Just four of many pictures posted on our websites this week. From left to right: a swan landing on the canal; Cardonald Parish Church; Paisley Road West in the snow last week; and the view from the Glenavon flats

THE Evening Times' new community websites are on target to clock up 100,000 hits within their first week.

Our 12 special Glasgow mini-sites have been swamped with pictures, comments, and notices from residents, community groups and ex-pats from all over the world.

We launched the first phase of our ambitious plans to create a network of 80 ultra-local websites, covering every major district of the city, on Monday.

Within 72 hours, 75,000 hits were logged as users visited on to find out what was happening in their neighbourhood.

The free-to-use service, which covers Cardonald, Dennistoun, Easterhouse, Gorbals, Hillhead, Maryhill, Partick, Robroyston, Shawlands, Springburn, Tollcross and Whiteinch, includes listings for local schools, leisure centres, doctors and events.

Users can upload material and community groups can create their own "micro sites".

The area and history sections are proving extremely popular with people reminiscing over landmarks, buildings and favourite haunts.

There is currently an ongoing discussion about The White Elephant Theatre in Shawlands, which was the idea of Albert Pickard, the man responsible for the Panopticon in Trongate.

CARDONALD	DENNISTOUN	EASTERHOUSE	GORBALS
HILLHEAD	MARYHILL	PARTICK	ROBROYSTON
SHAWLANDS	SPRINGBURN	TOLLCROSS	WHITEINCH

On the Maryhill site, Billi Ramsay has submitted a variety of photographs depicting the area and also asking for comments about the images.

Community news editor Helen Smith said: "This is the sort of interaction we were hoping for. It has been tremendous.

"The response in this first week has been beyond our wildest expectations.

"Thousands of people are visiting the sites and many are making contributions. I am particularly pleased so many people have found the format straightforward.

"The sites are a community facility and have captured everyone's imagination.

"The figures speak for themselves."

Shawlands is leading the field in the popularity stakes, with the South Side site notching up 11,253 hits in its first three days online.

As well as video footage of a protest in Pollok Park against the controversial plans to create the Go Ape aerial assault course, its notice board is continually being updated as an increasing number of events and activities are flagged up.

Maryhill is in second place with 9169, while Cardonald is the third most popular place with 8252 visits. The contributors include local councillor, Alistair Watson, chairman of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

The Cardonald home page features our coverage of local residents who are standing up to teenage gangs by installing gates in their back lanes. It has prompted comments about a fund being set up to help the residents.

Across the sites the Army Cadets, St Andrew's Ambulance, dance studios, primary schools, and charities have all taken advantage of the various noticeboards.

Early comments from users include: "What a brilliant idea. It's about time someone did something like this."

Others have taken the chance to catch up on their old stomping grounds. One said: "I used to live in Easterhouse 20 years ago and it is great to read up on it again."

Another added: "It is a great way to keep in touch with what is going on in our neighbourhood."

The sites are exceptionally user-friendly and feature images from the Evening Times' award winning team of photographers.

Readers are being urged to submit their own pictures and digital footage to decorate the mini-sites.

You can upload pictures and videos, make comments on stories, let us know of local news developments, and tell us if your club or organisation is holding an event.

Evening Times editor Donald Martin said: "The potential audience is vast, and goes far beyond Glasgow and Scotland.

"We are delighted to be involved with our readers in print and online."