ASHLAND — An anonymous reader of Ashland Source recently reached out to ask us a couple of questions.
"What is the current status of outdoor wi-fi being installed downtown? Does Ashland have any plans to install EV charging stations?" they wrote.
There is no wifi being installed downtown currently because public, outdoor wifi downtown has already existed for "several years," Mayor Matt Miller said.
A few years ago, Armstrong Cable set up free wifi at Corner Park and down Main Street -- and it's still operating today.Â
"They're still offering it. So if it's not working, someone will have to let 'em know," Miller said.
As for electric vehicle chargers, there are two projects underway that could bring them to Ashland.
Tesla is planning to install "several" charging stations in the parking lot of the Wingate Hotel off of U.S. 250, Miller said. The city's engineering and building departments have already approved the chargers, so they should be installed "fairly soon."
According to Tesla's website, the chargers are set to open in the third quarter of 2023.
The city is also looking to install chargers of its own in Lot B behind The South Street Grille. Miller has been in contact with ChargePoint, a company that manages EV chargers, about the project but he's unsure when they might be installed.
"I'd love to tell you this year, but nothing ever seems to turn out the way I say it when it comes to timeframes," he said.
