Downtown goes wireless

LearningCITI provides Internet access to downtown students and residents

VERONICA CARR STAFF

It was rumored to be in the development stages prior to the civic elections and has now hit downtown Winnipeg in an innovative progression of technology: LeaningCITI, a wireless Internet initiative, has been implemented.

LearningCITI — Computer and Information Technology Infrastructure — will provide wireless Internet access and learning resources to downtown Winnipeg, presenters said at the project launch on Nov. 21.

Funded by the U of W, Red River Community College and the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development (CAHRD), as well as the federal, provincial, and city governments, LearningCITI will issue passwords for wireless access to students at U of W, the downtown campus of RRCC, and CAHRD, as well as people living in the area. “As an initiative that began for students just to have more accessibility, it grew into a great community of wireless connections and now there are greater ties to the community,” said Michael Langedock, executive director of the Technology Solutions Centre at the U of W.

LearningCITI’s website portal promotes “the development, empowerment and enablement, and quality of life of people living in, working in, and/or visiting Winnipeg’s downtown core,” according to the website. The program provides employment and self-employment resources, recreation and community information, library and online course material, Blogging and EduGaming, an interactive learning encouraging youth to engage themselves. It’s estimated cost is approximately $140,000, according to numbers provided to the Winnipeg Free Press.

“There is a positive and a very surprised reaction to the program. Most people are impressed that such a small institution is capable of doing such things. The students are very pleased that there are now those three big hotspots and the community itself, especially the leaders of the community, are very impressed with the potential it laid the seed for,” said Langedock.

As the University of Manitoba already has its downtown campuses connected with wireless Internet, it won’t be long before the rest of the U of M’s Fort Garry campus is wireless. “There is currently a plan in the works and we should see complete results within the next couple of years,” explained U of M director of public affairs John Danakas.

He added that the U of M has provided technological support to the Learning CITI project.

Other cities have considered providing wireless access — the City of Fredericton, N.B., has provided free wireless access to most of the city since 2003, and many U.S. cities, like Minnesota and Philadelphia, provide downtown Internet access.

If residents are in need of a computer within the community, Smart Partners, an independent organization that supports technology in communities, has a Computer Lending Library program. To assist those with limited or no access to computers and communication, Smart Partners provides computer training and refurbished computers to those in need. So far it has provided more than 600 computers to families living downtown.

“This is just one bite of the elephant. I’m not saying that the LearningCITI itself will become a footprint for the city, but it will be looked upon in the future as one of the groups that planted the seed,” said Langedock. “The sky is the limit!”