The City of The Colony is proud to announce the launch of new-look websites for the City itself, the Community Development Corp., and the Convention & Visitors Bureau.
In addition to the modern design and new features, all sites are now mobile responsive, meaning they will automatically configure the layout to accommodate viewing on mobile devices. The Colony Police Department and The Colony Public Library also have featured sections within the new site, providing unique user experiences on those pages.
Other improvements include: a more user-friendly layout and navigation based around commonly requested information; site-specific search bar so residents can more easily find what they’re looking for; custom-built online forms; convenient means for reporting potholes, Community Image violations, and the like; and much more.
City Manager Troy Powell said this project has been a long time in the making and that staff have being listening and taking note of concerns about the original site over time. He’s excited to offer residents a new-and-improved online interface for city news and services.
“As everyone understands, most business in the 21st century is conducted on the internet, so it was imperative that we bring our online presence up to speed and provide our residents with websites that meets their needs,” Powell said. “Not only do the new sites look fantastic and showcase what’s great about The Colony, but they will also improve our ability to engage with our residents, businesses, vendors, or anyone who wants to know more about our community.”
The City Council approved funding for new city websites as part of the 2016-17 budget. After meeting with several companies early in the year, the city chose CivicPlus to take on this important project. CivicPlus is a leader in constructing and redesigning municipal websites in particular, and has been contracted by many other cities in Texas and around the nation for website services.
Throughout the months-long redesign and transition process, city staff have been educated on municipal website best practices and trained on how to utilize the features available through the new sites. Users are advised, however, there may be links to outdated pages on social media or elsewhere on the internet. In such cases, we ask that you simply visit the new site (with the same address), www.thecolonytx.gov, and use the search bar to find the latest information.
Users who previously signed up through the old website to receive email alerts about news and traffic, special events, agenda notices, library news, and the city’s electronic newsletter will receive an email providing them the option to continue their subscriptions or opt-out of the service.
“We’ll definitely be continuing to tweak and troubleshoot the sites as we move forward and receive valuable feedback from our residents,” Powell said. “But we’re very proud to share what we’ve accomplished. The new sites are simply awesome. We hope everyone enjoys a more user-friendly experience.”