Our old website was in need of an overhaul. Here are the results of a six-month project to redo MiddletownRI.com, designed to make the site more user friendly and intuitive for everyone and showcase what a great place Middletown is to live, work and play.
WELCOME TO THE NEW MIDDLETOWNRI.COM
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (MARCH 31, 2021) – For the past decade plus, the Town of Middletown’s website had a particular look and feel that made it dated and less user- friendly.
While MiddletownRI.com did the job and was reliable, many people said the site wasn’t a true reflection of the dynamic, diverse place that is family-friendly Middletown.
Until today. As part of a six-month project with consultants CivicPlus, the town is unveiling its new website, a place where so much more of Middletown will be highlighted and showcased.
“This is an exciting day,” Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown said. “More and more, people are interacting with government online and our new website will be there to help them 24/7, whether it’s purchasing beach stickers to getting permits, learning about the facilities in town to so much more, it’s all right there, just a click away.”
In recent months, the town has placed renewed emphasis on transparency and making local government easier to understand.
As part of that outreach, the town posts at least one item of local interest online and through social media a day. Town staff are also encouraged to update their webpages regularly to reflect the latest in their departments – and the community.
Among the new additions to the MiddletownRI.com home page:
- A streamlined, user friendly design to make it easier to find what you’re looking for fast, including a FAQ section called “How Do I....?”
- An improved search function to scour the site in minutes for that document or picture.
- A new place to submit concerns and compliments called “Middletown Helps,” where an easy to fill out form can be completed in moments about fixing that pothole, repairing a damage mailbox and so much more. The app can be found by clicking the light blue button in the middle of the webpage.
- A true “Community Calendar,” where happenings across Middletown can be posted not only by town officials, but also by residents and local organizations free of charge. The app can be found on the bottom right of the webpage.
- A complete “News & Upcoming Events” listing, featuring the latest of Middletown and stories you can only read here.
- A new “Topic of the Moment” button available in the middle of the webpage, which will rotate depending on the time of year and what’s happening in Middletown. To start, the Topic of the Moment will be dedicated to getting to know this new website.
- A photo gallery designed to spotlight the best of the community, whether it’s the beaches, work that happens in the schools and so much more.
- A new “Middletown Shares” platform, where visitors will have an opportunity to view documents on the bigger topics in Middletown and discuss their thoughts with others in a moderated, free flowing chat. The first “Middletown Shares” will be focused on affordable housing in the community.
- A list of all public facilities in Middletown, from municipal buildings to parks, playgrounds and public right of ways to the ocean.
In coming weeks as users get more comfortable with the website, the town will roll out more and more features and tools available through the new MiddletownRI.com online.
The Website Redesign Team was led by Middletown Public Affairs Officer Matt Sheley. Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown, Information Technology Director Matthew Wainwright, Principal Planner Rita Lavoie and Middletown Police Capt. Jason Ryan were also part of the web team.
“Quite a bit of work and thought went into this new website and hopefully residents, businesspeople and visitors are able to find what they’re looking for and more that much easier,” Sheley said. “One of the things I like most about the site is it features the people that make Middletown such a special place to live, work and play far more than we ever used to before.”
The town administrator Brown agreed, saying that for some, the website is the only interaction they might have with the town.
“We need to make that interaction as positive as possible,” Brown said. “Whether it’s a resident looking for how to buy beach stickers online to a business looking to expand or relocate to Middletown, our new MiddletownRI.com is a much better representation of who we are as a community.”
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