Anybody have any experience in coordinating Public Park caches?

[boe309]

Im not exactly an avid geocacher, BUT i do enjoy getting out when i can. I have been trying to introduce the sport of geocaching to my facility. I work in Park Recreation Center doing public relations and marketing. Our dilemma with our facility is we have phenomenal services (Indoor Wave Pool, Fitness Center, Gymnasium, Batting Range, Tennis courts) but were located so deep in the park that more often than not we are overlooked.

 

I've been pitching the idea to my supervisor for months that the geocache community is a broad and diverse demographic. It would be ill advised to overlook that, i proposed a multicache that would begin at the mouth of the park and lead to each historic part of the park leading to our center.

 

In researching local parks in our area, there are hidden caches but none run by the facility itself. I do anticipate that it would require constant maintenance. I was just wondering from a business perspective/municipal park standpoint, has anyone coordinated a similar cache? Would it be better run as an event rather than leaving it open? Would it be defeating the purpose of being stealthy to make it very exposed to the media?

 

Any advice/input would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[+SirDonB]

This should be a good place to start...

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=304

 

in particular

 

Obtain the landowner's and/or land manager's permission before you hide any geocache, whether placed on private or public property.

 

In the case of public property, contact the agency or association that manages the land to obtain permission. The U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, among others, prohibit geocaching on lands they manage. Even if you are certain that geocaching is permitted on a particular public property, ensure that the management agency is aware of your intended placement and secure their permission before placing the cache.

 

However, you in this particular case are the land management agency.

 

Though this section may provide a problem

 

Solicitation and Commercial Content

Geocaches do not solicit for any purpose.

Commercial geocaches are disallowed.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

[+badger10]

The Richland (WA) Parks and Rec Dept has put on a geocache challenge where you do a certain amount of caches and you get a geocoin. The Park Ranger is an avid geocacher and they put a cache in twelve of the city parks. It is maintained (I believe) by her (Jen) and the city. I think she would be someone worth talking with.

Edited September 9, 2011 by badger10

[+LukeTrocity]

Just a suggestion, but if your ultimate goal is to increase foot traffic at your location i would say do a cache series not a multi. A good portion of cachers go for the traditionals more readily.

 

Better buy some ammo cans and find some interesting spots!

 

[Tahosa and Sons]

Contact Colorado State Forest and see what they have done in regards to caches, from what I've heard they are some awesome caches.

[+Keelmann And Cici]

Just a suggestion, but if your ultimate goal is to increase foot traffic at your location i would say do a cache series not a multi. A good portion of cachers go for the traditionals more readily.

 

Better buy some ammo cans and find some interesting spots!

 

 

I agree with this.

 

I would say just a series of normal caches. Don't try to promote something, but caches that tell a story about the location are perfectly fine. If each one tells something unique about the park and it's history, you can certainly lead up to the final cache near the center. And as for your question about secrecy, I don't think a press story about it hurts at all. Positive press for geocaching is something that's good for everybody.

 

Also, look into the cache in, trash out idea. My mother was involved in park development for much of her adult life, so I have great respect for parks, and I love the concept that cachers can not only avoid causing any environmental harm, but we can actually leave the environment better than we found it.

 

I think you've got a great idea, good luck with it!

[+LukeTrocity]

You could actually put a cache in the facility as well. Just another thought.

[+JL_HSTRE]

Tallahassee (FL) Parks & Rec has a geocaching account and has placed 54 caches in city parks since 2007 and even held a meet-n-greet event once. You may wish to contact them for more info about their experiences:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=c16d1880-7df0-43d8-9e7c-7bffea7cb29d

[+paleolith]

Tallahassee (FL) Parks & Rec has a geocaching account and has placed 54 caches in city parks since 2007 and even held a meet-n-greet event once. You may wish to contact them

You can also look at the bookmark list of TPRD caches.

 

As it happens, the TPRD employee / geocacher who set those caches has moved to another department, and the caches are being maintained by local volunteers through TAG. The TPRD account that Joshism linked is now maintained by one of those volunteers.

 

Nonetheless, TPRD definitely continues to support the program, providing cache supplies and geocoin prizes. They also allow private geocaches in city parks, although they have no stated policy.

 

Value? Can't say, and I doubt anyone else can say. The simple number of people added to the attendance at any one park is small. However, many of those end up visiting many of the parks. This may be a fairly vocal group of people who have become aware of just how many parks the city manages -- certainly far more than I was previously aware of. Thus the "branding" may be of more value than the number of recreation visits would indicate.

 

I found five of the TPRD caches Friday, and Saturday I attended a local event which included most of the volunteers mentioned. I'm currently the volunteer maintainer for ... I think it's ten of the caches. I've placed seven of my own caches on the city park in my neighborhood.

 

Edward

[boe309]

wow! thanks everyone! great information and insight. ill post up the results when i go live with it!