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LETTERS: Focus on our last unplugged city

Editor: Re: Fueling our fear, May 11 editorial.
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Vehicle charging stations have popped up in areas of South Surrey, but a letter writer notes they have yet to appear in White Rock. (File photo)

Editor:

Re: Fueling our fear, May 11 editorial.

White Rock is the only Metro Vancouver city without an electric-car charger.

When your editorial focuses on how our highest gas prices fueled fear, it should have also confirmed or advocated that the City of White Rock be adding charging stations for electric vehicles. Using electric vehicles will reduce costs for gas and hopefully reduce climate change.

Although White Rock has hundreds of parking spots next to the beaches, none of them have charging stations for electric cars. Being friendly with electric cars will attract more visitors while also supporting White Rock buyers of electric cars.

The city is building a four-level parking lot (Parkade to be four storeys, $12.5 million, Nov. 17, 2017) but it is not publicly known whether they will include support for electric cars. The same lack is also currently at the underground parking lot under the White Rock Community Centre.

Although there is an acre of BC Hydro electric substation across the street from Peace Arch Hospital, there are no current charging stations at the hospital parking lots. Adding charging stations was not mentioned at all by the online article about the Peace Arch Hospital’s repairing of parking lots at the hospital (Repairs planned for White Rock’s hospital parking lots, May 14).

This is much less electric-car support compared to Surrey Memorial Hospital, where seven cars can charge up while parked next to elevators.

Currently, just one private business in White Rock has a parking lot with a charging station, but it is for Tesla cars and is underground pay-parking for the Ocean Promenade Hotel.

David Plug, Surrey

(Editor’s note: City of White Rock plans to provide seven charging stations at its Waterfront Parkade; Fraser Health plans “at least two” at the hospital.)