Adapt a public boris bike system such as the Santander Cycles system in London, where people can hire bikes and return them to multiple docking stations to embrace pathways and promote healthy living
Have a page like this ALWAYS AVAILABLE - ideas can be posted any time. Use a map with it, so people can pin point their ideas to the map for clarity.
Provide an app showing LMCC's main income expenses and income and enables you to balance the budget - like what was available on line during the Review of Servcis a few years ago.
City treasure hunts with clues. When you solve it by going to the correct place you find a code that you scan with your phone that will lead to digital badges. Good for visitors and locals.
Create digital signs that count the number of people who are on the Fernleigh Track or the other bike/walking tracks. There could be city targets for the number of people walking/ cycling.
Use QR codes at places around our city that lead to information about the place. It could be done in schools, as it has been worked on at Warners Bay High
Provide a scholarship for the development of apps that are Newcastle related. Team people up with more experienced people to help the idea to fruition.
Enable programmes for school children to help people learn how to use the internet.
It could be really valuable to introduce community to online moocs, such as Coursera, through the libraries.
Start by thinking global. The opportunities for innovative technology exist in the global market, which is huge!
Free wifi and charging points on public transport to encourage increased use. Increase partipcatory digital art at stations to make them feel safe and engaging.
Virtual Spotlighting: residents can share using map/GIS and photos where they have seen native wildlife. Council can contribute to site with info about the wildlife and respond with supportive works.
Council 'open up' space online (medium strips, verges etc) where productive trees can be planted and mulched by residents (cuts down on mowing) and residents get their name and tree on an online map.
Put each Council asset on a GPS receiver with all historical and planned works. Staff in the vicinity of the asset can be alerted to info needing collection and then upload the info for other staff.
Use Virtual Reality/ Oculus Rift headsets for training such a confined work spaces to better simulate the environments with less risk.
Use Virtual Reality / Oculus Rift Headset for large development applications to give a better idea of the design (bulk and scale) of a development and it's impacts on the surrounding environment.
VR / Oculus Rift training program for children to help them identify stranger danger. Also virtual training for children who may be afraid of dogs to show them what to do, and not do, around dogs.
A VR / Oculus Rift program for isolated or housebound residents where they could interact with virtual pet-therapy animals, or plant things in a virtual garden. Could be part of a home visit service.
A VR / Oculus Rift headset program for treating stress, e.g. being able to lie on your back in a grassy field looking up at moving clouds for 15 minutes, or sitting in a nice room looking out at rain.
Virtual Reality / Oculus Rift headset training programs for Council Rangers to help prepare them for dealing with dangerous animals or situations.
Virtual Reality / Oculus Rift programs for children at our local libraries where they can learn or improve their maths/spelling/reading in an educational virtual reality game.
User testing of new facilities with Virtual Reality, e.g. having the carer of a disabled child test out a new disabled bathroom/toilet design to ensure there is adequate room and facilities.
Virtual Reality simulations of popular parks / picnic areas / walking tracks to help residents decide which local attractions they'd like to visit.
Using VR / Oculus Rift headset to allow floor planners to make the best use of space when planning team areas and placement of desks.
Health and safety video demonstrations using virtual reality for Council's outdoor workers (for example using Oculus Rift headset)
I would love to see an app that shows you where you can take kids - parks, community events, child-friendly cafes etc.
More events and on a regular basis. Music, exercise & fitness, markets, art, cultural activities & family days all bring people together.
Firstly by getting out & seeing businesses doing it well. Council could organise tours & then provide a platform for business to share their experiences.
I think we have a stereotype that Council workers are a bit lazy. What about webcams or video to give insight to what they do & who we are talking to to break that idea?
Using a portal like Airtasker as a guide, have an interactive map where people could tag issues, community group activities, or call for assistance with bettering a community space.
E-Waste Idea Mk.II -- having an "E-Wastemobile" that goes from region to region, that can be hailed for home collection using an "App" or website.
Free, unlimited, secure, _accessible_ (not Awaba) E-Waste disposal.
Lessons learned from elsewhere, for example City of Sydney
Service request reporting app, for example, street lights out, structural issues with community facilities, vandalism
Better computers and internet in libraries, helping chcildren understand the risks of internet
Provide information about the environmental damaging effects of plastic bags
Reduce default setting on hot water systems from 70 to 60 degrees to save households and communities energy
New user-friendly Council website, for example, legislative requirements, and events - times and location
All garbage trucks could be fitted with video monitoring tech that captures images of the roads. This would allow early detection of and response to potholes, cracks and other structural defects.
Information about nice places with street trees for people to sit under; in built up areas and also to help with climate change
