Dawn Kurry/Daily Journal

Workers prepare to install an antenna on the Richmond Community Theatre’s building. The antenna weighs one pound, and uses as much electricity as a nightlight. This antenna, and a repeater nearby, along with another antenna along East Washington Street will provide Internet access to downtown Rockingham.

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For nearly a year the City of Rockingham has discussed the details of bringing Wi-Fi to downtown Rockingham. On Tuesday, workers began installing an antenna on the Richmond Community Theatre building on Harrington Square.

“We’re still working on putting a Wi-Fi system in downtown,” said Rockingham Planning Director John Massey. “It’s slowly but surely coming along.”

He explained that it will take some time to get the system up and running because a few different factors. First, property owners must be asked if they would be willing to support the one-pound antenna that uses as much electricity as a nightlight. If the property owners agree to host the antenna, and a repeater that would spread the signal out, then the signal strength has to be measured and tested. The third step is to find and fill the gaps and holes in the signal.

“Brown’s Pest Control on East Washington Street is another starting point,” said Massey. “We initially spoke to Progress Energy about putting the antennas on their decorative street lights, but there were so many hoops to jump through that it became obvious that we should contact the building owners.”

The time it will take to get the Wi-Fi system up and running has yet to be determined. Meanwhile, Browder Park has Wi-Fi and Hinson Lake will soon have Wi-Fi as well.