Communities in Aberdeen can today connect to free, high-speed outdoor Wi-Fi zones in several northern areas of the city.
The council’s digital place programme aims to help support the better use of digital solutions within regeneration neighbourhoods and has been rolled out initially in areas of Northfield, Cummings Park, Woodside and Tillydrone.
A two-year project is being established within the communities with £150,000 invested in digital infrastructure. Through collaboration and engagement with the communities, the council will seek to understand how connections can enhance the lives of individuals and the quality of services delivered.
During the two-year period, the community will be supported to consider the value of long term ownership of the infrastructure and the continuation of the project.
Finance convener Willie Young said: “We live in the Information Age and our lives are becoming more and more intertwined with technology – which is a key enabler for employment opportunities, for education and social inclusion.
“This innovative pilot project has therefore been designed to give regeneration areas in Aberdeen access to information and help to encourage education, training and skills development as well as strengthening participation in events through greater awareness and building stronger, more engaged communities.”
Residents will be prompted to log on to the service which includes portal pages that can be customised to display local images and community group social media feeds along with local event information.
The project is being led by Aberdeen City Council in collaboration with Future Cities Catapult and Pinacl Solutions.