The City of Penticton and the Smart Cities Challenge Team invites Penticton residents to bring ideas on the most pressing issues facing Penticton and how technology can be part of the solution to the Smart Cities booth at the ExpOCP.
Feedback gathered at the event will help inform Penticton’s submission to the national Smart Cities Challenge with the potential of $10 million in prize money.
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The Smart Cities team of local business leaders and residents will host an interactive session at the event to help Penticton residents brainstorm how we might use data, innovation and connected technology to improve the quality of life in Penticton. Smart Cities team members and display materials will also be at ExpOCP during the other scheduled times.
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“We’re fortunate to have all of the work on the Official Community Plan as a starting point and vehicle to get things rolling,” said Keith MacIntyre, long-time resident and local tech business owner who is driving the community’s involvement in the challenge. “Residents can come to ExpOCP to learn more about Smart Cities and share their ideas on how we can use technology to make things better. It’s the first of many activities we are planning to engage and inspire the community to think about how we can apply a Smart Cities approach to our future.”
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“This is a community-driven and championed initiative which is exciting to see,” said Mayor Andrew Jakubeit. “With the growing tech sector in Penticton and the new fiber optic infrastructure from Telus, success in the Smart Cities Challenge is a real possibility for the city. This work also has a life beyond the Smart Cities Challenge. It ties in perfectly with the conversations we are having on the Official Community Plan and will help create a roadmap for the future.”
The Smart Cities team is volunteering time and expertise to compile Penticton’s submission to the national competition. The first step for the Smart Cities team is to create a “Challenge Statement” that defines the outcomes Penticton aims to achieve through innovation, data and connected technology. The team will build on the extensive consultation process underway for the OCP to identify priority issues that are well suited to a technological solution, while also drawing out grassroots contributions and facilitating broad dialogue across the community.
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Full details and updates will be posted on Penticton’s Smart Cities website and social media channels which will be launched in the coming weeks. The City has also created a project page on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca to support the challenge.
Residents can drop by between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18 at the Shape Your City storefront at 249 Westminster Ave.