Public space outside 4 Youth Centers, the Golf Course, and Water Department
Install special outdoor wifi access points to offer free public wifi in the public space surrounding the Area IV, Frisoli, Gately, and Moore Youth Centers, as well as the Fresh Pond Golf Course and Cambridge Water Department.
Right now, these locations only have outside coverage that is overflow from inside the building, so it’s not necessarily reliable or consistent. IT staff would install special access points (specifically made for outside coverage) at the above locations and define the zone where the public can access free wifi. This would not be full coverage of any one Center’s public outside space, but it would increase the reach of free public wifi for community members who use the youth centers, play on the golf course, and walk near the Water Department.
2. The rest of the City should be covered too. We can afford it (with our AAA bond rating). And we have many low-income residents — many with children — iiving in non-project areas of the City. (If"project" is not a nice term — I’m out of date on that — please substitute a nice one.
3. ALtho it’s not clear, my understanding is that one could sit in a car and sign in in these areas. But I do agree with the person who finds locations which require cars to get there to be elitist.
ALSO, GENERALLY: Because it requires cell phones, this is something of an elitist process. And you can’t call the City to say more than one person must use a given phone after 12 on Friday — but there is no warning about this. Both these things have undoubtedly eliminated voters.
It would have been good to send really advance notice about this to all residents, with info on how to get it translated.
HOWEVER, bugs or not, this is still a great idea for the city.
BTW, I hope my email is not available to others!