WHILE THE new ‘Big Belly’ bins in the town might have caused consternation at a recent Town Council meeting, the news that they are capable of hosting a public WiFi server similar to that used on Dublin’s Grafton Street should be met with interest in the town.
Town Clerk David Minogue explained to The Echo that the six new bins, one on Rafter Street and five on The Promenade, which cost €3,500 each, have been installed as a way of combating the town’s litter problems.
However, the more interesting aspect of the solar-powered bins is their potential future use and one that Mr. Minogue said that council was looking at in detail.
“They will also offer the capacity to install a WiFi network on them, which would provide a free WiFi signal for people using Rafter Street, similar to that which is installed on Grafton Street.”
He added that the council was exploring that option at the moment: “Members of the public in towns and cities are now expecting and demanding free WiFi because the internet is a feature of everyone’s daily life now. Our use of it is constant.”
Business were also being approached in terms of using advertising space on the side of the bins and the Enniscorthy Tourism Trail could also benefit should the WiFi signal be installed on them.
“The idea would be that if you passed by the bin with a WiFi phone, you would receive a kind of promotion telling you of nearby tourist attractions. It could act as a public information system through that signal.”
[Full story in this week’s Echo]