Langford has a lot of B次元官网网址渘ewnessB次元官网网址� to it B次元官网网址� new houses, new condos, new turf fields, a new under-construction ice rink and bowling alley, a new roundabout with a fountain.

Until recently, the newness touched almost everything except its distinctly un-new city website. After 10 years working with a hand-me-down site donated by Spokane, Wash., Langford has launched an Internet presence appropriate to this decade.

B次元官网网址淲e built the first site for next to nothing, which is great. ItB次元官网网址檚 held together well with bubble gum and tape,B次元官网网址� said Mike Palmer, IT manger for Langford. B次元官网网址淏ut this is long overdue. A 10 year old site is not keeping pace with the city.B次元官网网址�

Municipal websites have become an integral part of local government operations, allowing residents to monitor council agendas, to read regulations and bylaws, as well as pay bills and keep up with events.

LangfordB次元官网网址檚 new website, with plenty of high-impact photos, is meant to highlight and promote the community.

B次元官网网址淲e are trying to show people what a great place Langford is to live, and show all the changes over the past five years,B次元官网网址� said Mayor Stew Young. B次元官网网址淲e are trying to showcase Langford as a great place to raise a family.B次元官网网址�

Young said the website is part of a greater strategy to B次元官网网址済et Langford on the mapB次元官网网址� to draw new residents and new investment. Many municipal websites are staid and utilitarian, where LangfordB次元官网网址檚 is meant to show of sporting, recreation and cultural events.

B次元官网网址淎ny business without a website will fail,B次元官网网址� Young said. B次元官网网址淎nd if weB次元官网网址檙e not getting new investment, taxes will go up. If people stop moving to Langford, the economy will stop and jobs will go down.B次元官网网址�

Langford budgeted $75,000 for the site, built by Atomic Crayon, which also designed municipal websites for Victoria and View Royal.

Where LangfordB次元官网网址檚 old site was visually dated and didnB次元官网网址檛 organize information coherently, Palmer expects the new site to be more intuitive and easier to navigate.

Interactive online services remain limited, although Palmer hopes council will approve a budget to develop an B次元官网网址渧irtual city hall,B次元官网网址� where developers, for instance, could check the status of a permit online.

People will also be able to report problems through the website, such as vandalism or potholes. LangfordB次元官网网址檚 city website is www.cityoflangford.ca.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com