When is a park not a park – when it’s a fully Wi-Fi enabled park which allows visitors to work, learn and stay connected with friends and family.
Award winning Zetland Park in Grangemouth has become the first ‘Smart Park’ in the Falkirk Council area – and Scotland - by providing free, secure public Wi-Fi to all park users in designated areas of the park.
Friends of Zetland Park secured an award of £64k from the Council’s Community Choices Fund to transform the park into a ‘Smart Park’ over two phases. Now the first phase of the ‘Smart Park’ project has been delivered with the installation of the Wi-Fi which will not only attract visitors to the park but will provide connectivity for other Smart Park features in the future which could include smart bins and CCTV cameras.
Councillor Paul Garner, Depute Leader said: “By providing free public Wi-Fi in Zetland Park, we’re not just connecting devices but also connecting people to a range of opportunities. This initiative transforms the park into a vibrant hub of connectivity, fostering community engagement, enabling access to information and enhancing recreational opportunities.
“Beyond just being a convenient amenity, free Wi-Fi offers a multitude of benefits that cater to the diverse needs of park-goers. Its testament to our commitment to innovation and inclusivity making the park the cornerstone of a truly ’smart’ community.”
Having fully enabled Wi-Fi in Zetland Park will bring a range of benefits to visitors and include:
- Accessibility for all – eliminates barriers to information and communication for those who may not have access to mobile data
- Enhanced visitor experience – visitors can stay connected during their time in the park when in a Wi-Fi enabled area
- Promotes outdoor work and study – opportunities for remote workers, students and schools to use outdoor spaces for work and study
- Promotes tourism and economic growth – positions Zetland Park as a modern, dynamic space that caters to the needs of tech-savvy visitors.
Alastair Gray, Chairperson Friends of Zetland Park said: “The Friends of Zetland Park are delighted to see continuing investment in Zetland Park by Falkirk Council for the benefit of all Park users.
“We hope that the Wi-Fi facilities will improve the experience of park users and allow for the provision of additional internet dependant services in the future.”
The connectivity that comes with the installation of Wi-Fi will allow for the provision of five new state of the art CCTV cameras which will improve safety and security in the park (24 hours a day 365 days a year) while supporting improved park monitoring to inform ongoing and improved levels of management and maintenance within the park.
Information on how to connect to the Wi-Fi will be displayed in the park's customer information points.