[RP TownTalk] Gazette shines the light on community listservs and wikis

Sat Nov 10 00:31:50 UTC 2007

Way to go, Dwight!

-----Original Message-----
From: Dwight Holmes <dwightrholmes at gmail.com>
To: TownTalk <towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
Sent: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 11:31 am
Subject: [RP TownTalk] Gazette shines the light on community listservs and wikis

Where the neighbors know virtually everything
esidents turn to the Web to strengthen communities
by Maya T. Prabhu | Staff Writer

ttp://www.gazette.net/stories/110807/hyatnew183937_32359.shtml
Featured Jobs
Looking for a plumber? A nice, local restaurant? A babysitter? Want to
now where the camel crickets in the basement are coming from? Just go
nline and ask your neighbors, and expect that several people will
ave suggestions.
Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, Mount Rainier and Brentwood all have
ahoo groups residents can join to ask questions and learn about their
eighborhoods. Hyattsville has had a wiki page since June 2006 and
iverdale Park's wiki page became available to the public in
eptember. A wiki is a Web site where any user can edit the content.
''[The Mount Rainier list serve is] a good place for people to sound
ff about different issues," said Charlene Howard, who co-moderates
he Mount Rainier list serve. ''New residents who don't know where to
o for different services can find out [on the list serve]."
Chris Condayan, who created the Hyattsville wiki page, said he started
he page as a way to spread information and get people to stay on
opic, something that isn't always seen through regular Yahoo group
ist serves.
''A lot of times the [Hyattsville] list serve conversations are all
ver the place," he said. ''For example, recently someone asked the
uestion about if you could open a store and then in the middle of
hat people are asking about plumbers. ... So the wiki is a place to
ave an uninterrupted conversation."
But even with the interruptions, Jim Groves, who moderates the
yattsville Organization for a Positive Environment list serve, said
he Yahoo group has been able to make changes in the community.
Groves said the H.O.P.E. list serve helped to get a gate constructed
long East West Highway between the Prince George's Plaza Metro
tation and the Mall at Prince George's.
''Even though there was a pedestrian bridge there, people were
rossing in the [middle of the block] and eventually someone was going
o get hit," he said.
After an e-mail exchange on the H.O.P.E. list serve, Groves said U.S.
en. Paul Pinskey (D-Dist. 22) of University Park posted to the group
aying a barrier fence would be built to get people to cross at the
ntersections or use the bridge.
''Because we did that, I personally think it saved a life," he said.
And because residents are interacting online, many of the list serve
oderators and wiki creators think Internet communities enhance
elationships between residents.
''We can all find an example of when it substitutes instead of adding
o [real-life relationships]," said Dwight Holmes, creator of the
iverdale Park wiki page. ''But it expands your world within our small
own. It brings us together around a certain topic."
Howard said she thinks the list serve even enhances the face-to-face
elationships with people in the city.
''You know people's names through the list and you feel like you know
hem based on their online personality," she said, adding that posts
o the list serve often invite neighbors to get-togethers. ''It gets
eople to go places and that wouldn't necessarily happen as much
therwise."
Meet yourneighbors online
Many area municipalities have online communities residents can join to
avigate their way around the area:
Hyattsville wiki: http:⁄⁄hyattsville.wetpaint.com
City of Hyattsville list serve: http:⁄⁄groups.yahoo.com⁄group⁄hyattsville
H.O.P.E. list serve: http:⁄⁄groups.yahoo.com⁄group⁄HOPE_in_Hyattsville
Riverdale Park wiki: http:⁄⁄rpwiki.wetpaint.com
Brentwood list serve: http:⁄⁄groups.yahoo.com⁄group⁄BrentwoodMD
Mount Rainier list serve: http:⁄⁄groups.yahoo.com⁄group⁄MountRainierMD
To join any of the Riverdale Park list serves, visit the town Web site
t http:⁄⁄www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us.
-- 
iverdale Park Community Wiki
Build it -- and stay awhile"
ttp://rpwiki.wetpaint.com/
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