Campton Township Parks & Open Space Website Design

Client: Campton Township Parks and Open Space
Industry: local government
Project: website design

Problem: 

The Parks and Open Space Program did not have its own web presence, just a link on Campton Township site. Information about Parks and Open Space was difficult to find. The beauty of the area was not conveyed, and the technology used on the site was outdated.  Parks and Open Space content was in an iframe, which is one HTML document embedded inside another. This was not compatible with mobile devices or many browsers. Graphics and type were scattered on the page; there was not a cohesive layout.

Before the new website design, there was only a link on the township website. Information about Parks and Open Space was difficult to find.

Campton Township is a semi-rural area located approximately 35 miles west of Chicago. The slogan of Campton Township is “Where the Future Meets the Pastoral.” As subdivisions began to creep closer to the area, a grassroots group of residents worked with the township to develop an Open Space plan, forming the Parks and Open Space Program. The township voters approved tax increases in referendums totaling over $46 million to acquire open space and preserve the natural areas and resources, wildlife and historic farms, as well as provide recreational facilities. A commitment was made by Campton Township to balancing managed growth with preservation of open space and quality of life. The board knew it was important to show the residents the over 1,300 of open space, parks and farmland that have been acquired and protected as a result of the Open Space Plan. The properties will need to be maintained in the future, and residents need to be aware of the open space and natural areas that are now part of the community.

Solution:

Resolution Creative met with the township board to discuss the goals of a dedicated website for the Parks and Open Space program. The main goal was to feature the different properties acquired under the Open Space Plan. There was already a photography collection of the properties, but these had not been widely available for viewing by the public. The board wanted a site that would work on mobile devices, have an events calendar that could be updated by the board, and a way to solicit volunteers.
The finished website features a large photo of each of the properties in a rotating slide show on the home page. Each of the images links to a page about the property that includes the amenities, a photo album, and a link to a map. The site is responsive, meaning the display changes depending on the device used to view the site. In addition to the slide show, large icons are used to quickly link to the Open Space map, a volunteer information page, and the event calendar.
The site is built using a WordPress content management system, and training provided on updating the site. The website went live January, 2014. 

What is your web presence? Do you wonder why your website isn’t performing?
Let Resolution Creative develop a solution.