Is It Worth Fighting For?

[+Rose_Thorn]

I've put quite a bit of time (research, photos etc) into planning a very small cache at an interesting and extremely popular location. I think it would attract a few extra visitors and would be fun to find for people who already go there anyway. It's in a park in a rural area, and I have been emailing and writing to the town council to get permission. But they have discussed it at their June meeting and say that they "wouldn't want any more activity at the area". This is presumably because it is already a popular stopping place for picnics etc and has canoeists and divers who use the river. My thoughts are that a couple of geocachers a month wouldn't hurt, as the place is thronging already. What do you think?

 

Should I ring up the chairman of the council and try to argue my case? Send a polite letter saying how little trouble geoacachers would cause there and they would pick up loads of litter?

 

Advice please...

[+Simply Paul]

The CITO route is a powerful one. Good luck with arguing your case.

[+Jango & Boba Fett]

I was advised by the local Green Spaces Officer to arrange to go out with members of the committee on one of their "walk about" sessions. When I contacted the committee chairman they were enthusiastic to have someone else along - although the event hasn't happened yet. As I understand it the Parks Committee do this sort of thing periodically as a educational exercise for them, and given that to many of those unfamiliar with GeoCaching the concept sounds like a kind of treasure hunt and of course treasure hunts happen on a particular day when lots of participants turn up at the same time.

 

I wouldn't recommend hassling anyone, instead cultivate your friendly local Green Spaces Officer/Ranger as once they are on board they will introduce you to various "friends of the .... park/wood/..." and they are normally as keen as mustard to find new ways for people to visit their beloved, but under appreciated, green space. Then when you can demonstrate how that cache has benefited the community I'd go pack to the Parks Committee with some evidence they can understand (like a copy of the cache log with all those nice things written in it - always very persuasive).

[+MartyBartfast]

I think it's worth persuing, so have a look for the most active cache in your area & work out how many visits it gets in a month (probably less than 10) and let them know the expected numbers.

 

It sounds pretty typical of council bureaucracy that they've got a public area but want to discourage people from using it!

[lakeuk]

I suspect from reading the minutes that your request was glossed over very quickly as the meeting only lasted 55 minutes, below is your bit in the minutes, item 10 of 33 :-

 

10. Rose**** *****; requesting permission to site a geocache in the park on the west

bank of the River Lune at Devils Bridge. It was resolved not to agree to this proposal.

 

Strangest thing is that the Parish Clerk for KLonsdale lives 4 miles west of Kendal, 20 miles from K Lonsdale

Edited July 7, 2006 by lakeuk

[+Munkeh]

I suspect from reading the minutes that your request was glossed over very quickly as the meeting only lasted 55 minutes, below is your bit in the minutes, item 10 of 33 :-

 

10. Rose**** *****; requesting permission to site a geocache in the park on the west

bank of the River Lune at Devils Bridge. It was resolved not to agree to this proposal.

 

Strangest thing is that the Parish Clerk for KLonsdale lives 4 miles west of Kendal, 20 miles from K Lonsdale

 

just gpo and shout at them, if that doesn't work, get Mrs B to shout at them

[+Rose_Thorn]

Wow, thanks for that input! Lakeuk, either you are very clever or I am very daft (probably both!) sussing out the minutes of the appropriate meeting when I never thought about doing so - thanks for that! Yes, my topic probably didn't get that much consideration, so perhaps I should cultivate a link with the countryside officers; then approach the council chairman again with a bit of supporting evidence that a cache can only be good for the location. Ok, that's the plan...I'll keep you posted

[+PopUpPirate]

I know that rangers jobs can be dependant on visitor numbers, so they're generally keen on more peeps visiting (especially when many car parks have sensors on them that count every vehicle in and out)

[+The Blorenges]

just go and shout at them, if that doesn't work, get Mrs B to shout at them

I have no idea what he means....

 

Perhaps you could suggest the idea of a "trial" cache placement for six months to them? At the end of that period you could walk them to the cache area where (hopefully!) there will be no visible damage and let them look at the logs of all the happy cachers who have found your cache.

MrsB

[+Bear and Ragged]

Have a word with your local councillor and/or the councillor for the area the park is in. Then at least someone on the council will have some idea of Geocacheing from our point of view.

 

The down side is, that having had contact with you, they may not be able to vote - as they have "an interest" in the matter.

 

They are our representitives... Even if you didn't vote for them!