new web site release
The Metropolitan Planning Council, one of the Chicago area's oldest and most respected civic organizations, now has one of the region's newest and most advanced locations on the World Wide Web.
Beginning January 1, 2001, visitors to MPC's Web site will be greeted by a range of new ways to interact with the organization, and importantly, to access MPC's treasury of regional data, issue briefs and expert contacts.
The site is free and open to all, but the best way to get started is by registering one's name, interests and e-mail address with MPC. This enables regular visitors to customize their home pages and begin receiving timely e-alerts about fast-breaking regional issues and upcoming events.
Visitors who register before March 1, 2001, get a chance to win a pair of round-trip tickets anywhere in the continental United States courtesy of United Airlines. Simply click on the home page's United logo for contest rules and the customize/registration form.
Registered visitors can customize their home pages by choosing MPC's general page or the pages of one of MPC's four program areas: Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Regional Development.
MPC's general home page carries headlines and highlights from all four program areas. But it's on the specific program pages that visitors will find authoritative and detailed status reports on such subjects as the Illinois FIRST public works program, the Chicago Housing Authority's historic Transformation Plan, Chicago's CivicNet broadband initiative and Network 21 coalition efforts to increase both funding and quality in public schools across Illinois.
From any home page, visitors can cast a vote in MPC's issue-of-the-month public opinion poll. First up: a referendum on the Park District's plan to build a new football stadium for the Chicago Bears within the classical confines of old Soldier Field.
Elsewhere, individuals can join MPC (basic membership costs only $40), check out a dynamic calendar of upcoming MPC and regional events, link to the Web sites of other innovative groups (such as the Campaign for Sensible Growth) and do keyword searches of hundreds of resource documents.
MPC launched its first Web site in 1997 and soon began gathering ideas for an upgrade. This led to extensive outreach during 2000 including focus group research and input from several Web consultants. The new site was engineered for MPC by Chicago-based Webitects.com with design assistance from Evanston-based Kate Friedman Design.
Major initial sponsors of the MPC site include LaSalle Bank and Ameritech.
Founded in 1934, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of business and civic leaders committed to serving the public interest through the promotion and implementation of sensible planning and development policies necessary for a world-class Chicago region. MPC conducts policy analysis, outreach and advocacy in partnership with public officials and community leaders to improve equity of opportunity and quality of life throughout metropolitan Chicago.