Final Wireless Hot Spot Goes Live
Orange County received $1,999,620 from the Commonwealth of Virginia for broadband funding pursuant to the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) for a wireless hotspot project. The hotspots are an innovative solution that provides access to free Wi - Fi for students, small business, teleworkers, and residents. The grant award helped Orange County in conjunction with FiberLync, the operating entity of the Orange County Broadband Authority, to build thirty - one (31) miles of optical fiber and rapidly deploy a county - wide network of Wi - Fi hotspots that place 5,791 homes within two (2) miles of a free Wi - Fi hotspot. The Wi - Fi hotspots were placed throughout the county in partnership with over a dozen community facilities including churches, parks, and fire stations. Orange County Administrator Theodore L. Voorhees noted, “ The wireless hotspot project provides a viable and timely solution to Orange County citizens struggling with internet connectivity. We appreciate this generous grant from the Commonwealth which will free up local dollars to make fiber connections to residents beginning in 2021.”
Locations went live on these dates:
November 20, 2020: • Mount Zion Baptist Church – 4288 Governor Almond Road, Locust Grove, Virginia 22508 • Barboursville Volunteer Fire – 5251 Spotswood Trail, Barboursville, Virginia 22923 Friday, December 4, 2020: • Zoar Baptist Church – 31334 Zoar Road, Locust Grove, Virginia 22508 • Little Zion Baptist Church – 15116 Tomahawk Creek Rd, Orange, Virginia 22923 • Intersection of Route 522 and Route 20 – (next to) the East Orange Ruritan Club at 24100 Constitution Hwy, Unionville, Virginia 22567
Example of coverage area of a hot spot (shaded in orange)
Friday, December 11, 2020: • Shady Grove Baptist Church – 21024 Piney Woods Road, Orange, Virginia 22960 • Barboursville Community Park – 5260 Governor Barbour Street, Barboursville, Virginia 22923 Friday, December 18, 2020: North Pamunkey Baptist Church – 15109 Pamunkey Lane, Orange, Virginia 2296 Tuesday December 22, 2020: The final wireless hotspot located at Mountainview Community Church – 23540 Racoon Ford Rd, Culpeper, Virginia 22701
Page 14 | January 2021
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