Nanton’s new electric vehicle chargers are officially up and running.
Mayor Jennifer Handley says it’s important they give people a reason to come to, or at least stop in the community.
And technology like this is key to making that happen.
“The main thing for us especially being a highway community, we have to relevant.” She says “We know that there are more and more electric vehicles on the roads, and if we are that community that doesn’t provide that service, people will just keep going up the road to Claresholm or Fort Macleod.”
The chargers were part of a Peak to Prairies initiative and cost the Town nothing as they were funded through a government grant, with maintenance and power provided by ATCO.
The chargers are located on 19th Street, east of the Museum of Miniatures.
Handley says there’s no downside to having the chargers in town, and she hopes it will draw in some more traffic.
“It takes about half an hour for an average vehicle to charge, so people might run in and go grab a burger, some soup or go shopping for a little bit and hopefully something ends up standing out for them in Nanton.”
She says the Town is officially now the last place electric vehicle drivers can charge their cars along Highway 533, before hitting Crowsnest Pass and the Kootenays.
“Nanton is located right on the 533 which is a corridor that leads right up to the Kootenays, to be able to have an electric vehicle charging station here in Nanton just before drivers hit the Crowsnest Pass is actually very important.”
She says she’s heard feedback from associations and people who have been waiting for this charger to come online, so they can safely drive the highway to the Kootenays.
The chargers are paid for by the users, so Handley says there’s absolutely no financial downside for the Town.
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