WiFi hotspot
rbernard@daily-journal.com In an effort to attract businesses and to bring more users to an information-rich community Web site, the city of Kankakee is in the process of transforming downtown into a high-tech hot spot. Within weeks, lap-top typists and the PDA-dependent will be able to access the Internet from the heart of the city -- whether that be the Farmer's Market gazebo or sitting on the bank of the river. Wireless Fidelity -- the newest craze sweeping the country -- will enable anyone with the proper equipment to access the World Wide Web without having to go through a broadband or DSL connection. Cheryl Bricks, for one, can't wait. "I think it's a great idea," she said. An employee of Curves, which opened in January in the Clock Tower Centre on Schuyler Avenue, Bricks said the business could use the wireless system to receive updates on interest for the different programming offered by the women's fitness center. She's also said the hotspot is an amenity the city could offer to businesses which are considering locating downtown. Pete Schiel, assistant superintendent of utility operations for the city of Kankakee, said business development is the reason that the city is interested in WiFi. Reconstruction is transforming the face of downtown Kankakee. The newly refurbished Clock Tower Centre has attracted Governors State University and HomeStar Bank, among other businesses; a park is being constructed in front of the historic train depot; and more and more events such as the Strawberry Jazz Festival, a blues festival, the Art Crawl and summertime entertainment during the Farmer's Market are making the area a viable destination. Bringing the newest form of technology downtown seems to make sense. Kankakee Mayor Don Green is the impetus behind the effort. "It takes the city into the next century. It's a pretty exciting prospect for the community," he said. Green also said the wireless service could encourage more businesses to locate downtown because the technology could help them save operating costs on telephone service, for instance. And GSU students would be able to take a laptop to class and conduct Internet research during class, or check e-mail, surf the Internet, make phone calls or play games, he added. Wi-Fi in Kankakee is being developed through a cooperative effort between the city and The Daily Journal. They've created a new company called WiFi Kankakee LLC because municipalities are restricted from creating and making a profit from WiFi, said Wade LeBeau, information services director for The Daily Journal. An agreement is being prepared and is expected to be presented soon to the Kankakee City Council, Green said. Initial start-up costs have been tagged at $11,000 for the city, which will maintain the system's infrastructure and $9,700 for the newspaper, which will provide technical support and a help desk. In addition, the city is inviting local businesses to provide sponsorships, that will help defray operating costs. That figure is lower than an estimate Bradley officials received from Motorola recently. The company told Village Board members it would cost $128,000 to start WiFi in the village. Kankakee's costs are substantially lower for two reasons: The system being utilized is much less expensive and easier to install, and existing employees within the city and The Daily Journal will maintain the infrastructure and offer technical support, thereby substantially decreasing operating costs. LeBeau said. Since WiFi can provide Internet access for a fraction of the cost of high-speed or DSL, some broadband providers are wary of the newest networks being created in towns across America. Comcast in Kankakee, however, isn't threatened by the city's plans. Comcast Vice President of Communications Patricia Andrews-Keenan does not see Wi-Fi in that way. "We really try to distinguish ourselves," Andrews-Keenan said. "We are function-rich and privately managed. We don't have an exclusive product. We try to have a differentiated product." |
PO Box 401
Kankakee, IL 60901-0401