Mayor, Citiparks and Innovation & Performance Launch FREE Wi-Fi at 22 Community Recreation & Healthy Active Living Centers

Summer roll out part of commitments of Inclusive Innovation Roadmap to narrow the digital divide

PITTSBURGH, PA (April 13, 2016) – The City of Pittsburgh Department of Recreation (Citiparks) and the City of Pittsburgh Department of Innovation & Performance have announced that free Wi-Fi will be installed in 22 City of Pittsburgh Community Recreation and Healthy Active Living Centers.

“Providing Wi-Fi in city facilities is another step along the journey towards inclusive innovation,” said Mayor William Peduto. “This is a great example of our commitment to narrowing the digital divide between the diverse communities of Pittsburgh and I’d like to commend Chief Debra Lam, Director Jim Griffin and their staffs and our partners in this project for their tireless efforts to make this possible.”

At each location, Pittsburghers will now be able to connect to the free Wi-Fi via laptops, smartphones, tablets and other Wi-Fi enabled devices while simultaneously enjoying all that Citiparks facilities have to offer.

“Having free Wi-Fi access in our facilities will not only enable our Citiparks staff to be more efficient by providing more tools to manage our Community Recreation Centers and Healthy Active Living Center (Senior Center) programs, it also offers connectivity for our youth and senior populations who may otherwise have limited Internet access,” said Department of Parks & Recreation Director, Jim Griffin.

With the help of a grant from the Grable Foundation ($11,500) and a partnership with Comcast and the Neighborhood Learning Alliance, Citiparks will offer classes — Internet Essentials, Career Preparation —  to youth, seniors and families throughout the city to further bridge the digital divide.

“We are proud to partner with the City of Pittsburgh by providing broadband service that delivers Wi-Fi access to more of its residents,” said Christine Whitaker, senior vice president of Comcast’s Keystone Region. “As Pittsburgh and the nation’s leading provider of broadband and Wi-Fi, Comcast is committed to closing the digital divide at home through our Internet Essentials program, so this Citiparks’ initiative is a perfect fit. We look forward to continuing to help the City follow its Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation.”

As a partner in the project, Comcast is offering a discount on monthly billing statements at each location.

In September 2015, the City of Pittsburgh released the Roadmap for Inclusive Innovation, a  strategic plan that will support equitable access to technology, City resources, and information.

“Whether you’re chatting with friends, tweeting about a special event, or searching for employment or training opportunities – technology is changing the way we work, play and communicate in our parks and facilities,” said Chief of Innovation & Performance, Debra Lam. “We are excited to launch the Wi-Fi project and hope to have more opportunities for inclusive, innovative resources in the future.”

** CLOSED while undergoing renovations

For more information visit http://pittsburghpa.gov/citiparks.