Dublin

Wi-Fi network expands to cover 40 percent of city

Dublin's Wi-Fi network expanded last week, bringing coverage to a 10-square-mile area -- or about 40 percent of the city.

AirWirz went online Wednesday and can be accessed in the Rt. 161 and Frantz Road commercial corridors, in Coffman Park and at the Dublin Municipal Building.

Deputy City Manager Dana McDaniel said Dublin has been testing the system for the past year, using it primarily for the police department.

Under a public-private partnership, the city gets 25 percent of the available bandwidth. AirWirz controls the remaining 75 percent for public access.

-- Brittiny Dunlap bdunlap@thisweeknews.com

Dublin Villager

Westerville

Children's opens pediatric sports medicine center

The only pediatric sports medicine center in Ohio opened Tuesday in Westerville.

The Children's Hospital Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center is one of only four such facilities in the nation.

The 23,000-square-foot facility at 584 County Line Rd. W. offers physical therapy, athletic training, high-resolution digital radiology and sports-injury prevention instruction. It is also home to the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition.

The second floor features a track, basketball area and a 5,000-square-foot physical-therapy gym with state-of-the-art exercise equipment.

-- Jeff Donahue jdonahue@thisweeknews.com

ThisWeek Westerville

Pickerington

Council waives impact fees for two new businesses

Pickerington City Council voted Tuesday to exempt two businesses from paying more than $24,000 in fees the city charges to make up for the costs of growth.

Pickerington Mayor David Shaver had threatened to veto the waivers, but retracted the threat.

The exemption for the 8,000-square-foot Tobin, Merritt office building on Hill Road will save the developer $13,920. The city expects it will recoup the amount through income taxes within 13 months, said Chris Schornack, Pickerington's deputy finance director.

The waiver for Gahanna-based VESI, which is constructing a 5,839-square-foot building at 790 Windmiller Dr., will save its contractor $10,159.86. The city plans to make up these funds in new income taxes within four months.

-- Sean Casey scasey@thisweeknews.com

ThisWeek Pickerington