The Enquirer’s Just Askin’ series aims to answer the questions that no one seems to have the answer to, not even Google.
Technology and nature: theoretically they do not fit together.
But it’s 2024. As long as you have a signal, there’s nothing stopping you from pulling out your smartphone and diving into the World Wide Web while enjoying the great outdoors.
And if you don’t have a hotspot for your other devices, you’re in luck. Many parks in Hamilton County offer free Wi-Fi, thanks in part to an initiative to make internet access easier after the COVID-19 pandemic kept everyone at home. The societal shutdown left those without routers without a way to get online and connect with the rest of the world.
Some parks already had Wi-Fi before the pandemic, but several rounds of public funding from the federal government have given local authorities the means to provide free Wi-Fi in more public areas.
Here are some public parks in Hamilton County with accessible Wi-Fi spots.
Which parks in Hamilton County have free Wi-Fi and where can you access it?
Wi-Fi is only available in parts of these parks. This is not a complete list of all parks with public internet in Hamilton County jurisdictions.
Great Hamilton County Parks with Wi-Fi
Great Parks of Hamilton County is the county’s park system. It operates 22 parks and nature preserves.
Great Parks offers Wi-Fi near visitor centers at Miami Whitewater Forest, Winton Woods, Sharon Woods, Woodland Mound, Nature Center at the Summit, Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve, Glenwood Gardens and Lake Isabella.
Plus the surrounding areas of Parky’s Farm, Highfield Discovery Garden, Adventure Outpost in Winton Woods, Winton Woods Campground and Miami Whitewater Forest Campground.
And close to golf shops at Little Miami Golf Course, Vineyard Golf Course, Sharon Woods Golf Course, Mill Course, Meadow Links and Golf Academy and Miami Whitewater Forest Golf Course.
Parks in Cincinnati with WiFi
The Cincinnati Park Board operates more than 100 regional parks, neighborhood parks and natural areas within or near the city limits. Currently equipped with Wi-Fi are the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park Pavilion, the French House in French Park, the Oak Ridge Lodge in Mt. Airy Forest, the pickleball/tennis courts at Sawyer Point and the Ault Park Pavilion in Ault Park.
Additionally, these access points in urban nature preserves were funded by the federal CARES Act of 2020: Avon Woods Nature Center in Avon Woods Nature Preserve, Bettman Natural Resource Center in Bettman Nature Preserve, Caldwell Nature Center in Caldwell Nature Preserve, California Woods Nature Center in California Woods Nature Preserve, LaBoiteaux Woods Nature Center in LaBoiteaux Woods Nature Preserve, Trailside Nature Center in Burnet Woods. There is also Wi-Fi in Krohn Conservatory.
Washington Park, operated by 3CDC, has public Internet access.
Other parks with WiFi
Harvest Home Park in Cheviot, Chamberlain Park in Deer Park, Serenity Park in Lincoln Heights and Mount Healthy city parks received Wi-Fi grants in 2021 under the CARES Act.
Upcoming public Wi-Fi projects in Hamilton County
Five Hamilton County districts recently received grants to develop public Wi-Fi access points, not necessarily just in parks. Projects to install the access points are still underway.
The Cincinnati Recreation Commission will install access points in 10 parks, Blue Ash will install public Wi-Fi at Blue Ash Towne Square, and Green Township will install public Wi-Fi in all of its park areas.
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