PENOLA residents and tourists will benefit from a $10,000 Wattle Range Council project to install free WiFi internet in Penola’s central business district.
The project will provide free WiFi internet from Bowden Street to Riddoch Street – including the Penola Swimming Pool, skate park and visitor information centre – at a cost of $1500 per year to council.
The connection will help visitors to the region explore and obtain necessary information to enhance the tourist experience, with businesses also expected to benefit from the project as tourists are expected to remain in the centre of Penola for longer.
Koonara Wines owner Nicole Reschke said the service would bring a better experience for visitors coming to the township and allow people to access information or tend to business while staying in the heart of town.
“Visitors will be able to connect with their lives better, especially those who are travelling on the road,” Ms Reschke said.
“It will add to the Penola township experience and visitors will not have to worry about not being connected.”
Ms Reschke said free WiFi would provide a major benefit for businesses, with customers expected to stay longer in cafes to use the service for work or leisure.
“It will be great for cafes because people will be able to sit down with a coffee and check their work emails or work online without the added cost to the business themselves,” she said.
Residents are also expected to benefit from the service, with Penola’s Simone Kain welcoming the news.
Ms Kain said the free service would make it easier to find out more about events and how to access facilities and services.
“There are residents who may be disadvantaged in town who cannot afford to pay for data while they are out of the house, but they will now have access to that connectivity while they are down the street,” Ms Kain said.
“Even the youth will be better connected and they will have access to services others may take for granted for their education.”
“It widens that connectivity and would also be handy for data collection as it will help businesses and council understand which parts of town are busy and which parts are not,” she said.
Wattle Range Council acting chief executive Paul Duka said initial planning for the broadband network had been set back by two years due to finding an appropriate cost effective solution.
“The option that we have progressed will be installed at 10pc less than what we had budgeted for which was a great outcome,” Mr Duka said.
“It is a drawcard for tourists and passersby to stop and utilise the service and spend money in the township of Penola.”
Mr Duka said residents and visitors would be able to access the service through searching available internet connections from their devices.
It is expected to be completed by the end of August.
