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 December
13, 2007
Wireless group works to expand horizons
By ANN MARIE MCQUEEN, SUN MEDIA
The group of computer consultants likes to gather at the Parliament
Pub on Fridays for a beer.
And now that their favourite watering hole is wireless, they can
surf while they sip.
"It's a great bonus," says owner Stanley Lithwick.
The pub, facing the Parliament Buildings on Wellington St., is the
seventh location in the capital to go wireless through a fledgling
project aimed at helping public spaces, including parks,
restaurants, bars and stores, become wireless hotspots.
The non-profit Ottawa-Gatineau WiFi, or ogWiFi for short, hopes to
emulate successful community wireless projects in other cities like
Montreal. There, Ils Sans Fils is now used by more than 40,000
people in 140-plus spaces.
"My dream is to have as many hotspots as possible and have as many
volunteers as possible," says vice-president Jean-Pierre Fiset.
VOLUNTEER SERVICES
Since launching in 2005 with a small group of Ottawa techies,
ogWiFi has grown to about 20 members, a portion of who volunteer
their time as projects arise. Membership is $50 a year, with a
one-time hookup cost of about $70. Fiset, a self-professed computer
nerd, calls the group's motives "a little bit selfish."
"We are computer consultants, we work from home, we look for places
we can meet and have the access," he says. "But I think it's useful
to a much broader community."
Apart from establishments that arrange it on their own, Ottawa is
like many other municipalities in that the city doesn't offer much
in the way of free wireless.
The Community Infrastructure Wireless Research Project is studying
several specific locations, like Fredericton, N.B., and K-Net in
Northern Ontario, which offer wireless to their communities in
different ways, says project investigator Catherine Middleton, a
Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto's Ted Rogers
School of Management.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Middleton says there are specific challenges to providing
large-scale hotspots: It's expensive, it's not always clear who
would be using it, and the wireless often ends up being offered
out-of-doors, outside of private businesses. The next generation in
larger-scale wireless coverage, WiMax, offers much hope. Meanwhile,
community projects like ogWiFi are stepping into the gap.
"The tiny little networks do great things and they provide good
infrastructure for a small group of people," says Middleton.
Fiset urges people to talk up ogWiFi to their favourite
establishment owners, large and small.
"Here, it's still in the branding phase, still an understanding
phase of what this is all about," he says. "People don't believe --
what, we get stuff for free?'"
Lithwick says they should jump at the chance.
"I'm in the business of attracting customers to the restaurant, and
whatever vehicles will help me in that regard," says Lithwick, "will
help my business."
For more information, visit
www.ogwifi.ca
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On the town, Parliament Pub
March, 2002
If you want to run into some politicians or their staff, journalists
or senior bureaucrats, drop by the Parliament Pub, located directly
across the street from Parliament Hill. You can enter via Wellington
Street or through 101 Sparks Street. The day we attended, former
Prime Minister Joe Clark was having lunch with four of his caucus
members. The day before that, Preston Manning was having his ‘last
lunch,’ so to speak, as a Member of Parliament.
The Parliament Pub is obviously popular with Hill types and civil
servants alike who seem to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, cozy
wingback chairs and pub fare with a flare. The pub owners obviously
have a sense of humor about the place, with every menu item being
named after a Minister, Member of Parliament or political party.
Menu items include The Jane Stewart Philly Melt (melts under
pressure), the Chrétien Caesar (fit for a King), Svend Robinson’s
Quiche of the Day (proceeds from this item go to the Svend Robinson
Pant Fund), Stock’s Pasta Special (light, looks good and full of
steam — amen!) or Pizza Parliament (an assortment of pizzas). We
tried the lunch special, which was the Grant Hill O’Beans soup (Blackbean
soup) and the Pasta Ablonczy — well presented and sits well with
your overall constitution. My colleague tried the Bloc Québécois
salad, which promised to be a little nutty and full of sweet
nothings — unlike the BQ in question period, it hit the target.
The pub is full of political trivia — the resident “artiste” is none
other than Ottawa-Orleans MP Eugene Bellemare, who has donated many
of his caricatures of fellow MPs to decorate the pub’s walls. The
pub is awash in amazing photos — on permanent display, compliments
of photographer Jean Marc Carisse, whose snapshots of various Prime
Ministers, parliamentarians and world leaders go back over 30 years.
Portraits of all the Prime Ministers dating back to Confederation
adorn the walls. Books and posters on politics and Canadian history
abound. Each section of the Parliament Pub features trivia and
history of the different caucuses and photos of their current
leaders. Decals on the wall feature coats of arms of provinces and
other Canadiana themes.
It’s a great place to drop by and soak up the atmosphere and a few
pints—especially during ‘Milliken Time’ (named for Speaker of the
House Peter Milliken). The pub offers a variety of drafts and other
beverages. There is live entertainment every Thursday and Friday
evening from 6:30 to 11p.m. The pub has a 120-seat patio directly in
front of the Parliament Buildings. The patio is open from mid-May
until September — and is always packed on July 1. The Parliament Pub
also books private parties.
101 Sparks Street Tel: 613- 563-0636
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