Whether it’s road closures in your neighbourhood or new wellness programs coming to the Manluk Centre, when it’s about your community it pays to be in the know.
That’s the idea behind the City of Wetaskiwin’s Notify Me alert system. Better yet, you can customize it to suit your information needs – not only in how you receive the alerts (by text or email), but in what kind of information you’re interested in.
“Notify Me is a great way for Wetaskiwin residents to stay in the know about what’s going on in their neighbourhood and the city, in the way that’s most convenient for them,” says Kristen Hewlett, manager of communications for the City of Wetaskiwin. “We just want to make it as easy as possible for people to get the information they want.”
Here’s how it works:
- Simply visit wetaskiwin.ca/list.aspx, then type your email address in the box and select “Sign In.”
- If you want to receive text messages, enter your phone number and select Save.
- Click the Email icon and/or SMS icon next to the lists to which you wish to subscribe/unsubscribe.
It’s that easy! Optional notifications include road closures, street sweeping and snow removal, tenders, RFPs and RFQs for City projects, emergency alerts, job opportunities with the City, and three “news flash” options: City news and information, Manluk Centre news, and Invest Wetaskiwin news, which highlights investment and economic development.
Share what YOU know with the City
Now that you have the information you need, how do you share any non-emergency concerns you have with City staff?
The team has endeavoured to make that as easy as possible, too, with Wetaskiwin’s Citizen Reporting Tool.
Through this online tool, you can easily report non-emergency infrastructure concerns such as potholes, damaged signs, graffiti, sidewalk cracks and other concerns, explains Serena Scherer, GIS Technician Intern with the City of Wetaskiwin.
Simply choose the appropriate area of concern – “Roads,” for example – then use the drop-down menu to highlight the specific concern, such as “potholes” or “sanding.” If you don’t see an appropriate category for your concern, choose the “Other” category, and detail the issue. You also have the option to attach a photo.
The report is automatically directed to the appropriate municipal department, and you’ll be provided with a tracking number to followup on the request, Scherer notes. You can also choose to be notified once the request has been completed. “We’ve really tried to streamline the process as much as possible.”
Learn more about the Citizen Reporting Tool here: wetaskiwin.ca/1088/Citizen-Reporting-Tool