com·mu·ni·ty [ka myoonatee] (plural com·mu·ni·ties)
noun
1. people in area: a group of people who live in the same area, or the area in which they live a close-knit urban community
2. people with common background: a group of people with a common background or with shared interests within society the financial community
3. nations with common history: a group of nations with a common history or comm on economic or political interests the international community
4. society: the public or society in general a useful member of the community
5. interacting plants and animals: all the plants and animals that live in the same area and interact with one another
6. on-line Same as virtual community

[14th century. Via Old French communeté < Latin communitat- < communis "common"]

Chicago is the great city of communities. How many time have we heard that axiom repeated. So I am proclaiming this "feature" of Chicago's quality of life experience our Wi-Fi "killer" application.

This application is so ingrained in Chicago's psyche that the broadband wireless amplification and e-enablement of the community building process will require very little "ad-sponsored" convincing and only well distributed hands-on education on how to apply web-based tools to the daily work of building sustainable communities.

I suggest that the acceptance and adaptation of this collaborative application is well underway. From Andersonville to Englewood, from Get Chicago Online to The May Report, from FeedBurner to Bronzecomm.com Chicago is well engaged in online-empowered community development.

Some might notice that Chicago is widely recognized as early leader in the adoption of wireless community development by the intense scrutiny and investment focus from the private sector. Every wireless company that can walk-and-chew-gum is active in Chicago and we will capitalize on these equity investments if we consciously extend and direct opportunity to all market segments of our city.

I am proposing we continue the recent dialog hosted at four libraries by the Mayor's digital divide working group move forward to establish an ongoing series of community based conversations on technology leveraged community and economic development.

These neighborhood technology "Meet-Ups" could and should continue to be held at our city libraries. All have meeting space and wireless connectivity now. These meetings do not have to be formal yet could be coordinated by a partnership between public, non-profit and technology interest groups.

Let's talk about IT and more importantly Let's Do IT!

I Am Ready to Work IT.

Bruce Montgomery
Montgomery & Company
Technology | Integration | Commerce
P.O. Box 10796
Chicago, Illinois 60610-0796
onepresence@yahoo.com