CL workshops will teach business owners how to network online

By Shara JJ Cooper

Grace McGregor (RDKB), Bob Dupee (CL Arts and Artisans Soc.), Sally Caisley (CL Arts and Artisans Society), Lisa Smith (CL chamber), Nola Delaye (CL Chamber), Chad Freeman (CL FireFighter's Society), Ken Stewart (CL comm. assoc.), Brenda Auge (CL comm. assoc.), Richard White (CLSS), Sandy Mark (CGCDA coordinator), Carlos Rodrigues (Selkirk College) and Dianne Wales (CGCDA president) -- photo submitted by Lorraine Dick

A new partnership was born today between Selkirk College and the Christina Gateway Community Development Association (CGCDA). The two groups signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Christina Lake Welcome Centre, June 4.

“We want to help business improve capacity to market themselves using the Internet,” said Sandy Mark, CGCDA coordinator.

Christina Lake businesses need to advance their online presence, according to Mark, and the group is offering workshops in June to give them the tools they need to move forward.

The workshops will be held June 19 and 21 with sessions in the morning, afternoon and evening. They will also have private, hands-on consultation for business owners that need a little extra encouragement.

The sessions will focus on social networking using sites like Trip Advisor and Facebook and will encourage business owners to start their own websites with the help of user-friendly website design sites like “Total Snap.” The workshops will teach users how to set-up their sites and how to manage them.

Once businesses are starting to use higher-tech approaches, the CGCDA will work on getting more bandwidth in Christina Lake. Currently there isn’t enough bandwidth for high-tech business operators.

“A software engineer couldn’t work here,” said Mark.

The infrastructure is there but the systems just need to be “lit up,” according to Mark. First, they need to create a demand by getting more people online – something Christina Lake needs in order to attract more tourism.

“The research says people are making most of their tourism decisions online, and most of those are done on cell phones,” said Mark. “We want to become really wired and capable.”

They would also love to encourage new business growth in the community and feel the bandwidth will help encourage a younger demographic. Christina Lake residents would be happy with any business as long as it’s “green and clean,” said Mark, of the eco-conscious community.

Mark plans on contacting every Christina Lake business in the next couple of weeks to tell them about the coming workshops. Interested individuals can contact her at coordinator.christinalake@gmail.com to book a free workshop session.