The old real estate axiom of ‘location, location, location’ might well apply in this case.
The Town of Okotoks recently received a $125,000 grant from the national Charged for Change Program to install more electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The Town was eligible for the funding because Okotoks has fewer chargers per capita than the provincial average.
Last week, the Town announced the locations of the four new Level 2 chargers, which will each have two ports to give Okotoks eight more charging spaces. These chargers will be installed at the recreation centre, operations centre, Centennial Arenas and art gallery.
At first blush, the locations make sense as they’re spread throughout the community, but these new sites see the Town stray, at least in part, from an original goal with the EV charger program. When chargers were installed at the Municipal Centre, then at the Okotoks Public Library, the idea was to use them as a draw, hoping that EV drivers would frequent shops and restaurants nearby while their vehicles charge.
It was a bit of a quid pro quo, where drivers were expected to drop a few bucks in local establishments in exchange for being able to get back on the road. That should hold true for the new charger at the art gallery at the eastern end of Olde Towne and the one at Centennial Arenas could well benefit businesses along Southridge Drive, but commercial offerings are limited near the operations centre and the recreation centre is in the middle of a residential area.
Make no mistake, the additional charging stations are a good thing as they expand the local network without dipping into tax dollars, and they will also pay for themselves with a $2 per hour charge, but those side benefits will be limited due to the locations of some of the chargers.
