Neighborhood Link
Raymond Robinson
303-830-0123 x111
pr@neighborhoodlink.com
www.neighborhoodlink.com
City Planning Commission
Paul Cramer
504-565-7000
Mayor, Council Back Project for Free Neighborhood Web Sites
DENVER and NEW ORLEANS, July 16, 1999 - Mayor Marc H. Morial and the New Orleans City Council today endorsed an innovative new Internet project that will allow New Orleans neighborhood organizations a free and simple way to use the World Wide Web to spread understanding of neighborhood and community issues. Called Neighborhood Link, the on-line project enables neighborhood associations to establish and maintain their own web sites—quickly and easily—by typing or copying information into simple forms which automatically and instantaneously create or modify web pages. It also creates an online discussion area where people can “post” information or opinions about events, issues, and matters of importance to their communities. No knowledge of HTML or programming language is necessary, a fact which opens this flexible and useful communications channel to literally anyone with Internet access.
“Neighborhood Link will provide the many communities of New Orleans with a high-tech way to post neighborhood information and alert residents to important issues that are under discussion,” said Mayor Morial. “This service encourages closer relationships within our community by opening new communication vehicles between neighbors and the local government and we are excited to be a part of it.”
“As government leaders, we want to encourage the citizens of New Orleans to participate in the discussion of important public issues,” said Council President Eddie L. Sapir. “Neighborhood Link offers that opportunity, while also providing people with a library of pertinent local, metro, state, and national hotlinks, including the Mayor’s office, the City Council Internet Information Site, libraries, the White House, and many more.” Representatives from New Orleans neighborhood organizations took part in a demonstration of Neighborhood Link last month, at the invitation of Kristina Ford, Executive Director of the City Planning Commission. CPC staff members are working closely with Neighborhood Link to coordinate the rollout of the project in New Orleans. Community leaders will soon be receiving information by mail that explains how to register for a free web site. “We’re tremendously excited about the way this project can empower neighborhood communication,” said Ms. Ford. “It will also allow government a simple and easy means to alert neighborhoods with information about proposed developments and matters of community concerns.”
Neighborhood Link requires no payment by neighborhood organizations and no use of public funds. The project will be underwritten by local companies whose message banners will appear on the Neighborhood Link pages. Those who do not have Internet access can link to the community pages from computers in any New Orleans Public Library.
About Neighborhood Link
Neighborhood Link www.neighborhoodlink.com is an Internet-based community network that enables neighborhoods in participating metropolitan areas to create their own free, interactive Web sites. Neighborhood Link, which launched in 1998, becomes fully integrated into communities through partnerships with local governments, neighborhood groups and community organizations, including public schools, libraries, police departments and community newspapers. Denver-based Neighborhood Link serves 20 U.S. metropolitan areas - Baltimore, Cincinnati, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland/Vancouver, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, and Tampa - and plans to be in more than 30 markets by December1999. For more information about obtaining free neighborhood Web sites, call toll-free 1-888-241-0123.
