At its Sept. 21 meeting, the City Commission approved a contract with Kent County for the installation of three wifi units in East Grand Rapids. These units are located in Gaslight Village, John Collins Park and Manhattan Park and provide free public wifi access for up to 50 users at once with a broadcast range of up to 900 feet.
This project was administered by Kent County, in partnership with The Right Place, to address the need for free access to the internet from public locations throughout the County due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting costs and monthly payments through the end of 2020 were paid by the County through CARES Act funding. The City has committed to take on the monthly charge of ~$40 over the next two years and will then reevaluate its use and need.
Please note that because this wifi is public, it is not secure. Public Safety discourages accessing private information using this connection. Learn more by reviewing the Sept. 21, 2020 meeting agenda and/or watching the meeting on YouTube.