People in the Kings Mountain area will now have additional access to the internet through new solar-powered benches.
Campers, visitors and boaters out enjoying the Moss Lake recreational park and camping now have access to free broadband internet at one of the benches.
The solar-powered smart bench, one of five to be placed around the Kings Mountain area, was recently installed and provides free charging stations and internet.
“We’re really excited to increase free broadband access for citizens of the community,” said Christina Martin, director of cultural enrichment for the city of Kings Mountain. “We have five of these, and they are placed where there is not free broadband.”
In addition to the Moss Lake location, she said the smart benches will be located at the Davidson Park on Sims Street, the Deal Park walking track, Thomb’s walking track on Watterson Street and one at Mauney Memorial Library.
She said each one is considered a library service point.
Martin said she first learned about the solar benches while reading a professional library journal and knew it fit in with the library and county’s goal to increase access.
Funding for the $38,000 benches came from federal ARPA funds, which are distributed to libraries according to a formula.
“They gave everybody money, and there was a list of things they could choose from,” Martin said.
Initially, the solar-powered benches weren’t on that list. When she inquired into whether funds could be used for them, they were added to the list of approved projects.
She said they want to get internet out of the people realizing it is a need in today’s times.
The bench has both wireless and cord chargers and each location – Moss Lake, Mauney Library and the others – will come up as the Wi-Fi setting. There is no password, and each bench can support up to 16 users at a time. She said each bench has been placed in a location that is open and accessible at all times.
Martin said they are powered by a sim card through a router, and the library pays Verizon to filter each one. The benches are all solar powered and have a motion-sensor light.
Each one has posters that commemorate Kings Mountain’s 150th anniversary. The Moss Lake bench, which is located near the gazebo by the water, has a photo of the lake before it was fully completed. There is a photo and article from The Herald included.
“I want people to know about them so if they’re in the area and need broadband, they can access it,’ Martin said.
She said they have been working on the project for about a year and three of the five benches have been placed. The benches for Mauney Library and Watterson Street will be coming soon.
She said Mauney Library funds ongoing maintenance.
Martin said the Moss Lake recreation park and camp site has two library service points, the bench, and a lending library on the porch of the office. The library, which looks like a vending machine, contains books that people can check out by using their library card number or if they are a student, their school lunch number. People can also scan a QR code on the machine which then sends an email to the library ,and they can then give people a library card number they can use at the site to check out a book.
She said the lending library was added this year.
“I think one thing libraries are trying to do is we are no longer a building, we need to get out in the community,” Martin said.
She said people no longer have to physically visit a building to enjoy the library’s many services.
Martin said it was a team effort, and the project was made possible in part by Wayne Ledbetter and Energy Services who assisted her in putting the project together and getting it off the ground, and Rick Duncan, Moss Lake director, who always says yes and approves project ideas for the lake.
Reach reporter Rebecca Sitzes at [email protected].
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
