Thunder Bay – April 29, 2009 – The City of Dryden received ESRI Canada’s Award of Excellence at the Regional User Conference in Thunder Bay earlier today. The award was presented to recognize Dryden’s determination in overcoming a number of challenges to fully-integrate enterprise GIS throughout the municipality.
“The City of Dryden has proven that an organization’s size is not a limiting factor when it comes to recognizing the value of GIS,” said John Houweling, Ontario Regional Manager, ESRI Canada. “They have not only reduced costs and increased productivity, they will also be sharing their knowledge to help other small municipalities benefit from GIS technology.”
In 2003, the City of Dryden developed a vision of enterprise GIS that had two main goals; to centralize access to data within city departments and to create a public-facing Web portal. As a smaller municipality, Dryden faced significant cost barriers and in response, secured funding from FedNor - a federal regional development organization in Ontario - to quickly overcome this challenge.
They worked with ESRI Canada Consultants to develop an ArcGIS Server-based GIS solution that has since been integrated with many city department systems including public works, finance, utilities, city planning and emergency services. Quick and open access to common GIS data has resulted in substantial productivity gains and empowered city staff to create their own maps.
The public-facing Web portal serves as an effective communication vehicle for city residents, providing access to interactive and downloadable maps. As a result, the availability of this information has significantly reduced the number of public queries received by city staff.
“We greatly appreciate this acknowledgement of the time and effort we have invested in developing an integrated GIS enterprise system,” said Roger Nesbitt, IT Manager, City of Dryden. “Through the dedication of our remarkable staff and ESRI Canada Consultants, we have evolved from a few custom-built GIS applications to a central source of data that can be accessed organization-wide.”
The city is currently working on a plan to communicate with small surrounding communities and offer guidance to help other municipalities successfully implement and leverage GIS technology.
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About the City of Dryden
The City of Dryden is located in Northwestern Ontario with a population of 8,195. Known as the Wilderness City, Dryden abounds in natural beauty. The City is known for its fishing and hunting and abundant and diverse recreational opportunities. There is a strong retail and service sector for residents and visitors alike. Situated midway between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, the City is secluded yet well connected by highway and air service and by a sophisticated wireless network. It has a strong and diverse economic base in tourism and forestry. Carved from the Wilderness, the City offers an outstanding quality of life for everyone. Visit
www.dryden.ca to find out more.
About ESRI Canada
Founded in 1984, ESRI Canada provides enterprise geographic information systems (GIS) solutions that empower businesses, governments, and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission critical decisions by leveraging the power of maps. The company distributes the world's leading GIS software from ESRI Inc., Miner and Miner, Azteca, and other technology partners. Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 8,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada. Information about ESRI Canada can be found at
www.esricanada.com.
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Amanda Graff
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ESRI Canada
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