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WiFi Access Coming To Dozens Of City Park Locations

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - WiFi service has been launched in 32 parks across the five boroughs, the city announced on Tuesday.

A partnership between the city, Cablevision and Time Warner Cable will provide hotspot access in the parks through July 2020.

Under the agreement, New Yorkers and visitors will be able to connect to the Internet for free for 30 minutes a month, and for 99 cents a day. The newly launched service will be free to all Cablevision and Time Warner broadband subscribers.

"Parks are not only great places for relaxation and recreation, they are also ideal for surfing the net," said NYC Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White in a statement.

According to a news release, the hotspots are distributed throughout city parks, with the majority of the locations in the outer boroughs. Additional park locations will get WiFi access as the program grows.

The goal of the program, according to the release, is to equip areas currently lacking widespread Internet access with high-quality WiFi.

"Increased access to public WiFi is one of the most popular requests we hear from New Yorkers, so today's announcement will be welcome news to residents and visitors alike," said Rachel Haot, New York City's Chief Digital Officer. "By connecting more New Yorkers, we're able to achieve the City's goals of Internet access and engagement, underscoring Mayor Bloomberg's Digital Roadmap."

The initiative is in addition to AT&T's WiFi project.

NYC Parks WiFi now includes hotspots in the following parks across the five boroughs:

Bronx:

  • Bronx Park (Ranaqua)
  • Gun Hill Playground
  • St. James Park & Recreation Center
  • St. Mary's Park & Recreation Center
  • Seton Falls Park
  • Owen Dolen Recreation Center

Brooklyn:

  • Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center
  • Coney Island (Steeplechase Park)
  • Marine Park (Nature Center)
  • Wingate Park
  • Manhattan Beach
  • Gravesend Park
  • Brownsville Recreation Center
  • Cadman Plaza Park
  • Carroll Park
  • Prospect Park (Bandshell)
  • St. John's Recreation Center

Manhattan:

  • Bryant Park
  • Jackie Robinson Park
  • Madison Square Park
  • Riverside Park (W. 79th Street Boat Basin)

Queens:

  • Baisley Pond Park
  • Bowne Park
  • Cunningham Park
  • Kissena Park
  • Railroad Park
  • Roy Wilkins Park & Recreation Center

Staten Island:

  • Greenbelt Recreation Center (Blood Root Valley)
  • Tappen Park
  • Barrett Park (Staten Island Zoo)
  • Snug Harbor Cultural Center
  • Tompkinsville Park

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