According to Metro’s Information Technology Services Department, the number of people using the city’s free, wireless internet access at Centennial Park is rising steadily.
Last year Metro Parks and ITS installed Wi-Fi at Centennial because of it’s central location. Last month alone, 500 people logged on.
Metro Parks Spokesman Barry McAlister says the increased number of web surfers is noticeable.
“We still, because of what the park is, still see most people, you know catching sun, or playing with their kids, or playing Frisbee or whatever, but it’s fun to look over and suddenly then you see two or three, you know, young people sitting on the stair of the Parthenon with their laptops, or you know, a business man on a bench over by the lake with his laptop. It’s become an interesting scene.”
McAlister says because of success in Centennial Park, the next move is to add free, wireless internet access at the Public Square, the green space over the new underground parking garage at the renovated Metro courthouse downtown. It’s scheduled to open in October.
Metro Parks and ITS say for now they don’t have plans for installing Wi-Fi in other city parks.
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