Study: Adirondacks Need Broadband
Posted By Dave |
20. Aug, 2009
2 Comments
A recent study found the median age of Adirondack residents to be 43, which is older than the median age of any state in the nation. This, says Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman Fred Monroe, shows the need to increase Broadband in the park.
“If present trends continue, the only place older than the Adirondacks will be the west coast of Florida,” [Monroe] said.
And he wasn’t the only one who felt this way at a 2 hour broadband forum held at Adirondack Community College.
One of the reasons younger people are leaving the region is because of limited telecommunications and Internet services, said U.S. Rep. Scott Murphy, D-Glens Falls, who organized the two-hour forum.
In other words, whipper snappers like fast intertubes.
But, as the article goes on to point out, this isn’t just about keeping youth. Broadband can play an important role in Emergency Services and disaster preparedness.
Personally, and maybe this is because I work in technology, I no longer see broadband access as “something nice to have”. I view it as a community resource, a utility – the same way I view telephone service, electricity, gas, or clean water.
This story also lines up nicely with recent efforts from the Adirondack Initiative for Wired Work.
I guess you could say I’m one of the old Geezers here in the Adirondacks. I never realized the median age, but 43 does sound about right. I find that very interesting!
It seems a lot easier to be classified as a geezer these days, doesn’t it?
This issue raises all sorts of interesting questions for me. Such as, is getting younger the only way to grow a population or economic base? I suppose in the end it probably is. But what if you can continually attract a thriving group of creative and innovative pre-retirees… you know, 43 year olds. Haha. Wouldn’t that accomplish the same thing?
In either case, broadband is a necessity. I’d love to see a map of broadband coverage in the park, just to get a feel for how poor the penetration really is.