As though Calgarians don’t spend enough time waiting for CTrains with their eyes glued to their smartphones ... early next year, they’ll be able to do it on Wi-Fi.

On a sunny day — though probably not one in December — workers could noodle around on their laptops on a downtown park bench. Or view that hilarious viral video of a snoring chinchilla in a rec centre lobby without paying a fortune in data plan.

And when the city begins offering free wireless Internet in some Calgary parks, rec centres and LRT stations, it will also be free to taxpayers.

Calgary-based Shaw Communications will provide Wi-Fi at city sites in exchange for getting rights to advertise its own services, likely on the Wi-Fi welcome page, a city technology manager said.

The city has identified nine locations throughout Calgary that will get the service first, before it’s likely spread throughout Calgary:

-City Hall LRT station

-Chinook LRT

-University LRT

-Devonian Gardens

-Central Memorial Park

-Ralph Klein Legacy Park

-Southland Leisure Centre

-Village Square Leisure Centre

-Killarney Aquatic and Fitness Centre

The exact launch date isn’t decided yet, but the first city Wi-Fi sites should launch in the first three months of 2014, said Heather Reed-Fenske innovation manager for the city’s information technology unit.

The city may also expand services yet in the future to LRTs themselves, she added.

Calgary had solicited wireless providers earlier this year for a contract that would only involve “marketing opportunities” rather than municipal money.

Shaw, which already states it has Canada’s largest Wi-Fi network, was awarded the deal over other bidders. Details of the marketing benefits to the Calgary-based company are still being worked out, Reed-Fenske said.

“From our perspective, it’s the ability, if there was a splash page, to be able to advertise city programs. And Shaw could certainly advertise anything that they wanted to as well,” she said.

Shaw currently offers Wi-Fi at several spots in Calgary, but it’s only available to people who subscribe to the company’s other services.