Park goes hi-tech

MATAMORAS — Come the end of August, parents can push their children on the swings and pay their bills online at the same time in Airport Park, says George Featherman, president of the Matamoras Recreation Board. Earlier this week, the board approved a proposal that would provide free wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) to the community within the park. Featherman said that the board was going to have a closed connection installed so the park’s surveillance cameras, which stream video to the local police station, can be adjusted on-site. He said since the technology was being implemented anyway, they decided to offer the service to the public. The park that was the first in the region to go smoke-free outdoors will now become the first to offer free Wi-Fi. While many are excited over the progress, moving the park into the 21st century brings its own concerns, however. Possible abuse of this service is weighing heavily on the board’s mind. An open Internet connection can bring various problems. One need not look further than Milford for an example: 7th Street Coffee had its free wireless Internet service shut down by the cable company recently because a patron illegally downloaded a movie; the store even lost its ability to process credit cards. Featherman said the board will try to take preventive measures, but if the service is abused, it will be forced to turn it off. The addition of Wi-Fi will be among many other improvements to the park expected in the coming months, including new paving, new playgrounds, renovation of the basketball courts, and even a kiddy water park. Airport Park will host a community picnic on Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. All who attend should bring a covered dish, and perhaps now, even a lap top.