Looks like ol' Babe 'n' Bunyan aren't the only things going on in Carson Park.

Though there is currently no official initiative by the City of Eau Claire to offer public Wi-Fi service, coverage has nevertheless been growing. Because of its invisible infrastructure, you may have been unaware that the internet is at your (hopefully dry) fingertips at Fairfax Pool, Hobbs Ice Arena, City buildings, and perhaps best of all,  Carson Park.

According to Eau Claire’s Information Services Manager John LeBrun, “It just made sense to include public WiFi access in the areas where we have WiFi for operations and visitors to our parks and facilities could also benefit.” For instance, WiFi was installed in Carson Park when the University hosted the Women’s NCAA National Softball Championship there in 2010. After the event, they simply kept up the operation since it required neither additional hardware nor bandwidth.

LeBrun says visitors often expect these services and that he’s happy to provide them, citing a lasting impression as evidence of their significance. “We want visitors to Eau Claire to have a ‘WOW’ experience at our public facilities so they keep coming back,” he says. A public Wi-Fi user himself, he understands the various scenarios wherein people would need fast access. “From my experience it allows me to share events with family and friends that are unable to make the trip to Eau Claire when there isn’t time to run home for internet access,” he explains.

Though there are no guarantees, it is likely that as ultra-portable devices become more and more prevalent, you will find that more parks and public spaces offer Wi-Fi. So the next time you’re at Carson, take advantage of this wireless wonder which leaves no trace: upload a photo, stream a song, or tweet a game. Whatevs.