City officials want downtown to be more connected. So why not start with Wi-Fi?
Well really, renew the Wi-Fi. Georgia's Own Credit Union recently told Curbed Atlanta it would pay to renew a program that brings free internet access to downtown's Woodruff Park.
It’s part of an overall effort to make downtown a more desirable destination for Atlantans — and transform the neighborhood into a bona fide art district for the city.
"Having free Wi-Fi in Woodruff Park has helped us activate the park and provided our visitors with an essential amenity, enabling us to do many more types of activities," Woodruff Park's Ansley Whipple said in a release, according to Curbed.
It's part of a plan to create Atlanta Arts & Entertainment District downtown, which was approved by the city in 2017.
The overall plan is an attempt to give downtown a distinct personality by splashing it with bright lights and signs, similar to tourist destinations in other cities, like Times Square in New York or the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter.
The park originally launched a free Wi-Fi network for visitors in 2018. The connectivity was made possible because of a grant program that was a partnership between Southwest Airlines, Georgia's Own and 100 Peachtree. It allowed students, professionals and park goers in general to get online for free.
The library also brought computers to the park at designated times so people could apply for jobs, search for housing, etc., which can all be hard to do without access to the internet.
According to the website for the Heart of the Community grant program, the money “provided financial and technical assistance to local community partners” from 2014 to 2019.
Now, Georgia’s Own says the connectivity will continue.
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