Grave Robbers ?

[+dgas71]

The Orillia Packet & Times also printed an article today about the holes being dug at the church. Treasure hunters target church This article may be different than the one in the Barrie Examiner. This article states that people were found with a metal detector at the site and had dug seven holes to find a lost ring. I'll be sending a letter to the editor to the Packet & Times about this article.

[+Red90]

Man, the quality level of reporting these day is ridiculously low. How many seconds of investigation can it take to actually locate a fact or two. It is simply he siad she said as they repaet and randomly add to other story they read.

[+geoSquid]

Is the OGA currently dialoging with Parks Canada and or Ontario Parks? I was under the impressions that the talks had pretty well broken off while the parks moved forward with removing caches. Most of the discussions I have seen on the forums are around publications in the media about the bans.

Yes, we are. In fact, I have been exchanging email with Claire today.

 

I expect to be having a meeting, either face-to-face, or on the phone in the next few days. There are many obstacles to overcome.

[OGA - Admin]

I have written to the Orillia Packet & Times, to correct the article that implies Geocachers are the ones digging and using metal detectors.

 

I also corrected the notion that we are "Treasure Hunters", and explained that it is an expression to serve as a point of referrence so that those unfamiliar can relate to what Geocachers are talking about.

 

As for Parks Canada, for myself, and I have emails that were sent to numerous other provincial groups as well, there is a frequent exchange of emails regarding articles, developments and ideas. We have provided all of the input in written form that we can think of, and encourage the opportunity to meet to discuss, to reconnect and clarify with Parks Canada when they are ready.

 

With respect to Ontario Parks, as has been mentioned previously, we (OGA) met with them, and outlined our concerns with the current ban and made suggestions for improvement and illustrated the benefits of Geocaching for the Park System.

 

The Email sent to the Mayor was a first step, and condering that it was done within hours of awareness, I think it was a good first step and approach. We made the effort to contact, and provided means to contact OGA to discuss the issue.

 

The email from at least myself were taken to the Council Meeting by a Member of the Council, and I was also told that another email was presented as well.

 

These decisions were made to follow with our mandate to provide educational assistance to land owners or other interested parties. It is also done to ensure that Geocaching is represented accurately. Our OGA Regional Reps are chosen based upon many factors, including experience, and background, as well as a desire to contribute.

 

OGA Exec would like to additionally thank OGA Rep "Swifteroo" for his incredible devotion to Geocaching and OGA and COG. He is always quick to become involved and seeks to help when the opportinity presents itself.

 

OGA - Admin

[Utsman]

Wow I have been traveling back from my trip to Nova Scotcia today. I missed so much sent my letter to the examiner.

[+IVxIV]

I listen to a Barrie FM radio station called Rock 95, www.rock95.com, and heard a nice retraction comment to their previously report of this geocaching-digging incedent in Oro-Medonte.

 

Glad to hear the situation is returning to normal

[+wavector]

I sent this letter to my local newspaper this morning, I didn't write the letter I plagiairized the OGA Admin. I had to change it a fair bit to make it suitable for editor smacking, I don't know if they will print it, they chose to run the story on the front page in the "here is the crazy news" area ;

 

I am a News subscriber and I read your recent story on Oro-Medonte and grounds of the African church there being despoiled by geocaching with surprise. The News has always had a strong editorial flavour, that is my opinion as a long time reader, the facts have always been included in that flavour, in this case the facts have been completely discarded. The title of the article was incendiary to say the least and grossly inaccurate, a simple check could have revealed the actual facts. Geocaching is an activity that does not allow digging of any kind. This statement can be verified at the international listing site www.geocaching.com. The geocache listed in Oro-Medonte is a virtual geocache, not a container, a virtual geocache highlights an area of public importance, one that is usually historical/educational in nature. The basic premise is to visit the site like any other tourist or interested party and take a picture of yourself at the site. The description of the offending geocache in the story is available on the geocaching website - “Located in Oro-Medonte between Barrie and Orillia, Ontario. Easy access by road but don't blink or you'll miss it! When you think of the end of the Underground Railroad you think of communities like Buxton and Chatham but one of the earliest Black settlements in Ontario was in Oro-Medonte. This cache is located on the site of one of the last remnants of this settlement. To prove your visit you must either post a picture of the main structure on the site or e-mail the family name of one of the settlers "... how do you get your grave robbing article title from that description ?

Geocaching is a family-friendly activity that is enjoyed by thousands of Canadians with many more people discovering the benefits of this activity every day. The rules forbid any type of digging, geocachers usually have a strong stewardship ethic, the CITO (Cache In Trash Out) program is a volunteer program that cleans thousands of acres of parkland every year. The mayor of Oro-Medonte has been contacted by geocachers in Ontario and letters similar to this one will likely be written to many newspapers, our stewardship ethic applies to our activity as well as our parks and sites of historic importance. Please make sure your readers understand that the story you chose to run on the front page of your newspaper was inaccurate and an unfair portrayal of geocaching.

Edited October 21, 2005 by wavector

[OGA - Admin]

"Editor Smacking"

 

Thanks for making my morning! Normally I get told that I need to get my posts double checked to ensure I don't offend anyone. Nice to see someone say they took one of mine, and edited to be more aggressive

 

Also good to hear that the local radio station issued a retraction on air.

 

OGA - Admin

[P&A Canoe]

Glad to see the issue was looked after rather quickly and that the Mayor was informed what we do and that they were making assumtions (or his people just don't know that they should do some even a little research). I hope that they realize that having people drop by and take a picture of the place is a great service to them. We show up at all times and take a picture and leave again. There are probably more pictures of the church now than there has been in a long time. If there has been any "digging" wouldn't some of us have pictures of it and that this could help narrow it down to when the diggers were there.

Just a note I was just out for a walk in the back bush and found that something has been digging under the brush pile, looks like they were quite busy, but I can say that it was probably looking for a winter home.

[+logger&trail]

I checked the national wire services and the story that geocachers were not involved at the site was posted on the wires on the 20th. As well there were two audio clips which praised geocaching.

 

Nice to see things turn around.

[+Puppyman]

Seems odd that after 3 years, this cache has produced so much trouble!

Was there any kind of police report on this?

Hope all turns out well for all concerned!

[+Amazon Annie]

I just got a phone call from a friend - she said she was listening to 680 News (Rogers Communications Inc) on Monday night past (17th) and heard an article about "Geo-Chasers" digging in the graveyard. I don't know if there's been a retraction there either.

 

I get a server error when I search on their site before Oct. 18th but I don't see any retraction at all between Oct. 18th and today.

[+dgas71]

After Thursday's article Treasure hunters target church in the Orillia Packet & Times, Saturday's paper had a Darts and Laurels section with a dart to the Geocachers digging holes in the ground at the church. It seems like the Packet & Times are still blaming geocachers while other media are now saying that geocachers are not to blame. I hope the letter to the editor I dropped off at the newspaper gets printed tomorrow.

[+The Blue Quasar]

Gee, well it's not like running a RETRACTION would be an exciting news story

 

As if they would smear across the headline....

 

WE SCREWED UP

 

And considering that I have not received a single reply regarding this story... and I no longer expect to...

 

We can all continue to provide the truth about Geocaching to our Family, Friends and Co-workers. You know, the people that care about us and what we do.

 

 

The Blue Quasar

 

P.S. This is my first ever post using Firefox. IE doesn't like javascripts for me lately so I tried the alternative browser... off to sell my M$ stocks

Edited October 24, 2005 by The Blue Quasar

[4wheelin_fool]

Has anyone checked the other sites (Navicache, ect) for any caches listed in the area?

[+Couparangus]

The below equipment not suitable for caching.

In all seriousness, was this a Halloween joke that got taken the wrong way?

[+wavector]

"No dirt dug up on geocaching"

 

I had locked this topic thinking it was over and done with but Fridays' newspaper in my home town carried the letter I wrote to the editor at the top of the Lifestyles page, they added the title you see above so it was a really good eye catching piece in a widely read section of our local paper.

After writing and sending the letter I did receive a call from the editorial department at the News explaining that they were not the originator of the story and they wanted to make sure I understood that, I suppose my indignance must have been showing, .

I had no trouble with the editorial staff ducking the reponsibility bullet and I thought that was it.

The letter appearing a while later like it did was a nice surprise and a positive ending to the story for geocachers and geocaching, at least in my location.