An initiative to bring internet to northern Butler County is taking the next step.
Armstrong hosted a groundbreaking event at Slippery Rock University yesterday to celebrate the $16 million public private partnership known as the “Accessible Broadband for Children” program that will bring internet service to underserved areas in the Moniteau and Slippery Rock school districts.
The plans have been in the works for years and Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche is thrilled to see this project come to fruition.
“It’s not often that you get to see something that started out as a plan and study, actually work its way through,” Osche said. “To see that from start to finish, it doesn’t happen that often, especially in government. To have that public private partnership with Armstrong means everything. I think this will be one of the most monumental occasions of my time as commissioner.”
County Commissioner Kevin Boozel is also a resident in Harrisville and believes this public private partnership will have tremendous benefits for residents in northern Butler County.
“We had internet, but we didn’t have it everywhere. So we’re making up the road and closing the digital divide,” Boozel said. “There’s a lot of topographical issues in that area. Some spaces between houses are too far apart, but you can’t leave a whole sector of the community out of the digital world.”
“When people have to go to the local library to download their homework, we have a problem. It’s above and beyond even the internet. This is about access and affordability for me. In our area it was unaffordable, this is what makes it affordable,” Boozel added.
Design work is complete for Moniteau residents with install projected to start in October. Meanwhile Slippery Rock residents will see install begin early next year. The full project is scheduled to be done by the end of 2026.
