By John Francis, Bruce Peninsula Press
In the fall of 2022, MNBP arranged for six “Level 3” electric vehicle chargers to be installed at the community centre parking lot in Tobermory.
They were operational much of the summer of 2023 but not since. As this is the only level 3 charger on the peninsula, it is a very important facility for the EV-owning public. If it is not operating, it makes visiting Tobermory somewhat awkward.
As the charging station’s owner has invested quite a bit of money installing the facility, they must be equally frustrated.
So what gives?
I contacted Cristopher Misch of ChargerQuest to find out. His response:
“The ChargerQuest chargers are completely operational and ready to activate. Unfortunately, we have been waiting for Hydro One to complete some grounding work across the region in order to protect our assets from surges related to thunderstorms, downed trees on power lines etc. We have incurred damages resulting from events in the past and must await those protections before activating the units for customers. These protections are necessary for public safety.”
As to the summer of 2023,
“…Mother Nature did cause damage last year on a few occasions which did lead to some downtime. These surges are what prompted us to investigate the root cause and work with Hydro One to resolve grounding issues in the region.”
Misch acknowledges that there is more than enough frustration to go around: “ChargerQuest has invested significant capital and has had zero revenue during the downtime. As an EV owner myself, I understand the need in that region and we are eager to re-activate the important charging hub.”
No re-activation date has been offered, presumably because Hydro hasn’t committed to fixing the grounding issues.
Future of Tobermory Daycare Building
The Agenda for MNBP Council’s July 8, 2024 Meeting includes a CAO Report on the future of the former St Edmunds Township office, which served as Tobermory’s daycare for many decades.
The Report suggests five possible futures; in a nutshell, they are:
• Sell it,
• Demolish building; make it a park.
• Turn it into a Welcome Centre,
• Fix it up and rent it, or
• Do nothing.
For more information, see Publisher’s Column.
