City to add promotional video on Web
Package will illustrate everything Altoona can offer visitors, residentsBy William Kibler, bkibler@altoonamirror.com
Article Photos
A videographer from a Rochester, N.Y., firm spent three days recently with Altoona officials shooting a promotional package to enhance the city's Web site.
The "community video showcase" created by CGI Communications Inc. will appear in November or December, featuring a welcome message and other video segments illustrating quality of life, education, business and industry, economic development, railroad heritage, health care, arts and entertainment, and parks and recreation in the city.
The free video package will show what Altoona has to offer to prospective visitors and those who would consider moving here.
CGI makes money from sponsor organizations, which work to create ad videos accessible to viewers who click showcase topics connected with the organization's mission.
The Altoona Area School District will help sponsor the education segment.
"We felt we can't afford not to," district spokesman Tom Bradley said.
Some competing school organizations may have a presence on the showcase, and the district wants more than the "few seconds" it will get as part of the city's educational segment, Bradley said.
He envisions the district's sponsor video highlighting curricular offerings such as advanced placement English, extra-curricular activities such as the marching band and facilities such as Mansion Park, the fieldhouse and the new junior high school.
The clip could help sway families moving to the area to buy a home in the district, rather than a nearby district such as Hollidaysburg, he said.
It also could help to convince parents to send their kids to Altoona, when they might otherwise send them to private school - especially parents moving from a big city whose public schools could have a poor reputation for academics and safety, he said.
The district can send the clip directly to inquiring families to complement its usual print packet.
The two-year sponsorship will cost the district $4,700, Bradley said.
Justin Freeman, the videographer who shot the city package, spent more than an hour Wednesday at Altoona Regional Health System, Altoona Hospital Campus, shooting footage for the health care segment. Freeman even got on top of the hospital tower to collect footage for the welcome segment.
It was worth the half-hour wait for a security escort, he said.
From 14 stories up, he shot several angles, getting mountains, neighborhood housing patterns, downtown buildings, landmarks such as Gospel Hill and features including rail lines and highways.
He said it provided him an opportunity to set the scene and give viewers a general idea of the regional terrain and how the city lies within it.
The Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities recommended the video showcase to city officials.
"It's almost like a visitor's bureau Web site," said Jean Pugh, director of group business programs for the league.
CGI updates the showcases periodically and has begun to incorporate live streaming video, she said.
About 85 communities in Pennsylvania have them or are developing them, including Johnstown, Allentown, Bethlehem and Wilkes-Barre, she said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 949-7038.
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Sixpack
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10-07-08 12:54 AM
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How can we take this as a serious effort to better the community? We watch our tax dollars go towards Dr. Seuss style street signs downtown, footbridges nobody uses because there is nothing downtown, and deceptive promotional videos. If anyone sees this video and decides to move here they will be sorely disappointed upon arrival. You can be as optimistic as you please but looking at this drab town while wearing rose tinted glasses doesn't change what's in front of your face. Drive bys, drug trafficking, unemployment, businesses going under, anything of cultural value dying, robberies, and a population that is steadily decreasing and for good reason. Altoona is not salvageable but it is highly unlikely with those we have in power, their *** backwards ideas, and all the bright young minds fleeing. It's a shame but it isn't our responsibility to put this all on our shoulders. This place is*****on earth and if you can get out, go somewhere better, rather than woefully living here,
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Sixpack
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10-07-08 12:47 AM
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It's not just the older generation, May, it's everyone! Look at how many young people graduate and leave! And don't come back other than to visit. There is nothing here. Some good young people do move here, for the campus, and they either move away to finish their education somewhere else, or they get their degree here and then move somewhere with opportunity.
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maymcchzplz
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10-06-08 10:10 PM
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Only one NICE comment?! Kudos, gandulf! It's actually not too bad here...if you ignore all of the ignorant and NEGATIVE Sheeple! Some good young people are always looking to move into the area, but when they see how negative the older generation is, they may just turn the other way. Altoona has the right idea here by taking a POSITIVE look at our city to entice people to move to our area which is a GOOD thing. It's a start. Try to be a little more supportive of our area or continue to be part of the problem everywhere...negativity.
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dnaforever
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10-06-08 9:48 PM
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Why didn't they shoot footage from the helicopters on the weekends. I know I love coming back to Altoona for the show. Just knowing that the police copters are out on weekends make me long for the comfort of home.
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TheOneAndOnlySurge
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10-06-08 4:17 PM
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KlausVR, there is no spell checker on the site. It msut be form the browesr you are usnig.....LOL
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gandulf
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10-06-08 4:13 PM
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166481--Nice attack!! Apparently, you have no concept on what a Congressman does. At least he is trying to bring business into the area. What have the leaders of the community done in this regard? Congressman Shuster is nothing if not a respectable person. If you think you can do the job better than him, by all means, feel free to throw your hat into the ring next cycle. Altoona has its problems, but Shuster is not to blame for them. It is 'people' such as yourself who would rather*****the city than look for ways to improve it. It you don't like it, I am sure there are some regions of the world where you would be accepted--but then again maybe not!!!!
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Sixpack
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10-06-08 3:37 PM
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H - E - R - O - I - N is censored on this website! Haha, wow. It's not a nice thing but it is not a swear word, jeeze. A feeble attempt to keep us from letting outsiders know of our problems here maybe?
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OutlawJoseyWales
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10-06-08 1:47 PM
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It seems to me that if the Altoona City government really wanted to promote this community and "growth" they would bend over backwards to make it appealing for new businesses to want to move into the area and existing ones want to stay. Ease up on the taxes the new business must pay and not as difficult and expensive to start a business in the city with all of the ordinances and fees associated with starting a business. I realize there must me some government oversight but mandating shrubbery in front of your business...really, there are more important things to worry about and spend your money on when starting a business. I'm still hoping Altoona can turn it around and become a city that I can be proud to tell people is my home town.
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KlausVR
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10-06-08 1:10 PM
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Sadly, "28", it is for real. Just like the Toon Town sign posts and steam clock mentioned earlier. Remember why they disabled the "steam" part of the steam clock? People would call the fire department when it went off! Oh, and don't forget "Time's Square" at the "Gateway to Altoona" at 17th Street and Twelfth Ave.
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marasmom28
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10-06-08 1:06 PM
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Is this for real? Promote Altoona? Promote what?
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KlausVR
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10-06-08 1:03 PM
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166481: Do you know why the people of Manhattan are always so depressed? The light at the end of their tunnel is New Jersey! Oh, and "Manhattan" doesn't show as a misspelling in this comment box!
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KlausVR
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10-06-08 12:47 PM
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Yes, let's promote our local companies: SKF, Butterick, Strohman's Bakery, Hollidaysburg Car Shops [OK, technically not Altoona, but you get the point], etc.
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Sixpack
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10-06-08 12:45 PM
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Altoona; Come for the hookers, stay for ****** *******altoona.craigslist****/search/ers/?query=w4m ^Seriously, hookers
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KlausVR
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10-06-08 12:42 PM
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HEY ... hope they don't forget the much needed new Altoona Area Junior High! Oh yeah, and when you type "Altoona" into this comment box, the program shows it as a misspelling! LMAO!
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desertratt
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10-06-08 12:42 PM
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That's all I could think of to put in a video to promote Altoona.
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desertratt
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10-06-08 12:40 PM
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Altoona! -Easy to get welfare -Prime territory for new drug gangs/ cartels -Plenty of disgusting white women who will give you a place to live while you set up your "business" -Lots of unemployed and uneducated customers who have no shame in stealing other people's stuff, then selling to a pawn shop, to buy your products
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kilgore
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10-06-08 10:35 AM
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lets promote our city... and our local companies... and the reasons to move here... by hiring a new york firm ??
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guttertroll
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10-06-08 10:10 AM
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"The free video package.... Does that mean free AND the taxpayers of ToonTown will not pay the videographer?
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guttertroll
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10-06-08 8:32 AM
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Don't forget the 'Roger Rabbit Toontown' street signs. Does anyone think they will hilite the halfway houses and PENN ALTO?
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donkeysrule
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10-06-08 7:24 AM
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Worst part of this is that they hired an out of town company to do the work. There are lots of locals that are very talented and maybe would have done this for the advertisement. Who is responsible for this idiotic choice? Your tax dollars again wasted.
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Sixpack
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10-06-08 1:36 AM
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Haha oh yeah, the smoking clock. . .And don't forget about the 2 footbridges to nowhere!
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TheOneAndOnlySurge
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10-06-08 12:45 AM
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This idea goes right up there with the smoking clock down town. Nuff said.
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Sixpack
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10-06-08 12:28 AM
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Unless you want to come here and sell drugs because that seems to be pretty popular. Or just be an uneducated *******. Pick one.
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Sixpack
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10-06-08 12:27 AM
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IF YOU ARE ONE OF THESE STRANGE PEOPLE CONSIDERING MOVING TO ALTOONA - FARE WARNING - DON'T DO IT - RUN NOW! RUN! DON'T BE FOOLED BY THIS VIDEO! haha.
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Sixpack
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10-06-08 12:26 AM
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You have got to be kidding me. Who are these supposed people that are considering moving here? And why? Other than big city drug dealers. Education? Didn't we fail to meet the state set bar in terms of PSSA testing? Or something along those lines at least. Economic development? Is that what you call it when 90% of downtown, the station mall, and any small business fronts through the city are vacant? When you even see businesses fleeing from the boulevard and Logan Town Center areas? Arts and entertainment? PLEASE. What arts and entertainment? Cover bands that play dive bars? Old washed up oldies bands - Who's concerts aren't even advertised properly?
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