How to reach people online where they live?

July 31st, 2012 in News

In May, PlaceSpeak founder and CEO, Colleen Hardwick was invited was invited to speak about our platform at the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) in Harrison Hot Springs.

Here is a brief write-up of the presentation that appears in the Summer 2012 edition of Planning West, The PIBC’s quarterly news magazine:

 

logo How to reach people online where they live?

PlaceSpeak: Claim Your Place, Speak Your Mind

by Siobhan Murphy, MCIP, RPP

How to reach people online where they live?

This session outlined the new PlaceSpeak tool, which is an  online public consultation tool that is having a great deal of  uptake in a number of communities across BC and in other  parts of Canada. Colleen Hardwick, the Founder and CEO, who also has a background in Urban Geography and sat on  the City of Vancouver’s Development Permit Board, presented the architecture of this tool. Hardwick maintains that the public consultation process is fraught with challenges, that  it is difficult retaining public trust over a planning process, ensuring that people are heard, and that everyone has an opportunity for input.

Recognizing that often it is the dissenters that attend public meetings, and that the rest of the constituency often don’t attend because they don’t have time, or they don’t want to put forward an opposing opinion in public; an online tool such as PlaceSpeak can add meaningful responses from many more community residents.

PlaceSpeak has been designed to authenticate people to the place where they live, based on their individual Internet Protocol (IP) address on their computer. Also, it has the anonymity of being online, so that people can express their opinion without fear of reprisal. So people are authenticated to the place where
they live, but PlaceSpeak also respects privacy laws, which is a significant concern.

The other component of PlaceSpeak is that it provides a reward. But it’s not money or things. Data suggests that people can be rewarded non-monetarily, with stars or icons. This practice is linked to ’gamifcation’ theory and behavioral psychology: people like to be rewarded for input, but they don’t need money, they need recognition. Place Speak recently worked with the City of New Westminster on consultation for the City’s New Westminster Transportation Plan. The response rate was far greater online than those that completed surveys at the open houses.

Look for a more in-depth article on PlaceSpeak in the Fall issue of Planning West.

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PlaceSpeak and Your Privacy

July 26th, 2012 in Video

PlaceSpeak is deeply committed to protecting your privacy.  Only you can see your profile. You alone control your public visibility settings. To others, you are a green dot on a map. When you connect with a topic, you confirm that you live within the relevant local area.

PlaceSpeak is not funded by advertising and we will never sell or disclose your information.

In this video, PlaceSpeak founder and CEO, Colleen Hardwick talks about our commitment to privacy.

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Fort St. John want to “Talk Site C” on PlaceSpeak

July 25th, 2012 in Topics

The city of Fort St. John has launched its “Let’s Talk Site C” campaign, which will include public consultation over the next couple of months through talks in the park with city council, and dialogue on a website. At the centre is a community survey located on PlaceSpeak where residents can find information, view videos, and participate in discussions about protecting the best interests of our city.

About Site C

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) is proposing the Site C Clean Energy Project (Site C).  If approved, Site C will be the third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River. It will be located approximately 7 km from the City of Fort St John (City).

The City of Fort St. John will be the municipality most impacted by Site C. If the project is approved, it will not only have short-term impacts on the community during construction, it will alter future life in Fort St. John and the region.

Possible Site C Camp Locations callout Fort St. John want to Talk Site C on PlaceSpeak

Fort St. John’s Role

The City of Fort St. John neither supports nor opposes the proposed Site C project.

However, it is Mayor and Council’s first priority to protect the interests of our community. Council will be developing a comprehensive statement of the community’s objectives and interests, in the form of a position paper, to present to BC Hydro this fall. It is our intent that the paper will assist BC Hydro and the decision-makers to identify key areas of concern for the City.

Join the Discussion Today!

Fort St. John council is asking community members to help define and develop the interests and objectives to ensure they reflect the needs and desires of our community as a whole. We encourage you to review the community briefing paper called Let’s Talk Site C. It is designed to give you background on the City’s approach and a brief description of the objectives Council is considering requiring BC Hydro to meet if the proposed Site C project is approved.

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Why Should You Get Involved?

July 20th, 2012 in Video

One question we hear quite often at PlaceSpeak is “Why should I get involved?”  Our short answer is “Because you care about your community.”

PlaceSpeak transforms the way people interact with local decision-makers. For the first time, it is possible to genuinely communicate based on where you live.

Check out this video for more information:

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North Delta Community Goals Survey

July 19th, 2012 in Topics

delta logo North Delta Community Goals Survey

The Corporation of Delta wants to hear from you!

They are embarking on an update of the North Delta Area Plan and wants to hear from residents. They are interested in learning about your vision for the future of this area.

The last major update to the plan took place in 1995; a comprehensive review and update  is needed to reflect how the North Delta community has evolved, address emerging issues and guide North Delta’s growth and development until 2025.

To learn more about the North Delta Area Plan process and opportunities to get involved, please their website.

If you are a resident of the community, you can take a short, 11 question survey about your priorities for the future of North Delta. What you say will be used to develop goals, which will form the foundation for a new area plan.

Take the Survey on PlaceSpeak

northdelta North Delta Community Goals Survey

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