It was with evident pride that the
mayor of Cookshire-Eaton, Noël Landry, launched the municipality's new
bilingual website last week.
Surrounded by the various project participants, he
seemed clearly satisfied with the results. He said the website was not created
just to show off. "We designed it to meet our needs to communicate with
people," he said, speaking in French.
The objectives, said Mayor Landry, are to give access to key information
about services and activities offered by the municipality, publicise activities
for citizens, and promote the territory and activities for visitors. Another
aim is to position the town for future citizens, to present it in an active and
developing manner, making it attractive to potential entrepreneurs and
investors.
Claudia Beauregard of Beauregard Gestion Communication in Weedon created
the website. She said that the new tool will facilitate communication with
citizens and interaction in real time. It is possible to see all the activities
at a glance, and in a few clicks, find whatever you are looking for, she said.
"What sets this website apart is that it is easy to consult to find
information, and it is also one of the most beautiful in Quebec, with its clean
design and magnificent photos that beautifully represent the landscape and
architecture of the municipality," she said, speaking in French. The photos are
the work of professional photographer Guillaume Poulin, resident of
Cookshire-Eaton.
On the home page is a continuously circulating gallery of several photos,
and six menus: Municipality, Services, Discover, Residents, Economic
Activities, and Contact Us. These menus give access to various information,
such as Municipal Council Members, Committees, Minutes, Contract Management,
Municipal Services, Sports and Leisure, Schools, Public Safety, History of the
Municipality, Attractions, Incentives for Entrepreneurs, and Sustainable
Development. The menu Residents has a special character. It highlights municipal
citizens who are notable for their work, for their community involvement, or in
other ways. Individuals who want to propose their candidature to appear on this
webpage may do so.
On the website are also complete lists of sports and leisure activities,
emergency resources and attractions. The headings News and Agenda allow
citizens to know what is happening in real time. And the site is to be
regularly updated as needed. The creation of the website necessitated an
investment of $21,000. Of this amount, $15,000 came from the Pacte rural, and
$6,000 from the municipality.
Municipal councillors Roger Thibault of the Cookshire district and Yvan
Tremblay of the Johnville district also participated in the website launch.
Karine Demarchi, director of development, communications and recreation,
noted that the unveiling of the website was but one aspect of a global
visibility strategy. The master plan for signage and space usage in the
territory of Cookshire-Eaton includes putting up harmonized signs at the
municipality's entry points and at its various sites of interest, as well as at
buildings and municipal parks. The municipality wants to draw attention to the
entrances to the municipality, orienting visitors, and identifying and
promoting cultural, sports, tourist, or other points of interest. It's all part
of a concept to create an identity befitting the image of a municipality, with
eyecatching landscaping, added Demarchi.
The website is at www.cookshire-eaton.qc.ca.
