It's a nice idea Steve and I'm not really against the idea. But for a couple of reasons I have a few concerns.
First and foremost, although it may be inexpensive to register a domain, it's not free. Anytime that money is involved, i.e. collected for or paid on behalf of an entity, there has to be accountability -- without accountability, creditability is questionable. This means at minimum there has to be an executive body or committee.
Secondly as an online resource it really would be in the same category as this discussion board. If people aren't going to make it to one, then I think it's unlikely they'll make it to the other. I.e., either you're technologically savvy in which case you can probably find your way here, or you're not technologically savvy in which case neither resource will really fit the bill.
Thirdly, most online associations have generally been unkind in the words regarding the retailers, and this fact has not gone unnoticed amongst them. We probably have still an uphill battle to win them over at this point. And to be honest, I think a club or association should not be too tightly indebted to a retailer because sooner or later a conflict of interest is sure to rise.
I think the better first step is that we define who we are, we draft up a set of minimal bylaws which set out what positions define the executive council (I would suggest at a minimum a president, a vice-president, and a treasurer), how often and when the annual general meetings are held (where the executives are elected), also including the plan for dissolution of the club, then register as a non-profit society within Alberta, then register as a member society of MASNA, then approach CAS to be a sibling or partner society so that we can share the duties in some annual events; then start creating assets such as a website, a bank account, and other resources (books? tools?) and a management plan for those assets, and plans for future projects (e.g. zoo).
Does it sound like a major undertaking yet? Because it should!
Don't get me wrong the whole reason we started this Calgary forum is because
we do want to have a club (at least some of us do). But we have to really want to take this next step. Otherwise it is a recipe for burnout, and I'm sure we've all been there. And if we take it too early we risk stumbing.
Anyhow these are just my thoughts. If the time is right to start the ball rolling again then great, let's get the ball rolling. But I think we ought to have a business meeting and go from there first.