The city will not install a webcam as council decided the price was too high.
The camera, which was intended to stream live video through the city’s website 24/7, would have cost the city a one-time $2,300 purchasing and installation fee and then another $900 annually to cover the cost of the Internet Service Provider.
At the May 31 council meeting, Coun. Ryan Mennie said he liked the idea of providing Internet users with community access but felt the city’s partners such as Rivercorp and Campbell River Tourism should help foot the bill.
But at last week’s meeting, Warren Kalyn, the city’s manager of information services, told council no one was biting.
“There’s been no response to agency request for cost sharing on web camera installation and operational expenses,” said Kalyn.
He also looked at two existing webcams already in the city, as a potentially cheaper option, but again with no luck.
A camera at Marine Harvest Canada is not available to the city as it is being used by the company and, with just a single static image displayed, would not fit the city's needs. Another webcam, mounted at the Maritime Heritage Centre, is not being used but Kalyn said he received no response to his queries as to why that is the case.
Kalyn’s recommendation to council to purchase and install a webcam fell off the table after none of the councillors voted in favour of the proposal.
If it had gone ahead, the city webcam likely would have been perched on the roof of City Hall or the Fisherman’s Wharf and would have been used to attract tourists.
“Webcams provide a first impression for virtual tourists before they actually visit the municipality and are a very effective tool for tourism an cultural promotion,” said Kalyn.
The camera would have provided visitors to the City of Campbell River website with a panoramic view of the waterfront and the downtown core.