Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez today announced grand opening of expanded community Wi-Fi access at 14 neighborhood parks
Photo (from left to right): Board Member of the South Florida Digital Alliance, Peter Korinis; Regional Director for AT&T, Maria Johnston; Director of Enterprise Technology Service Department, Angel Petisco; Senior Advisor for Miami-Dade County, Lisa Martinez; Commissions Aid for Miami-Dade District 11 Commissioner Juan C. Zapata, Alvaro Muniz; Miami-Dade County Mayor, Carlos A. Gimenez; Chief of Staff for Miami-Dade District 11 Commissioner Juan C. Zapata, Bernardo Escobar; Miami-Dade Parks Director, Jack Kardys; Board Member of the South Florida Digital Alliance, Jose Cabrera; Executive Director of the South Florida Digital Alliance, James Osteen; Board Member of the South Florida Digital Alliance, Joseph Steen; Board Member of the South Florida Digital Alliance, Jackie Zelma; Board Member of the South Florida Digital Alliance, Andrew Phillips.
(MIAMI, August 9, 2013) — Today, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez announced an initiative focused on expanding community Wi-Fi access and kicked off the grand opening of Miami-Dade County’s new park-based Technology Learning Centers, aimed at providing free community access to computers, Wi-Fi and technology training for both youth and adults.
“Access to technology is the gateway to information and opportunities, and it is our responsibility to find ways to make sure that our residents have access through this gateway.” said Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.
“This Technology Learning Center is a great step towards expanding high-speed broadband fiber in West Kendall (WeKe). Affordable high-speed broadband internet access is important to the overall goal of generating economic development in West Kendall,” said Commissioner Juan C. Zapata. According to Zapata, it is vital to address the greater need for technology by providing public spaces where young children can receive hands-on training to learn to write code. “A skilled labor force will sustain our economic development in the future. We have some excellent IT and Coding programs at G.H. Braddock, Felix Varela, John A. Ferguson and Sunset Senior High School which integrate perfectly with some exciting technology projects that Florida International University is seeking to develop. The goal is for Miami-Dade County to be recognized as the technology gateway of the Americas,” said Commissioner Zapata.
“Education is at the heart of any successful community,” said Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa. “By offering free Wi-Fi access and technology training in these park-based Technology Learning Centers, we are providing our residents with more opportunities to learn, work, and play.”
Sponsored by AT&T and the South Florida Digital Alliance and with the support of the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department, the Miami-Dade Public Library System and the Information Technology Department, The 11 new technology learning centers are one more example of the implementation of the vision and principles of the Parks & Open Space System Master Plan, designed to create greater connectivity between residents and cultural-learning centers, communities, parks, and natural areas. Nationally accredited, a three-time winner of the NRPA National Gold Medal Award, winner of the 2013 Florida Governor’s Sustained Excellence Award and the 2009 Florida Governor’s Sterling Award for excellence in management and operations, Miami-Dade County Parks is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 260 parks and 12,825 acres of land. For more information, please visit http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/