The City of Vancouver has unveiled a redesign of its website that cost up to three million dollars, hoping that users will find the new Vancouver.ca easier to navigate than the past incarnation.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said city spokesperson Laurie Best, adding that the old site lacked any type of content management system. “It’s not a refresh, it’s a rebuild from the ground up. We’re hoping people will find it easier to do their tasks and be helped online. We have to meet various needs.”

According to Best, two million dollars was allocated by a previous council towards a new content management system, and a further million was approved by the current council for a new visual platform. In the city’s 2012 budget, $1.5 million was put toward the project.

Best said that data showed people use the website for a variety of reasons, but that the most important functions were information on recreation, garbage removal, parking infractions, permits and licenses, and property tax information.

Changes will include the creation of neighbourhood pages, further integration of parks, police, and fire department information, and a home page that can direct people to a greater number of pages.

“We want [people] to explore,” said Best, adding that a feedback form would soon be on the home page to allow people to easily give their thoughts on the redesign.

jmcelroy@theprovince.com

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