Public wifi for Limavady moves closer

A firm known as Wifi Spark, who provide similar public wifi services at locations such as hospitals and shopping centres across the UK, won a tender process to provide wifi in Limavady town centre with their bid.

After the development of a ‘ReVitalise’ masterplan for Limavady town centre in 2013, the local council went further at the beginning of last year with proposals to provide free wifi across the town centre.

The proposals were later widened to include similar projects in Moyle and Ballymoney who, along with Coleraine, will be run by the Causeway Coast and Glens council from April onwards.

Director of Development at Limavady Borough Council, Valerie Richmond, said: “Only one bid was received for the above programme, which was spread further to involve a collaborative programme with Moyle and Ballymoney. Wifi Spark met the criteria as set by the tender request, and the winning bid was for £22,796 ex VAT, and a further £4,764 ex VAT for the year’s administration and management up to April 2016.”

In neighbouring Londonderry, meanwhile, a free wifi scheme was launched in November as part of a government scheme supporting the creation of free Wi-Fi zones in public buildings throughout the city centre.

The free service was launched in Londonderry’s Guildhall, Derry City Council Offices, the Shared Future Centre and Foyle Valley Railway, and will be extended to all public buildings and amenity sites including the Brandywell Stadium, City of Derry Airport, Templemore Sports Complex, the new Foyle Arena, Brooke Park, and the Millennium Forum. The scheme will be managed by Derry City Council