The Red Deer Lodge and Conference Centre can now offer travellers a bed, breakfast and boost.
The 4311 49th Ave. hotel has installed an electric vehicle charging station on its premises, with the equipment currently available for guests and members of the public to use for free.
Kevin Ritchie, general manager at the Red Deer Lodge, said the installation was completed last Thursday — the day before Red Deer’s Peavey Mart staged a public event to promote its own electric car charging station.
That attracted a number of electric cars to the city.
“They were able to use the chargers in both locations and keep all five vehicles topped up,” said Ritchie.
He said the addition of a charging station at the Red Deer Lodge is consistent with the hotel’s environmental philosophy, which has earned it five green keys under the international Green Key Eco-Rating Program, administered by the Hotel Association of Canada.
“Installation of an EV charging station at the hotel is part of our green initiatives to support the movement towards sustainable transportation options,” said Ritchie.
“We hope that by making the charging station easily accessible, our guests and the community would be more encouraged to make greener travel choices.”
The station can fully recharge an electric vehicle within eight hours, he said, or provide a partial charge in 1 1/2 to two hours.
“So those individuals who are travelling and just need a top-up, with the restaurant being in the building it offers them the opportunity to plug in and recharge not only their car but themselves as well.
“And then those guests who are staying overnight are guaranteed that the next morning their vehicle is ready to go for the next journey.”
Ritchie said the Red Deer Lodge is the first hotel in Central Alberta to install a charging station.
Red Deer-based Peavey Industries Ltd., which operates Peavey Mart stores across Western Canada, has pledged to place chargers at all of its stores.
It’s already done so at Red Deer and Blackfalds, and at two other locations.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com