EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Free Wi-Fi could eventually be available at El Paso County parks, but county officials are weighing the potential benefits against the cost of installing and maintaining the service.

According to a presentation from the El Paso County Parks and Recreation Department, installing Wi-Fi across all 16 county parks would cost an estimated $4.1 million in the first year for deployment, including electrical infrastructure, equipment, installation, permitting and engineering.

The estimated cost of operations, maintenance and internet connectivity would add another $683,316 in the first year, bringing the total initial cost to approximately $4.8 million.

The proposal is part of the county’s 2026-2031 Strategic Plan, which tasked the County IT and Parks and Recreation departments with assessing options and costs for providing Wi-Fi throughout the county park system.

A feasibility study conducted by Spectrum Technologies included site visits to all 16 parks in April and May 2025.

The study found that none of the locations had the existing infrastructure needed to house extensive network equipment.

Park visitors had differing opinions about the possibility of adding free Wi-Fi.

Stephanie Rivera said she believes parks should provide an opportunity for people to disconnect from technology and enjoy the outdoors.

“Personally, I don’t think it would be a good idea. The whole point of the parks, I feel, is to get out and get disconnected from the whole digital web,” Rivera said.

Other visitors said free Wi-Fi could provide additional access to families and students who may not have reliable internet service at home.

Ashley Rivera supported the proposal, saying public parks could provide an opportunity for people to access the internet.

“I think that was an amazing idea,” she said, adding that Wi-Fi is not widely available in some places.

Potential community benefits identified in the county’s presentation include allowing visitors to browse the internet, check email, communicate with family and friends, and giving students a place to work on school assignments.

The department also identified potential benefits for park operations, including promoting events, sharing safety updates and announcements, attracting more visitors and using information about network usage to help plan improvements.

Joe Owen, another park visitor, said Wi-Fi could be useful given the quality of his existing internet service.

“I do have Spectrum, and it’s like not the best service,” Owen said. “It would be nice to be able to have the service out here.”

The Parks and Recreation Department presented three options for commissioners to consider.

The department’s recommended option is to shift broadband investments toward other county goals, citing the growing availability and affordability of mobile internet service as factors that may reduce demand for public Wi-Fi.

A second option would be to seek proposals for installing Wi-Fi at Ascarate Park, identified in the presentation as the county’s largest and most-used park, once funding is identified.

A third option would be to seek proposals to install Wi-Fi at all county parks, also contingent on identifying funding.

The presentation included examples from other Texas counties. Harris County implemented public Wi-Fi across 38 parks in 2021 at a reported cost of $1.76 million, while Travis County provided Wi-Fi at three parks for a reported cost of $514,500.

The presentation noted that installation costs can vary based on existing fiber infrastructure, site conditions and installation requirements.

The Parks and Recreation Department is seeking direction from Commissioners Court on the preferred approach for the project.

For now, the proposal does not establish an approved countywide Wi-Fi installation. Any future rollout would depend on the direction commissioners provide and the availability of funding.

The department’s presentation estimates ongoing operations and maintenance costs would rise to approximately $751,648 in the second year and $826,813 in the third year.

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