I have noticed that some places of business offer free wireless Internet. I think this is a great idea. The Internet should be free. Can’t we take this a step further?

I know that some municipalities offer free wireless Internet in the downtown core. It makes sense to do this. Downtown business areas are the heart and soul of any community. At least they used to be. I know a lot of people who never venture downtown anymore. They tell me that it is more convenient to go to the mall or shop online. They tell me that they don’t feel comfortable downtown. I don’t think free Internet is going to attract more visitors to the downtown core. Who needs to surf the web when they shop anyway?

Perhaps offering free Internet citywide would be more of an incentive to businesses that might consider setting up shop in our city. It might help attract residents to our city as well and give them something to rave about other than our downtown that they probably won’t utilize.

I support downtown businesses. I’m not trying to take anything away from them or from the people who reside in the core. All I know is that it is unfair that they get special treatment. Why are they the only ones to get free wifi?

I think the Internet is to this generation what the library and downtown core was to the previous. Times are changing. People shop and get their information in different ways now. The Internet has changed everything. It is time we embrace it and use it more productively in our city.