“Today, the NYC Design Commission will be hearing a proposal to install Wi-Fi equipment on six Parks Department concession buildings, Abe Stark Rink and New York Aquarium’s Education Hall, and Riegelmann Boardwalk between West 8th Street and West 21st Street in Coney Island.

“Once a luxury, wireless internet access has quickly become a necessity for New York City residents. It is shameful and unacceptable that it has taken this long to bring public Wi-Fi to southern Brooklyn. Not one park in our area is currently set up by the Parks Department to offer our residents free Wi-Fi. Why don’t we have access at Kaiser Park? How about Bensonhurst Park? Asser Levy Park? The Coney Island Boardwalk? West Playground? Seth Low Park? Marlboro playground? Gravesend Park on 18th Avenue? Dreier Offerman Park? Why have our neighborhoods been left out?

“It seems that every week there are national stories on the resurgence of NYC as a technology hub and start-up incubator. Should there be a footnote in these stories to make clear ‘except in southern Brooklyn?’ Bus shelter ads trumpet this economic development strategy – bus shelter ads placed in neighborhoods City Hall has in the very technology plans the ads are promoting!

“Of the twenty-four Parks Department sites with Wi-Fi access, ten are in Manhattan, and there are plans in place to bring another two to that borough. Despite being the City’s most populous borough, there are only six free Wi-Fi sites in Brooklyn parks, and none of them are south of Prospect Park.

“There are safety, educational, commercial, and recreational benefits to offering free Wi-Fi service to city residents that we in southern Brooklyn are being deprived of. As a teacher, I see students at a disadvantage simply because they don’t have a computer or internet access in their home. How will they compete for jobs, internships, or other educational opportunities? The exclusion of southern Brooklyn residents from this service is nothing short of shameful. The city needs to make sure that plans for innovation reach all corners of the city and not just for the privileged few. I strongly urge the Design Commission to approve plans to bring these services to southern Brooklyn, and hope that this is the beginning of an effort to bring additional technological resources to our neighborhoods.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)