Web Site Launch

September 18, 1997. Friends of the Scenic Drive today announced a new Internet Web site that is devoted to the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive. The site provides information about the history of the Scenic Drive and plans for its improvement.

Visitors are invited to take a "virtual" tour of the Scenic Drive and learn about the plants that are exhibited. Visitors can also link to related Web sites such as the Missouri Botanical Garden, McDowell Sonoran Land Trust and Arizona Highways. There is information about Scenic Drive neighborhoods and attractions. A "Newsroom" covers the latest news about the Scenic Drive and includes a "Library" where visitors can review summaries of past articles about the Scenic Drive. The site also includes an on-line discussion group that will enable users to exchange information about Scenic Drive topics.

"The site has a lot of potential and provides a vehicle for making the Scenic Drive more relevant to our evolving community", says Les Conklin of Friends of the Scenic Drive. "Our initial thought was to provide information about the Scenic Drive and desert plants but we’ve broadened the scope so people can exchange information and learn about on-going preservation efforts. The Scenic Drive has a wonderful story to tell and it should be an important part of the future of our area. The Internet provided an excellent way to make the story available to all interested people."

Conklin says, "The Scenic Drive – and this Web site -offer an opportunity to build a sense of community among the neighborhoods and attractions that have sprung up along the Scenic Drive." Conklin hopes the on-line discussion group will make it easier for busy people to get involved in Scenic Drive issues. "We are on the frontier of using the Internet for community-related communication and it will be interesting to see how the site evolves. It’s really up to the people who care about the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive."

The Web site makes it easy for people around the globe to learn about the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive. And, it makes it easy for people who have an interest in the Scenic Drive to link to related Internet sites such as: McDowell Sonoran Land Trust, Arizona Land Department, Arizona Highways, City of Scottsdale, Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, the Heard Museum North, el Pedregal and the Boulders.

Les Conklin of Friends of the Scenic Drive, who works in electronic commerce and information systems, donated the time required to create the site. For additional information send an email to friends@scenicdrive.org or call Les.