The air off the shore of Lake Superior could put a snap in wilted celery. It's cold. It's clear, and it's a pleasure to take in.
But several of us have been tossing around an idea to add something to the air around here, and we think it might make it better.
Not long ago, Bay Mills Township proposed creating an antenna on Mission Hill, overlooking Iroquois Point. The township has communication "gaps" in their radio networks, because of the dips and the hills along the shoreline. The idea is to create a high point tower and make sure that the fire department volunteers can reach each other when a fire call comes.
That idea meshed nicely with ideas both Chippewa County and Bay Mills College had for antennae and the tower idea began evolving. Mickey Parish, president of the college, encouraged the township to consider the old ski hill site above the new college development. It's high, more central, and might also mesh with a new wind turbine measurement the college needs.
If such a tower existed, why couldn't it include micro-wave capability for cellular phones? Probably could.
But there's an even better idea out there.
We think Bay Mills, and Chippewa County should consider adding a WiFi antenna as well. WiFi is shortalk for Wireless Fidelity, and it means creating an access to the Internet from a high tower. A "broadband" signal, which is essentially a radio signal, would blanket an area allowing anyone with a computer to get on the Internet at a high rate of speed. A very high rate of speed.
In fact the Chippewa County Commission should and could be developing a county-wide WiFi plan, just as it does a radio plan. Internet access is a huge tool for attracting and keeping new businesses and new residents. It adds strength to the county that most rural places need. By creating a high speed system not just around Iroquois Point, but through the whole Eastern U.P., the county could create either a revenue source, if it chose to rent out access (and many places do), or simply as a service to residents at a low taxpayer cost.
My guess is that Homeland Security funds are out there, because high-speed access is a safety and security issue. My other guess is that most people outside the Sault would use this tool much more, if bringing in a high speed signal ended so much frustration and time wasted. The entire township, including the resort, could be under the umbrella, depending on a little research.
There are towers already at Raco, Whitefish, Kincheloe, Goetzville, and other places, so stringing this little WiFi pearl into a county-wide necklace wouldn't require a bottom-up project. It's also being ahead of the game and ahead of competition. Small businesses and large households could and would welcome having a tool in the air with this kind of reach.
And the air here, as pure as it is, would just be a little better.
Pat Egan is the former publisher of the Sault Evening News. He is a recipient of the William Allen White award for editorial writing. He and his wife Debra live at Salt Point.
