Thanks for asking about this Lib. That email is pretty much the response I
expected. I was angry when I first read it, and was going to write to the
park warden and ask exactly where the park boundary is, if it isn't where
the map shows it to be.
I wanted some visual aids to show him, so I scanned in part of my Friends
of Frontenac Park map, converted the cache coordinates to UTM NAD27, and
plotted the locations of the caches on my computer. I had never done this
before since the CLAIMaps maps were already digital and ready to go. That
was a mistake. I guess I was being naive, but I never doubted the accuracy
of the CLAIMaps data. After looking a bit closer, it seems to be only a
rough approximation of the actual park boundaries.
I'm attaching an image of the cache locations plotted on the Friends of
Frontenac Park map. It shows two of the micros are indeed in the park, but
that the final is outside of it. And who is to say that even this map is
correct? I am assuming that whatever map they have at the park, it is
different from both the Friends map and the CLAIMaps map. I feel pretty
embarrassed about this, especially since everybody has been making such a
big deal about it. I really thought that every map that showed the park
boundary would show the same thing.
As for the rest of Mr. Furber's email, I am not really sure what to think.
On the one hand I think it's stupid to blame geocaching when people fall
down, or skinny dip, or use unauthorized entrances. I'm sure that the
majority of people who do these things are not geocachers. If only there
were an Ontario Beer-drinking Bottle-smashing Bonfire Party Association,
then maybe we wouldn't feel so much heat.
On the other hand, geocachers *do* mess up the area when they are
searching for a cache. When Root and I hid the Toadstools caches we put
them near the trail, and in places where people would walk on rock instead
of grass to get to them. If there are now spur trails heading to the
caches, then I guess people have been taking different routes than we
expected. I don't think there is a way to avoid people doing the
unexpected.
I don't really know what to say about the Ontario Parks geocaching policy.
But I wonder if the park staff removed the burnt out mattress and pile of
roof shingles on the island when they removed the znp geocache.
Hoover
Attachment:
friendsmap.jpg
Description: Friends of Frontenac Park map
