- OurTowns app seeks to connect local councils, businesses and events together
- The City of Vincent has uploaded all its businesses and events to the app
- The app service will look to be rolled out to all suburbs in WA over time
Launched earlier this year, the community connections app OurTowns is now live on both the Apple and Google app stores for free, together with a list of all of the City of Vincent’s businesses and events.
OurTowns has been working closely with the Perth council’s placemaking teams, local businesses and event organisers to ensure the content and information is in line with consumer’s needs and expectations.
John Carey, state member for Perth, in which the Town of Vincent sits, praised the initiative.
“OurTowns is a great new app for our local City of Vincent community: it enables you to find out about a thousand small businesses in our area and updates each week on upcoming local events.
“The ultimate plan is for this app to be used in each local community across Perth – and it’s brilliant to have it starting in the City of Vincent.”
John Carey MLA
The person behind OurTowns is local real estate agent and entrepreneur, Marc Drexel.
“In my experience as former Chair of The Mt Hawthorn Hub and as Founding Director of The Town Team Movement, I was always being asked why a hyperlocal business and events directory did not exist. So, I decided to develop a solution to this very real problem,” Mr Drexel said.
The new app seems to have gone down well with the locals, too.
“OurTowns has already seen a huge interest from the Vincent businesses and event organisers that are desperately keen to connect with their local audiences in a meaningful way,” said Lei, owner of local business Dear Green Café.
“We’re really excited about the OurTowns offering – helping us to easily connect to customers”.
Mario, owner of high-profile Mt Hawthorn restaurant Spritz Spizzicheria, also warmly welcomed the move.
“If the past year has taught us one thing it is the need to support the local businesses who are the lifeblood of our communities and to celebrate our ability to meet up and have experiences within the areas, we love and cherish,” he said.
On the back of this City of Vincent product testing, consumer feedback and planned user experience enhancements, OurTowns will be rolled out to all Western Australian suburbs. OurTowns are currently seeking registrations of interest to invest in this very important community lead initiative.
