Mayor Lee & Supervisor Farrell Launch Free Wi-Fi Across 32 of San Francisco’s Parks, Plazas & Open Spaces
Expansion of Free Wireless Access in City Parks Furthers San Francisco’s Role As Technology Leader & Helps to Close Digital Divide, Encouraging Innovation, Increase Government Efficiency & Accessibili
Mayor Edwin M. Lee and Supervisor Mark Farrell today launched the City’s free municipal wireless internet access (Wi-Fi) in Parks project at 32 parks, plazas and open spaces across San Francisco.
“Wi-Fi in our City’s parks is another step toward a larger vision of connectivity for our City as a whole, bridging the digital divide and ensuring that our diverse communities have access to innovation,” said Mayor Lee. “This project is a top priority for my administration because of the endless benefits that free Wi-Fi will bring to the residents and visitors of San Francisco. Thank you to Supervisor Farrell, Google and sf.citi for their truly innovative public-private partnership to connect our residents in new ways.”
“This first project builds on a larger vision to bring free Wi-Fi access to every resident in San Francisco, in every corner of the City,” said Supervisor Farrell. “San Francisco is the center of innovation and technology, and providing free Internet access in our parks, plazas and open spaces is the first step in a broader vision to deliver free Wi-Fi to every resident in our City. Locations like the Tenderloin Rec Center are a great example of how this project will help bridge the digital divide, as community groups and non-profits who regularly utilize this space can now take advantage of Internet access where it did not exist before.”
Supervisor Mark Farrell recognized an opportunity to work both inside and outside of local government to bring free Wi-Fi to City residents and visitors with a non-traditional solution, and has spent the past two-years on his effort to expand free Wi-Fi across San Francisco, and partnered with the San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology and Innovation (sf.citi) to bring this first project into reality. Google, Inc., a member of sf.citi, has been an international leader promoting broad Internet access, and together with sf.citi, stepped forward to provide the generous financial resources to make this project possible. Google provided a generous $608,000 grant to fund the initiative and the San Francisco Department of Technology installed and will maintain the network and service.
“Google is happy to provide the funding for free WiFi in San Francisco parks,” said Google Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager Rebecca Prozan. “This network will make the web more accessible than ever for thousands of our neighbors— getting online is as easy as heading to the local park. Now when Karl the Fog rolls into Marina Green, San Franciscans can check the sun’s status in Alamo Square without using their data plans.”
“San Francisco is the hub of technology innovation and has a leadership role in leveling the playing field when it comes to access to the internet,” said Acting Chief Information Officer Miguel Gamiño. “Powering up parks across San Francisco with #SFWiFi gets us closer to bridging the digital divide by allowing the public to explore apps, share images and access City services on a free and robust WiFi network.”
Free Wi-Fi service across many San Francisco parks and plazas will have a number of positive benefits and implications. It will further close the digital divide in communities where Internet access is limited, it will increase government efficiency by providing the City’s Recreation and Park Department staff with more tools to more effectively manage their recreation centers and community programs, and finally, it will enable organizations that serve our youth, seniors and populations – with no Internet access – the free opportunity to further enhance their programs’ effectiveness and outcomes.
“SF Rec and Park is pleased the community broadband network will be the newest addition to our improved park amenities,” said Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “The network will create new ways for the public to enjoy our parks.”
Wi-Fi in the Parks compliments the existing free public internet access along the entire Market Street corridor starting in the Castro neighborhood and ending at The Embarcadero, and builds on the effort to increase Wi-Fi access that has been available since 2005 at 28 public libraries, the DeYoung Museum, Legion of Honor, Laguna Honda Hospital, and City Hall. The City has also completed an overhaul of the Wi-Fi network on Treasure Island, which was initially built in 2008. The overhaul has resulted in improved connections and faster and more robust service for over 2,500 residents and small businesses on Treasure Island. The City has been developing a strategic plan to further expand connectivity for the public benefit in various locations across the City, and continues to work collaboratively with organizations and members of the public in ensuring that internet connectivity and high speed internet is accessible for all residents.
Individuals will be able to access to the free Wi-Fi network by connecting to the #SFWiFi network. For more information, go to: www.sfgov.org/SFWiFi.
The list of the 32 parks, plazas and open spaces with free Wi-Fi can be found on Supervisor Mark Farrell’s Board of Supervisor’s website, go to: http://www.sfbos.org/index.aspx?page=15191, and as follows:
1. Alamo Square
2. Balboa Park
3. Bernal Heights Recreation Center
4. Boeddeker Park**
5. Chinese Recreation Center
6. Civic Center Plaza
7. Corona Heights
8. Crocker Amazon Playground
9. Duboce Park
10. Eureka Valley Rec Center
11. Gene Friend Rec Center/SoMa
12. Hamilton Rec Center
13. Huntington Park
14. Joseph Lee Recreation Center
15. Justin Herman Plaza
16. Margaret Hayward
17. Marina Green
18. Minnie & Lovie Ward Rec Center
19. Mission Dolores Park**
20. Mission Rec Center
21. Palega Recreation Center
22. Portsmouth Square
23. Richmond Recreation Center
24. St Mary’s Playground
25. St Mary’s Square
26. Sue Bierman Park
27. Sunnyside Playground
28. Sunset Playground
29. Tenderloin Children’s Rec Center
30. Union Square
31. Upper Noe Recreation Center
32. Washington Square
** Mission Dolores Park and Boeddeker Park are currently under construction, Wi-Fi installation at these locations will resume once construction is complete.
“Wi-Fi in our City’s parks is another step toward a larger vision of connectivity for our City as a whole, bridging the digital divide and ensuring that our diverse communities have access to innovation,” said Mayor Lee. “This project is a top priority for my administration because of the endless benefits that free Wi-Fi will bring to the residents and visitors of San Francisco. Thank you to Supervisor Farrell, Google and sf.citi for their truly innovative public-private partnership to connect our residents in new ways.”
“This first project builds on a larger vision to bring free Wi-Fi access to every resident in San Francisco, in every corner of the City,” said Supervisor Farrell. “San Francisco is the center of innovation and technology, and providing free Internet access in our parks, plazas and open spaces is the first step in a broader vision to deliver free Wi-Fi to every resident in our City. Locations like the Tenderloin Rec Center are a great example of how this project will help bridge the digital divide, as community groups and non-profits who regularly utilize this space can now take advantage of Internet access where it did not exist before.”
Supervisor Mark Farrell recognized an opportunity to work both inside and outside of local government to bring free Wi-Fi to City residents and visitors with a non-traditional solution, and has spent the past two-years on his effort to expand free Wi-Fi across San Francisco, and partnered with the San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology and Innovation (sf.citi) to bring this first project into reality. Google, Inc., a member of sf.citi, has been an international leader promoting broad Internet access, and together with sf.citi, stepped forward to provide the generous financial resources to make this project possible. Google provided a generous $608,000 grant to fund the initiative and the San Francisco Department of Technology installed and will maintain the network and service.
“Google is happy to provide the funding for free WiFi in San Francisco parks,” said Google Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager Rebecca Prozan. “This network will make the web more accessible than ever for thousands of our neighbors— getting online is as easy as heading to the local park. Now when Karl the Fog rolls into Marina Green, San Franciscans can check the sun’s status in Alamo Square without using their data plans.”
“San Francisco is the hub of technology innovation and has a leadership role in leveling the playing field when it comes to access to the internet,” said Acting Chief Information Officer Miguel Gamiño. “Powering up parks across San Francisco with #SFWiFi gets us closer to bridging the digital divide by allowing the public to explore apps, share images and access City services on a free and robust WiFi network.”
Free Wi-Fi service across many San Francisco parks and plazas will have a number of positive benefits and implications. It will further close the digital divide in communities where Internet access is limited, it will increase government efficiency by providing the City’s Recreation and Park Department staff with more tools to more effectively manage their recreation centers and community programs, and finally, it will enable organizations that serve our youth, seniors and populations – with no Internet access – the free opportunity to further enhance their programs’ effectiveness and outcomes.
“SF Rec and Park is pleased the community broadband network will be the newest addition to our improved park amenities,” said Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “The network will create new ways for the public to enjoy our parks.”
Wi-Fi in the Parks compliments the existing free public internet access along the entire Market Street corridor starting in the Castro neighborhood and ending at The Embarcadero, and builds on the effort to increase Wi-Fi access that has been available since 2005 at 28 public libraries, the DeYoung Museum, Legion of Honor, Laguna Honda Hospital, and City Hall. The City has also completed an overhaul of the Wi-Fi network on Treasure Island, which was initially built in 2008. The overhaul has resulted in improved connections and faster and more robust service for over 2,500 residents and small businesses on Treasure Island. The City has been developing a strategic plan to further expand connectivity for the public benefit in various locations across the City, and continues to work collaboratively with organizations and members of the public in ensuring that internet connectivity and high speed internet is accessible for all residents.
Individuals will be able to access to the free Wi-Fi network by connecting to the #SFWiFi network. For more information, go to: www.sfgov.org/SFWiFi.
The list of the 32 parks, plazas and open spaces with free Wi-Fi can be found on Supervisor Mark Farrell’s Board of Supervisor’s website, go to: http://www.sfbos.org/index.aspx?page=15191, and as follows:
1. Alamo Square
2. Balboa Park
3. Bernal Heights Recreation Center
4. Boeddeker Park**
5. Chinese Recreation Center
6. Civic Center Plaza
7. Corona Heights
8. Crocker Amazon Playground
9. Duboce Park
10. Eureka Valley Rec Center
11. Gene Friend Rec Center/SoMa
12. Hamilton Rec Center
13. Huntington Park
14. Joseph Lee Recreation Center
15. Justin Herman Plaza
16. Margaret Hayward
17. Marina Green
18. Minnie & Lovie Ward Rec Center
19. Mission Dolores Park**
20. Mission Rec Center
21. Palega Recreation Center
22. Portsmouth Square
23. Richmond Recreation Center
24. St Mary’s Playground
25. St Mary’s Square
26. Sue Bierman Park
27. Sunnyside Playground
28. Sunset Playground
29. Tenderloin Children’s Rec Center
30. Union Square
31. Upper Noe Recreation Center
32. Washington Square
** Mission Dolores Park and Boeddeker Park are currently under construction, Wi-Fi installation at these locations will resume once construction is complete.