New computer lab at Jordan Park Apartments

BY RAVEN JOY SHONEL, Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG – This past April, the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) hosted a rededication ceremony for Jordan Park Apartments, and Saturday, Aug. 19 they cut the ribbon on a brand new computer lab for the residents.

Teaming up with the Pinellas County Urban League (PCUL) and Charter Communications (Spectrum), residents will now have access to six new computers along with new computer desks and chairs.

“You know, having that accessibility to the internet and being able to come in here and do your banking or shopping or whatever it is you want to do on the internet, or Facebooking, just to have that ability here with new equipment and a nice clean air conditioned environment,” said Mayor Rick Kriseman.

For those residents who need a little help finding their way around a computer, the PCUL has committed to giving classes on basic computer and internet skills.

“Technology is just becoming part of our everyday lives,” said Leah Brown, director of Government and Community at Charter Communications. “We really wanted to make sure here, in Jordan Park, that you guys had access close by to that technology.”

Brown, who is also on the board of PCUL, presented the SPHA with a check for $3,700. The SPHA matched that amount and bought six state-of-the-art computers. With the furnishings provided by the PCUL, residents can now surf the net, do homework, apply for work or email their grandkids in another state.

For Jordan Park residents and community members who have computers, Brown talked a little about the Spectrum Internet Assist program, which provides eligible families with internet access for $14.99 a month.

“We just wanted to make sure that all of our communities have access to technology because it’s just such an important tool and resource,” said Brown.

Having computer access could make the difference between passing and failing in school, so Tony Love, CEO of SPHA, urged: “Young people, take advantage of the lab!”