GREENVILLE – Many people come to the Moosehead Lake region for it’s beautiful views and to relax. While doing so, many people want to stay connected.
Whether it’s keeping in touch with friends and family or posting pictures to social media.
Because of this, officials of the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation are expanding the public WiFi available in downtown Greenville to Greenville Junction.
“We certainly wanted to be able to enhance the visitor experience to the Moosehead region. A lot of research is showing that even though people want to go to remote areas they want to be connected,” said Steve Levesque the president of Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation.
The WiFi has been installed over the past two years. Levesque said it’s all part of the economic development strategy to develop a sustainable community.
“It certainly shows that we’re part of the modern age. We’re not stuck way up in the wilderness where you can’t have access,” Levesque said.
“People can have that experience certainly if they want to. They go out hiking or rafting or moose watching and then they come back to Greenville and then be able to access the internet,” he said.
When residents and visitors connect to the downtown WiFi, Levesque said they are brought to a website with advertisements of local businesses.
Tourists have the opportunity to see what’s in the area. One store manager said he’s noticed customers have become more aware of his store and other businesses because of it.
“When people are visiting the area and they’re able to see free WiFi access they don’t necessarily expect that because we’re kind of at the end of the line,” said Craig Watt the operations manager at Indian Hill Trading Post. “It’s a real nice bonus and you notice people using it downtown all the time.”
Levesque said he hopes people will be social, using hashtags and spreading the word on what the Greenville area has to offer.
“I think by adding the social media aspect of that it will really enhance that but it will also bring those people back if they’ve come and had a good experience,” Levesque said.
