CLIENT
Municipality of Callander
PROJECT
Website Redesign
TIMEFRAME
2023-2024
SCOPE OF SERVICE
Website Development, Graphic Design, Logistics and Tactical Planning.
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Callander, situated just 15 kilometers south of North Bay, features lush trails, scenic parks, sandy beaches, and mesmerizing sunsets that serve as the perfect backdrop for its charming downtown. The community offers the appealing qualities of small-town and country living while enjoying the advantages of proximity to a larger city. This fusion of the “best of both worlds” is what draws many of Callander’s 3,800 residents to call it their home. The friendly atmosphere, vibrant cultural scene, affordability, and abundant recreational opportunities are cherished by both residents and visitors. Surrounded by water, farmland, and trails, and conveniently located next to major highways, Callander has evolved into a year-round tourism destination for travelers near and far. We invite you to explore and experience the beauty of this remarkable part of Northern Ontario.
OBJECTIVE
The Municipality of Callander sought a redesign of its existing website to improve the online experience for residents, visitors and administration. The primary objective was to promote the area and its services to residents and visitors effectively. The current website required a major overhaul in navigation to ensure visitors could find information easily, and administration could update the website efficiently. The new website aimed to prioritize content, provide a responsive platform for all devices, optimize for search engines, and ensure accessibility for all audiences.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, FUNCTIONALITY, TESTING
The website was custom-developed to meet the municipality’s speciļ¬c requirements. It was built to be responsive for all devices, tested across mainstream browsers, search engine optimized, and accessible to all users. The content management system (CMS) allowed internal staff to maintain and update the website easily. Testing included SEO, accessibility, and overall functionality.
TARGET AUDIENCE
BRAND ESSENCE
The brand essence for the redesigned website was defined as personable, modern, fun, friendly, social, and aesthetically pleasing.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, FUNCTIONALITY, TESTING
The website was custom-developed to meet the municipality's specific requirements. It was built to be responsive for all devices, tested across mainstream browsers, search engine optimized, and accessible to all users. The content management system (CMS) allowed internal staff to maintain and update the website easily. Testing included SEO, accessibility, and overall functionality.
CREATIVE REFERENCE / INSPIRATION
The design inspiration for the website was colourful, bright, and vibrant, drawing inspiration from the town's gardens, parks, and overall personality. The style aimed to be social, modern, visually appealing with a photo-heavy approach, and inviting. The client expressed a preference to avoid the typical "work here, play here, live here" structure commonly seen on municipal websites.
MAIN FEATURES
1. Graphical and Intuitive Content Management System: The website provided a user-friendly and visually appealing content management system that could be easily maintained by both technical and non-technical staff.
2. WCAG 2.0 (AA) Accessibility Compliance: The website was designed to meet accessibility standards, ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, could access and navigate the content effectively.
3. Support for Various Media and Document Formats: The website provided support for different media types, such as images, videos, and documents, allowing the municipality to showcase its content in a diverse range of formats.
4. Responsive Design: The website was designed to be responsive, adapting seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices, ensuring a consistent and optimal user experience across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
5. SEO Implementation: The website was optimized for search engines, utilizing best practices to improve visibility and search engine rankings, making it easier for users to find relevant information about the municipality
6. Community News & Alerts Module: The Community News & Alerts module plays a vital role in keeping residents up to date with the latest news and announcements. The feature provides a centralized platform for sharing important information within the community. Whether it’s announcements from the local government, updates on community events, or news about ongoing projects, the community news module ensures that residents have easy access to relevant and timely information.
Community Events Module: The website highlighted events in a card-style format and showcased various lodging options, including city-owned campgrounds and local hotels, motels, and camping facilities. The module provided residents with an organized and visually appealing platform to discover and engage in local events. By featuring events in a card-style format, the website made it easy for residents to browse through upcoming activities, including festivals, workshops, fundraisers, and more. The module not only displays the date, time, and location of each event but also offers detailed descriptions and registration information, ensuring that residents have all the necessary details at their fingertips.
7. Community Events Module: The website highlighted events in a card-style format and showcased various lodging options, including city-owned campgrounds and local hotels, motels, and camping facilities. The module provided residents with an organized and visually appealing platform to discover and engage in local events. By featuring events in a card-style format, the website made it easy for residents to browse through upcoming activities, including festivals, workshops, fundraisers, and more. The module not only displays the date, time, and location of each event but also offers detailed descriptions and registration information, ensuring that residents have all the necessary details at their fingertips.
Events Calendar: The website featured an events calendar to keep residents and visitors informed about upcoming community events, festivals, and activities.
8. Service Requests Module: Our service request module offers a convenient and user-friendly self-serve online tool, allowing residents to effortlessly submit their requests. With our module, managing and addressing residents’ needs has never been easier, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
9. Fire Rating Widget & Burn Permits Module: The inclusion of a Fire Rating module allows local residents to easily access crucial information about fire ratings and associated rules and by-laws from our quick view widget. This tool ensures that residents stay informed about fire risks and can take appropriate measures to protect themselves and their communities, ultimately enhancing their safety and preparedness.
As part of the project, we successfully implemented an online payment system, empowering users to conveniently purchase burn permits online. The system also incorporated a user-friendly database for administrators, providing seamless tracking of all payments and comprehensive information related to individual burn permits. This streamlined approach enhanced efficiency and ensured accurate record-keeping for administrators.
10. Business Directory Module: The business directory module simplifies the process of adding local businesses, enabling residents to easily locate them. An outstanding feature of the directory is its ability to dynamically feed categories into various sections of the website. By updating a directory listing, the content seamlessly propagates throughout the site, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information for users.
11. Website Analytics: The deliverables included the implementation of website analytics tools to track and analyze user behaviour, traffic sources, and other relevant metrics, providing valuable insights for continuous improvement.
12. Micro-sites for Events or Initiatives: The website had the capability to design and create micro-sites dedicated to specific events or initiatives, allowing focused promotion and engagement for targeted campaigns.
OUTCOME
The redesign of the Municipality of Callander website successfully achieved the objective of improving the online experience for both visitors and administration. By creating a user-friendly, visually appealing, and accessible platform, the website effectively promoted the municipality's services and information to residents, businesses, and visitors. The custom-developed website incorporated modern design elements, integrated with social media, and provided interactive features to engage users. With ongoing support and continuous improvement, the redesigned website became a valuable tool for the Municipality of Callander in connecting with its target audiences and showcasing the offerings of the community.
Website Development
Branding
Website Development
Boardwalk of Champions Campaign
Website Development
Community Engagement
Active Travel Program (AST)
Website Development
