Stay connected at places you might otherwise visit to “get away.” At six locations within Los Angeles, the City will reportedly offer free WiFi service as of Thursday, Aug. 14.
The six locations are sprinkled across Los Angeles, with one hot spot in the San Fernando Valley, a couple smart phone and tablet friendly places at the beaches, and three work-friendly areas in and near Downtown.
One of those two beach-friendly WiFi hot spots will be on the Westside, as Internet users will be able to stay connected at Venice Beach. The other ocean side WiFi hot spot is at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro.
Further inland, Los Angeles will also be offering free WiFi at Pershing Square in Downtown, in between Dodger Stadium and the 101 Freeway at Echo Park Lake, in the shadows of the Hollywood sign at Griffith Observatory, and complementing the BBQ pits at Reseda Park.
When the free service debuts on Aug. 14, users will reportedly be able to log on to the “Oh Ranger!” WiFi network.
Using any one of the six WiFi hot spots, smart phone and tablet users will be able to access a City-sponsored website – m.laparks.org – to make free maintenance and service requests to the appropriate divisions.
Funding for the free WiFi hot spots – which is part of a Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation and Parks pilot program – reportedly came from Toyota.
Beyond Los Angeles and Venice Beach, several cities offer free WiFi citywide, including Santa Monica, Maywood, Miami Beach, and Santa Clara. Cities such as Cleveland, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and San Jose offer free WiFi within the downtown or in select neighborhoods.
No word on when, if at all, City Hall plans to expand free WiFi service to other parks and beaches and, eventually, the whole of Los Angeles.
Coincidentally, Metro’s subway and light rail stations and trains will have free WiFi available for riders beginning January 2016, roughly when the Expo Line will become fully operational all the way to Santa Monica.
