Project to Provide Free Internet to Support Distance Learning in Shadowwood Mobile Home Park

The City of Champaign (IL) is pleased to announce the installation of new equipment to provide wireless Internet connectivity to Champaign Unit 4 students living in the Shadowwood Mobile Home Park. Through a collaborative project, new wi-fi equipment is being installed in Shadowwood Aug 19-21, 2020, with the goal of having the equipment fully operational to support online learning by the start of the fall semester. The City of Champaign is coordinating the project with cooperation from Unit 4 Schools, i3 Broadband, Mesh++, Ameren Illinois, and Shadowwood Mobile Home Park. This project was fully funded through a $20,000 grant from the UC2B Community Benefit Fund.

Underlying fiber connectivity for the project will be provided by i3 Broadband, who has waived all recurring fees for connectivity associated with this project while it is used to provide student
access to online learning. Ameren Illinois is also assisting with the project by allowing the mesh-network equipment to be mounted on their light poles. Ameren Illinois and the City of Champaign will each provide bucket trucks and personnel to facilitate the equipment installation.