A WEBSITE dedicated to attracting more people and businesses to move to Orange will be launched later this month to replace the Evocities program.
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Dubbed Project X until the launch on August 22, the website will help people relocate to the region to live, work, study and retire.
Unlike Evocities, which focused on linking people with jobs on offer within the region, Project X will also focus on business development, helping whole businesses relocate and set up, but also to stay open and expand.
Attracting investment will be another focus, providing information on land development, opportunities and infrastructure priorities.
Economic development committee chairman and councillor Tony Mileto said Orange City Council had partnered with Cabonne and Blayney Shire councils on the project with the help of $50,000 in state government funding after successful collaboration to establish Orange360.
"We're on the front foot, we're not waiting for people to come to us," he said.
"We want people to bring their children up here and not have to leave to seek employment."
Orange was the only council of the three to be a member of the Evocities program before Armidale and Wagga Wagga pulled out.
Evocities in some ways had a lot of strengths, but we wanted to focus more on our region.
- Councillor Tony Mileto
The decision was taken to place the program in maintenance for six months before winding it up.
Cr Mileto said Project X probably would have proceeded regardless.
"Evocities in some ways had a lot of strengths, but we wanted to focus more on our region," he said.
Councillors voted on the website name on Tuesday night but on the grounds it was a trade secret, it will not be revealed until the launch.
Businesses across the region will be invited to attend and will be given a 48-page prospectus.
One the question of advertising in Sydney as Evocities did, Cr Mileto said further discussions would occur between the stakeholders.
The program is expected to be covered with existing council resources.
The website will feature case studies of people who have recently moved to the region and links to useful programs - data collected will allow councils to invite new residents to welcome events.
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