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Town launches new website

May 7, 2014   ·   0 Comments

By James Matthews – The Town of Orangeville has rolled out its new presence in cyberspace.

The new website, launched last Thursday, May 1, follows an update that was phased over two years.

From initial design to final implementation, the website was designed by Barking Dog Studios and spearheaded by Communications staff, with input from all municipal departments.

It features a bold new look, incorporating sliding images with linking capability on the home page to highlight promotions, along with easier drop-down navigation menus to present content in a user-friendly manner.

Its framework and content meets new requirements set out by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario. The site has been designed to be faster and easier to navigate on mobile devices of all sizes, Sheila Duncan, the town’s communications director, said during a council preview of the new web presence.

Unique to the new site over the previous are six promotional videos along such themes as a welcome to the town, tourism, community spirit, arts and culture, business and industry, and local voices. The town worked with CGI Communications Inc. and a local videographer to produce the Community Video Showcase Program which, in turn, has local business sponsors participating in the program.

The videos provide an opportunity for businesses in the community to promote themselves on the Town’s website and expand their outreach. Viewers are able, with the click of a button, to send the video interface to anyone in the world with an email address or a Smartphone.

Ms. Duncan said the town will be able to track video viewership on the website through SmartTrack technology, providing information on which video was viewed and from what community.

Building on the Cultural Plan project, arts and cultural mapping identifies and locate various cultural assets within Orangeville and help entice visitors to the community.

The map will provide information about local festivals and events, cultural businesses, artists and organizations, cultural spaces and facilities, and natural and cultural heritage.

There’s also a list of public facilities and Department of Parks and Recreation scheduling. The public events can also be posted by the public and apply for jobs online.

Mayor Rob Adams said the sleek new site takes the town’s interaction with the community to the next level.

“I think it’s a step toward the future in a big way,” he said following the presentation in council chambers.

“The town’s website is an important tool in providing information and services to our community. This new site boasts clearer and fresher content while meeting new communication needs such as overall accessibility and additional functionality.”

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