Getting the job done in non-traditional coworking spaces

By Brooke Strickland

Co-working spaces have grown in popularity in recent years, as they offer flexible and collaborative work environments for people in all industries. While there are co-working spaces available for rent across Idaho, many workers are turning to free, non-traditional spaces to do their jobs. Some municipalities in Idaho offer spacious and unique meeting places that offer the connectivity, quiet and inspiration that people need to do their jobs well.

Cherie Buckner-Webb Park is downtown Boise’s newest urban park. It replaced a private surface parking lot with an open and green community space available to everyone ― including remote employees that are looking to get their work done in nature. The park has free public WiFi that is available daily from sunrise to sunset.

“People often visit the park to sit at one of the tables and jump on a Zoom call or catch up on e-mails,” said Bonnie Shelton, communications and marketing superintendent for Boise Parks and Recreation. “This is an important aspect of the park because the goal was to create a place where people who live, work and play downtown can have a spot to enjoy the benefits of outdoor green space no matter why they are in the area. Being surrounded by office buildings, hotels and apartments, free Wi-Fi makes sense in a modern-day urban park space.”

Boise Parks and Recreation also manages the Grove Plaza, a community gathering space in the heart of downtown Boise, where there is free WiFi. The City of Boise is also working to add WiFi capability to other popular parks in the area used for community events. Shelton shared that the Connect Our Parks project will add free public WiFi and additional smart technology at Cecil D. Andrus Park, Julia Davis Park, Ann Morrison Park and Ivywild Park in the coming years. Currently, the project team is partnering with a group of local high school students from the Dennis Technical Education Center to build and install an outdoor workstation at Cecil D. Andrus Park. The goal is to launch the WiFi hotspots in the above parks as early as Fall 2024.

“As more and more people work in remote or hybrid roles, access to free and reliable WiFi throughout our city is an important service,” Shelton said. “The City of Boise is committed to increasing access to important programs and services for all residents, no matter their socio-economic status. Free WiFi in parks helps level the playing field and benefits all kinds of users, from people who are job searching to working parents and young professionals.”

Libraries are also an alternative place to bring people together, while providing the peace and quiet needed to complete work. Whether it’s a freelancer, a group of co-workers aiming to meet a project deadline or an entrepreneur looking for a fresh space to set strategic business goals for the year, Idaho’s library branches are a go-to for working. Many people choose to bring their own laptop and grab a table in the library. Or there are dedicated meeting and study rooms at the library that can be reserved. Meeting rooms can be reserved up to three months in advance, while study rooms are available only for same-day reservation. Some rooms have white boards and other audio/visual equipment for use, and printing, copying, faxing and scanning services are also available. There are no fees to reserve a meeting or study room. And while some workers may prefer the inside of the library to focus on work, free WiFi extends beyond the building as well, available for access in the parking lot and at nearby tables or common spaces.

Co-working spaces are truly proving to be the future of work, and the municipalities around Boise and beyond are the ideal alternative when workers need a break from on-site work or their home office.