OPINION: Sunderland’s big upgrade – Where are we going next?

Article submitted by Dylan Douglas. Articles represent the author’s view, and not necessarily those of SGM.

Sunderland is widely known across the UK for its constant contribution to our country and people have felt strongly for a long time that Sunderland should be improved to suit the needs of the people living in the city and the needs of people who gain from the city. This is why Sunderland is being upgraded.

The goal is for Sunderland to become a smart city. This has been discussed for a very long time but not much progress has been made until recently. The ambitious smart city plan suggests that Sunderland should be a city that thrives and has a dynamic, healthy and vibrant environment. Businesses will excel and Sunderland’s overall impression will be more significant than ever.

Technology will be just one of many benefits that this plan will bring to Sunderland. In Southwick, a park is receiving over £740,000 which will be invested into a new interactive play area with the help of technology. A sum of this money will go towards an interactive football wall which there are only two of in the whole of the north east. A director of the smart cities programme in Sunderland said “Our children are growing up in a digital age and have the chance to leverage technology to open up a world of opportunities in the future” – Liz St Louis- sunderlandoursmartcity.com

Something which is of high demand in many areas of Sunderland is Wi-Fi. The availability of high-quality free Wi-Fi across Sunderland is becoming more and more frequent allowing Sunderland to take a great step forward in terms of technology.

The health of people in Sunderland is another large factor included in the leap towards being a smart city. It has been estimated that by approximately 2030, Sunderland will have decreased health inequalities meaning that more people in Sunderland can live long and healthy lives.

Many disagree with the transformation. Some people think that Sunderland should keep its individuality but a wide range of people think it’s time for a change. What do you think?

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