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Media Release - September 20, 2004
For immediate release
Monday, September 20, 2004
Bragg Creek Web Site Heading for the Hills
(Bragg Creek, AB) – Looking down White Avenue, the Heritage Mile in Bragg Creek, Alberta, you can see a bunch of "For Sale" signs. Wintergreen Ski Hill is closed, the malls are having trouble finding tenants and now the web site that provided web surfers with a comprehensive guide to Bragg Creek has left town.
The braggcreek.ca web site has been redesigned and refocused on the "Gateway to Kananaskis" theme. After six years of building business in Bragg Creek; providing descriptions and contact info for restaurants, accommodation, exhibition and meeting halls, shopping, a visitors' guide and a phone directory for over 240 businesses, etc., the web site is heading for the hills. It is now up to individual businesses and the Chamber of Commerce to provide information on the local economy and to have their web sites developed portraying Bragg Creek as an attractive destination for visitors. Bits and pieces of Bragg Creek are scattered across the World Wide Web.
As a communications tool, the broad-based Bragg Creek web site provided all community groups with an opportunity to talk about their activities. It provided residents with a place to discuss issues and share their experience of living as a community where the homes are hidden in the forested foothills of the Rocky Mountains. As few people took advantage of that, it became apparent that the pages on education, community groups, events, news and issues, etc. that characterised the community were of more use to those planning to move here than to residents. It is now up to the community association, the municipality and other special interest groups to fill the void.
The original Bragg Creek web site was launched in 1998 as toloko.com (after the Bragg Creek postal code, T0L 0K0). An average of 1,000 people visited the site weekly. Many of those people were looking for help in planning an outing to Kananaskis. The site grew into a 300-page resource on everything from the best location for a picnic to the condition of the water supply. The domain name toloko.com is now the web site for Doug Sephton, the designer who created the Bragg Creek web site, and braggcreek.ca has become a 50-page guide to activities and attractions in Kananaskis.
It is with great regret that the owner of the web site has withdrawn this public service. The cost of developing and maintaining the site could not be supported locally. Businesses prefer to use their own web sites to attract customers. The community association felt they wouldn't be well represented as part of a larger Bragg Creek web site. It is hard to know how much effect braggreek.ca's portrait of Bragg Creek as an attractive destination had, but it is safe to say that many thousands of dollars found their way to Bragg Creek through the pages of the web site.
The old site was highly regarded, interesting and attractive. The new one is even more appealing. It takes advantage of new web technologies to enhance the presentation of content. The "Wish You Were Here" electronic postcards provide attractive images of local scenes and can be used to keep in contact with friends and family. Outdoor enthusiasts and visitors are encouraged to use the message board to share their experiences in Kananaskis and Bragg Creek. There are maps and descriptions of trails and areas of interest for visitors. Find out about wild animals and wild flowers that are common in the area. Information on activities and attractions in and around Bragg Creek is provided. And the site will get better as enhanced local weather information, interactive and 3D maps, GPS trail finding data and an online store are added. With the support of outdoor enthusiasts, a dynamic cooperative exploration of the Elbow Valley and beyond can develop.
The Elbow Valley area of Kananaskis is a popular day trip for Calgarians. It is a venue for outdoor adventure activities. Several premier outdoor adventure events including, the Banded Peak Challenge are held in the Elbow Valley. Doug Sephton was instrumental in creating this fund raising event for Easter Seals Camp Horizon.
Mr. Sephton offers www.braggcreek.ca as an example of the quality of work that he creates for clients. The site generates revenue through Google ads. Tour operators and hotels in Kananaskis, Banff and throughout North America trade on the portrayal of outdoor adventure in the Rockies.
It remains to be seen whether the new site will draw an audience. But, high quality information and valuable interactive services have worked in the past, and the new "Bragg Creek - Gateway to Kananaskis" web site is a great resource for visitors who are planning an outdoor adventure in Kananaskis. The site will help build interest in the area and make it more appealing to visitors.
Heading for the hills? Check it out!
See "It's A Wrap" for some context to this article.
Word format text document available here.
For more information, contact:
Doug Sephton
Owner
Bragg Creek - Gateway to Kananaskis
www.braggcreek.ca
Ph: 403-949-4274
Fax: 403-949-4275
E-mail: info@toloko.com
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