"Free" WiFi service? Who benefits?

When is a new municipal service not really a service at all?

Yesterday. the Town of Newmarket and members of the council breathlessly announced a new "service" to residents.  "FREE WiFi" the twitter account of the Town of Newmarket exclaimed. 

Ah, but read the fine print.

Are they offering this WiFi in places where residents actually congregate and spend any amount of time?

For example, maybe they decided to install the "Free" WiFi at the Community Centre and River Walk Commons.  People seem to congregate there.  Sadly, no.

What about the Youth Centre, where kids with cell phones would certainly appreciate not having to use up their data minutes to text and play games.  No, there is no "Free" WiFi there either.

Maybe seniors on fixed incomes would enjoy access to "Free" WiFi.  We all know that the costs of home Internet service is ever increasing so this would make good sense to help those on fixed means stay connected to the Internet.  But sadly, no that isn't where the "Free" Internet will be installed. 

The installation is going into a facility where ordinary residents rarely congregate and hardly ever visit -- The municipal office at 395 Mulock Drive. 

So if the Town of Newmarket is offering this fantastic new service for "Free" and investing reportedly $50,000 to make it happen, why is the service being installed in the one facility rarely every visited by ordinary residents?

Because the service isn't meant for ordinary residents. 

Like the $30,000 coffee budget, this money is just another perk of employment being offered to the employees of the Town of Newmarket although disguised as a expanded service for you and me. 

Town employees enjoy surfing the web like everyone else but they resent having to spend their own money to do it.  So, no more going on line via a cell phone data plan, these employees can now surf for free. 

Too bad that residents who use the River Walk Commons, Community Centre, Youth Centre, and Senior Centre aren't as fortunate.  For those folks there is no such thing as "Free" WiFi.

Welcome to Newmarket under the auspices of the Old Boys Club.  Free WiFI is a great idea.  So why not install it where ordinary people can access it?