THE problem with Evocities was that we never really knew what it did or how successful it really was.
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Sure it was nice to be able to drive along a Sydney freeway and see a larger-than-life billboard telling city-dwellers how great Orange was but did it really serve a purpose?
While the feel-good factor was high it was impossible to know if the sign enticed anyone to relocate over the mountains.
While it may have made economic sense to single out a number of key regional cities and promote them all at the same time, in many ways it was also confusing particularly when there were some rather stark differences between them all.
Having stuck with the Evocities program for years Orange City Council's decision to try something new is a good one.
A new website dedicated to attracting more people and businesses to move to Orange will be launched later this month as a direct replacment of the Evocities program.
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, there will be a particular focus on business development, helping whole businesses relocate and set up, but also stay open and expand.
As councillor Tony Mileto said it's good to be proactive and not simply wait for people to arrive.
Orange is a fantastic city but in order to relocate here people need to know it makes economic sense and that's why the idea of a targeted website is so good.
We know Orange is a fantastic place to live with countless opportunities for growth, let's spread the word!
Tracey