Remember when parks were just about relaxing and enjoying nature? Well in the wacky world of 2013, we want to ensure that we’re still able to connect to a Wi-Fi network when we stop by the local park. To help with this goal, Google has committed to providing 31 parks across San Francisco with free Wi-Fi for two years, a gift that will cost the company $600,000.
San Francisco’s Mayor Ed Lee announced the news today, revealing that Google will pay $600,000 to fund the initiative. After the first two years are up, Google’s funding will have been drained and it will then be up to the city to continue to keep the project alive. The project is being labeled by the city as San Francisco’s “Free Wi-Fi in the Parks” program.
To be fair there are a number of useful cases that will come out of the program. Those without high-speed Internet access at their homes will be able to enjoy a nice public setting as a way of connecting online, and those looking to get some light work done will be able to have a nice alternate location to the local McDonald’s or Starbucks.
Here is the complete list of parks planned to be installed with Wi-Fi. Installations will begin by as early as this November and will finish by April 2014.
Alamo Square, Balboa Park, Bernal Heights Recreation Center, Boeddeker Park, Chinese Recreation Center, Civic Center Plaza, Corona Heights, Crocker Amazon Playground, Duboce Park, Eureka Valley Recreation Center, Gene Friend Recreation Center, Hamilton Recreation Center, Huntington Park, Joseph Lee Recreation Center, Justin Herman Plaza, Margaret S. Hayward Playground, Marina Green, Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center, Mission Dolores Park, Mission Recreation Center, Palega Playground, Portsmouth Square, Richmond Recreation Center, St. Mary’s Recreation Center, St. Mary’s Square, Sue Bierman Park, Sunnyside Playground, Sunset Playground, Tenderloin Recreation Center, Upper Noe Recreation Center, Washington Square.
