March 10, 2011
My experiment in mapping
With the help of Google Maps, I’ve created a collaborative map of the Kamloops area that allows anyone with a Google account to place “pins” on it to point to what they consider to be trouble spots.
Click on the Map button over to the right to have a look at it.
To get things rolling, I placed a couple of pins myself: one for frost heaves on Fleetwood and one for illegal parking on West Saint Paul. Just click on the appropriate pins to get details. It’s also possible to add photos and videos if you really want to get fancy.
I got the idea yesterday when I posted about giant potholes in England. One news website has created a collaborative map where readers can point out neighbourhood potholes. A site called Fix My Street takes things a step further by passing along reported problems to City Hall. It’s something we could consider doing here as well.
For now, have a look at the map and see what you think. If you want to add your own pin, follow the instructions. If you find it daunting, send me an email with the address and the problem, and I’ll take care of it. Contact information is on the right.
Above all, I would appreciate any feedback.