Increasing the ability of the citizenry to access information and services is certainly within the scope of local government. I would like to see the city take a much broader view and include not only the parks but all public spaces and buildings in the question of the feasibility of enhancing public access to information. The discussion should also include as many modes of communication as possible for the present and for the future. Access to and enhancement of communication and information is the basis of civil society. Other cities on the planet, although not without their turf battles, are more aggressive about developing an infrastructure with a much longer look to the future than keeping the playgrounds neat and the lakes clean. We need to think more like John Stevens and Franklin Steele. Dan McGuire Ericsson
Matt Burress wrote: > Michael Hohmann wrote: > I too question why the MPRB should be considering making local parks > wireless access 'hot spots.' I agree with Andrew-- libraries, yes; parks, > no. Some coffee shops offer wi-fi at no cost to patrons and they absorb the > cost, while others charge for it. I think the MPRB has enough to take care > of without getting into providing wireless access for the masses. Do the > public schools provide wi-fi to students and teachers? Does the city > provide wireless access for all employees, other than where hand held units > , etc. might be used on the job? How about Hennepin County or the state? > Let's keep our eye on the mission. Let's keep the parks green and the > surface waters clean; and, provide reasonable recreation programming for > city youth on a year-round basis. > > Matt Burress responds: > The mission of the MPRB is to provide a set of public services, and I agree > that such services should include clean waters and recreational programming. > But I contend that wi-fi supports that mission. As with libraries, it is a > public good relevant to users of parks -- even though it is a new one like > skateboarding facilities and off-leash recreational areas for dogs. The > financial cost may make it an unreasonable service to provide (although I > tend not to think so), but this is a question separate from whether wi-fi > constitutes a branching out of the MPRB mission. > > Also, the lack of wi-fi in other public buildings in Minneapolis is not an > argument against having wi-fi; rather, it is a reflection of the cutting > edge nature of the technology. > > Matt Burress > Audubon > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL > PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
