Creating a center to benefit the community

Canby Telecommunity Center is in the heart of downtown Canby, a rural community about an hour's drive from downtown Portland, Oregon. The center has become a gathering place providing work space, computer equipment, high speed Internet access and numerous other services such as business counseling, college credit and community classes, online career research and an open computer lab.

Founded in April 2000, the center is a collaborative partnership among the business community, Clackamas Community College, Canby Schools and Clackamas County. The building is owned by Canby Telephone Association, one of the principle partners in opening and operating the center. Operations and staffing are provided by the Canby School District, Clackamas Community College and a federal Technology Center grant. The college and its small business development center provide classes and business counseling. Clackamas County provided economic development funding for a start-up marketing program.

The mission of the center is to provide workers, businesses and residents with access to technology and learning opportunities. It offers:

• High speed Internet access
• Computer work stations
• Telecommuting
• College credit classes
• Community education classes and workshops
• Software tips and tutorials
• Meeting room
• Small business advice
• Online career research
• Resume assistance
• Free computer help on Mondays

Workstation space is rented to individual teleworkers by the hour ($5.00), the day ($20), or negotiated on a longer term basis. There are two open workstations and a private office. A conference room doubles as a classroom or meeting room for up to 15 people. It is often used for college classes and by local businesses as a central location for meetings, employee training and workshops.

A coffee shop and other business services are close by. Convenient parking and a central location make the center attractive to local businesses and residents.

Telework in a professional setting
Teleworker Roger Skoe first read about the Canby Telecommunity Center in the local Canby Herald newspaper. Since his employer, the Federal Highway Administration, has a federal initiative to encourage telecommuting, Roger put a proposal before his boss. His supervisor gave him the go-ahead, and Roger began spending every other Friday working at the center.

His job as a local program manager primarily involves working with Oregon Department of Transportation. Most of his work contacts outside his office are done via e-mail or phone. When not teleworking from home or the center, Roger commutes an hour each day to his job at the Federal Highway Administration in Salem.

Roger says using a telecommunity center for workspace reduces a supervisor's concern that an employee can be distracted by personal activities in a home office setting. It also quells Roger's own concern that family members might disturb him during his workday.

Canby Telecommunity Center
184 N. Grant
Canby, OR 97013

Phone 503.263.2424
Fax 503.263.4586
www.no-commute.net/canby