

At Lang Bay, the pizzeria sells 16 ice cream flavours, 15 flavours of floats, plus milkshakes, screamers, sundaes, and much more.

SASSYMACK’S

SassyMack’s Ice Cream focuses on using local, seasonal and ethically-sourced ingredients to make exciting, creative flavours.

Our most popular include: Salty Chocolate Caramel, Blueberry Bay with Gin, Buttermilk Lemon and Tropic Thunder.

You can find us at: the Powell River Farmers Market, community events like Logger Sports and Blackberry Fest, Lund (12- 6 everyday, all summer), the Farmers Gate and the Townsite Night Market (4-8 on Thursdays).

THE SNACK ATTACK SHACK

Owned by sisters Laurie Robertson and Julia Hoczel, this Town Centre Mall business carries 27 flavours of dairy and non-dairy ice cream - which can also be made into milk shakes. Regular or gluten-free cones. Also available: banana splits, ice cream sandwiches, peanut parfaits, screamers, sundaes and twisters.

THE SWEET SHOPPE

Manager Carol Waldorf keeps 12 flavours of Island Farms ice cream in store: the four favourites (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and maple-walnut), plus four kids flavours, and four assorted others. Island Farms has been around since 1944, and is a cooperative of dairy farmers on Vancouver Island.

WILD SCOOP AT ECOSSENTIALS

Wild Scoop Ice Cream is owned by a group that supports local agriculture by purchasing grass fed milk from a farm on Vancouver Island and berries and fruit from Powell River’s backyard. We use organic ingredients and have a great selection of vegan options. The team includes Linda from Zeitoun Specialty Foods, Melissa and Colin from Ecossentials, and Caroline and Tom formerly from Love’s Ice Cream in Cumberland.

We make small batch ice cream and hand-rolled waffle cones. Also a must try is the lemon custard and chocolate chip Sycamore Commons mint.

TLA’AMIN CONVENIENCE

Soft-serve ice cream and sundaes, specializing in mixing it with rotating slushie flavours to create screamers. But they regularly whip up new flavours and creations. Seasonally, try homemade wild blackberry sauce on sundaes. Also get that flavour of summer on chocolate ice-cream sandwiches.

SWEET SHACK AT LUND RESORT

The Sweet Shack at the Lund Resort at Klah Ah Men has 24 different flavours. Regular cones come in small, medium and large. There’s waffle cones and bowls too as well as kids cones and milkshakes.