Smithers will be getting an electric vehicle charging station at a cost of over $13,000.
Council voted to have the Electric Vehicle Service Equipment a part of the Second Ave. parking lot project.
Town staff says it will be a level two charging station with two charging ports. It will be coin operated, will take four hours to charge a vehicle and will be able to withstand temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Councillor Frank Wray doesn’t think it’s a good idea.
“My biggest concern with that is the actual cost of the infrastructure,” says Wray.
He’s also not too keen on taking up two parking spaces for the equipment.
“I certainly am not foolish enough to think that we won’t see a lot more electric cars in our future – I’m just not too sure it’s our job to provide electricity for electric cars,” says Wray.
Councillor Greg Brown says it’s the town’s way of tackling a difficult climate change issue.
The new parking lot will be built on six town-owned vacant lots providing 47 spaces with LED overhead lighting.
The construction of the project on 3743 Second Ave. is scheduled to start in June with a completion date of September 30th.
The contract approved this week is worth over $236,000.