Old Brooklyn Connected

Old Brooklyn Connected is a community development project designed to bridge the digital divide in Ward 13, create a community portal for residents of Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Centre, and ensure that residents have the necessary skills to compete in the digital age.  In Ward 13, the Old Brooklyn Connected Wi-Fi will provide free, fast, and secure high-speed wireless internet access for every home, business, and institution.

Cleveland City Councilman Kevin Kelley initiated the project, calling it:

“The most significant project in our neighborhood’s history. It will redefine Old Brooklyn as a forward-thinking community that connects with families and small businesses. It will also establish the community as a leader in accessing information and opportunity.”

There is a great deal of technology behind the Old Brooklyn Connected Wi-Fi effort, with eight major cluster points around Ward 13 along with hundreds of access points around each cluster which are mounted on street lights around town.

The Old Brooklyn Connected Wi-Fi network is expected be up and running for Ward 13 during the early part of 2011 and is seen by The City of Cleveland as a pilot/test area to examine feasibility of coverage in other Wards.

The Old Brooklyn Connected website is an interactive portal offering the community an abundance of information and community resources including the users access to the internet.

Information on Councilman Kevin Kelley’s activities as the Ward 13 representative are available here

Additional information on City of Cleveland activities, programs and services are available here

What does this mean for Ward 13?

• Access — becoming a regional leader in providing access to information and technology
• Information — providing ways to connect to the Web in your home, in the park, at your favorite hangout – anywhere in Ward 13 – for FREE
• Knowledge — giving you the latest news, updates and resources to connect you to classes, tools, and your neighborhood
• Opportunity — attracting businesses, and helping students expand their knowledge and connect our neighborhood to the world