The Halifax Regional Municipality has launched a contest which gives residents the chance to come up with ideas and create an app that is beneficial for members of their community.
“We’re encouraging everyone to submit their ideas for applications they’d like to see made, using our data sets free of charge,” says city spokesperson Tiffany Chase.
The data sets are Halifax-related lists of information that can be viewed on the city’s website, including information on crime stats, parks, trails and bus schedules.
“I ride the bus a lot, so I think that a bus app would be pretty awesome, something that would update me if there were delays, or when the next bus is coming,” says HRM resident Janet Edgar.
Telecom experts say more than 75 per cent of Canadians own a cellphone - a statistic that is expected to grow every year and one that has influenced the decision to launch the community-based contest.
“Developers can go in and make those cool apps that people download for their phones, but it’s using our data,” says Chase.
Residents are responding to the challenge with some clever ideas.
“With city council, if they had an app where I could put my likes, or where I live, that anytime something comes up in discussion that pertains to my likes or the area that I live in, I’d like to get alerted,” says resident Steve MacLeod.
“If there is events or anything like that, I know you can read the paper, but I’m not aware of anything that has a quick look of what can I do tonight? That would be the best one I think for me,” says resident Latoya Perkins.
The first-round submission of ideas will last a month and developers will then be expected to put an app together.
The public can vote in December with the judging and winner selection taking place in 2014.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Suzette Belliveau
