There are times ideas pop up in a community which makes such perfect sense it surprises that no one has thought of doing it before.
That is the case with the new 'Moving to Yorkton' website launched by the City of Yorkton Friday. (See related story Page A1).
The website is to provide a one-stop shopping experience for those looking for information on Yorkton and the surrounding area.
In an era when most people are plugged into the Internet using it as a tool to search just about everything from where to get a good cup of coffee, to where they might find their next job, providing information on Yorkton via the 'web' makes complete sense.
A website provides something unique in terms of connecting with a broader audience.
People still look to a community newspaper locally as the collection point of news and information. The weekly newspaper becomes a storehouse of the week-to-week history of the city.
Local radio and television help keep people connected locally as well.
But today when looking to fill spots in terms of employees, business no longer looks just down the street, or even within the local trading area, robust as that area may be for our city. Business increasingly looks to other provinces for staff, and beyond Canada's borders.
While that may have been the case for years in terms of key employees with specific training, the number of 'staff wanted' signs in the city has meant many business owners must look further and further afield even to fill entry level positions.
When someone in Ontario, or India, or the Philippines is considering a move such as the one to Yorkton it is only prudent on their part to learn as much about the community as they can before committing.
A website which incorporates elements ranging from education, recreational and education facilities in the city, to community groups, housing opportunities and more becomes an amazingly powerful tool in answering immigrant questions about Yorkton.
Yorkton Mayor Bob Maloney said he saw the site's value as soon as the concept was brought to him by a staff member.
"I looked at it thought 'this is pretty cool'," he said.
Maloney said the website (www.movingtoyorkton.com) is quite unique.
"I think this is the first in the province. I don't think anybody else has done this in Saskatchewan," he said. He added "to have all the information in one place just make sense."
Maloney is correct in his assertion that bringing information together in one easy to navigate website is a good one as it provides the sort of information essential to those thinking of joining our community.
