Social Networking
Technology can be a wonderful thing. The key is to exploit it as a tool, rather than see it as an end in itself. When technology enhances our ability to perform tasks, or better yet, puts a previously impossible goal at our fingertips, then it is truly a benefit.
Some of the greatest advances in technology have been in the area of communication. The combination of computers, the internet and creative web sites are taking the “small world” concept to new heights. From seeking out people to remaining in contact, social networking applications are revolutionizing our ability to communicate without boundaries.
Email and web site announcements, while important, are virtually old hat by now, seeming as passé as rotary dial phones. The new breed of communication tools take advantage of cell phone texting and short and to-the-point messages. They enable our families and friends to know what we are doing at any given point in time.
It is into this brave new world that Colchester Parks & Recreation is venturing. Our department is unveiling three new tools that will bring our customers closer to us, as well as potentially closer together – yet another way to move toward our mission of creating community.
The first is a Twitter account. This simple yet powerful tool is a service that posts messages from our department to a web page that anyone can view – and now forwards those messages to the “Announcements” section of our department homepage. What takes this service to the next level, however, is the ease with which it can be updated and the community’s ability to receive that information. By creating your own account with Twitter, you can opt to receive announcements as text messages to your cell phone as well – a great service when time is of the essence – or even subscribe by RSS (ask your kids – they’ll know). And town staff can update the messages from virtually anywhere, using the internet, email, text message or even voicemail.
Perhaps the most popular social networking site on the internet these days is Facebook. If you’re not already on Facebook, you’re missing out on an entire world. But its value goes far beyond connecting with old friends. Once you’ve created a personal “profile” on Facebook, you can now become a “fan” of Colchester Parks & Recreation. On our page the community is invited to post pictures and videos, share stories, and learn more about special events and opportunities from our department. Of course, it’s also a great way to meet and interact with other active members of our community.
One of the newest sites on the internet to enter this genre is Squidoo. While it’s less of a networking service, it does offer unique opportunities to share information and interact. The page that we have created is focused on the town’s parks and facilities. We invite people to post and vote for their favorite parks and places in town. As we continue to develop our page, we will be adding more fun and interesting modules.
NOTE: Please remember that these are third-party web sites, some of which use advertising to operate – thus the town can not control or be responsible for anything that might appear outside of what we directly post to the pages. That said, we encourage you to enjoy and explore. And don’t hesitate to contact us with suggestions on ways to enhance, expand and improve our latest expeditions into the world of technology!
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