Geocaching Conference in Ontario

[+Baston]

I have been toying with the idea of a Geocaching Conference. A simple one day event, located at a inexpensive location. ie. a school or community centre.

My goal is to keep the cost as low as possible.

 

I am saving my pennies for a new unit.

 

If there is an interest in this idea; then I will start the ball rolling, or if you would like to help; then let me know.

 

Baston aka John

 

rothwelj@peelsb.com

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baston:

I have been toying with the idea of a Geocaching Conference. A simple one day event, located at a inexpensive location. ie. a school or community centre.

SNIP

---

 

Hey there John:

 

When you say a Conference, what do you envision? Speakers and exhibits? Workshops and seminars? I am trying to neither be smart nor disrespectful, but without knowing what you have planned and how you plan to differentiate it from one of the hugely successful picnic or pub night socials, it's impossible to state interest -- or lack of it.

 

Perhaps if you share some sort of agenda with us, that'd be helpful... have manufacturers of GPSrs shown interest... will there be structured talks... that sort of thing.

 

Looking forward to hearing back

 

Decodoppler

[+Baston]

Each person can have a different idea as to what a conference is, so I did not state what type of conference. And that was to encourage other users would put forth their ideas.

Personally, I would like to see reps from the different gps and mapping companies, speakers, workshops, seminars and vendors. In general, a well rounded conference.

 

Baston aka John

 

rothwelj@peelsb.com

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baston:

Each person can have a different idea as to what a conference is, so I did not state what type of conference. And that was to encourage other users would put forth their ideas.

Personally, I would like to see reps from the different gps and mapping companies, speakers, workshops, seminars and vendors. In general, a well rounded conference.

 

Baston aka John

 

rothwelj@peelsb.com

---

 

Hey John: can you give us some idea of how far along you might be in terms of planning. Have you spoken to the "market" (Geocachers) to ask them what they want from this type of event... or is that what we are doing here? You mentioned Manufacturers -- have you contacted any? How about retail outlets and distributors? What traction have you had with potential contributors (speakers presenters etc) and what theme might workshops and presentations take? You mentioned putting this on somewhere "inexpensive" which is sensible, but where exactly is ground zero (lat long will be fine )? And what is your target date for putting this on? Have you got any dependable help to work with you putting a plan together?

 

I ask this for a couple of reasons... even a small day-long event may take several hundred person hours to organize -- so you can't hope to do it without sponsors and help -- and starting something like this without any plan to follow -- even a flexible rough outline -- will make getting sponsors and help much harder.

 

Steve aka Decodoppler

[+Baston]

This is a testing of the waters (geocachers). To see if there is the interest. If the response is positive then we will start the planning.

I have a venue, located in the Brampton/Caledon area, that I can access at a minimal cost. Depending on how big this gets may require a different venue.

I have organized a number of different events for 25 to 600 people.

I would like to see the conference take place in late spring / early summer of 2003.

 

Anyone who would like to be involved in the planning, is more that welcome.

 

Baston aka John

rothwelj@peelsb.com

[+yorelken]

Sounds like a worthwhile project. I could work at the "gopher" level.

[+Olar]

I've thought about this type of thing many times. I had envisioned an outdoor venue where display booths could be setup and speakers having a sheltered area of sorts for any presentations. Certainly an indoor facility guarantees against worrying about the weather.

I have no experience but would be willing to help as much as possible. The Brampton area is sort of central and easy to get to.

Lets see what reaction from the forum hounds brings.

Cheers, Olar

 

"Pi 'r not square, Pie 'r round you dummy!"

[gm100guy]

The idea sounds good, I might be able to help.

 

I will watch for more information.

 

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

[+eagleflyby]

I can't promise anything because I frequently travel into the US and Germany but if I am arround, count me in as a helper. If I know far enough in advance, I might even be able to move some dates and hold the time of the event open.

I'll keep looking in here to see about the details.

 

So Long Eagleflyby

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baston:

This is a testing of the waters (geocachers). To see if there is the interest. If the response is positive then we will start the planning.

Anyone who would like to be involved in the planning, is more that welcome.

 

Baston aka John

rothwelj@peelsb.com

---

 

Well John: Not sure how much help I can lend -- I travel a lot and spend most weekends in spring, summer and fall away from home -- however, perhaps I can help with something... when you get enough people together to start defining who has skills at what, let me know.

 

Decodoppler

[+Baston]

Thank you all for your response. I noticed that 124 people have viewed this topic. I guess what we need to know is how many of the passive viewers would be interested to going to a conference.

So please post a yea or nay on attending a conference.

 

Thanks

 

John

[+mrcpu]

I doubt that there would be enough interest/participants to have a conferance ourselves HOWEVER what about having a booth at an outdoor show? There are shows at the CNE grounds and Metro Toronto Convention centre all the time aren't there?!?! We could have a medium size booth with sponsorship from retailers and Geocaching.com supplying banners and gc gear to sell to recoup costs.

 

If the boot was big enough we could have speakers talk about things like environmental issues, obtaining permission, and of course the latest GPS gear!

 

Oh well, I doubt this would ever actually go anywhere.... but it's nice to imagine!

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

Mobile Cache Command

[Cache Canucks]

...seeing as there's currently another discussion going on with regard to a similiar type of event on a much larger scale:

 

National GeoEvent

[allwalk]

Greetings everyone:

 

I am new to this hobby as of 3 days new and find myself the proud owner of a etrex Legend ( crosses fingers), I hope I picked a decent enough GPS for geocaching and camping . Any ways I vote YEA since being new I may be able to meet a few people and pick some brains.

I would like to say that I read your forums and have learned alot already.......thanks

[+Baston]

After reading the posts here. I am going to start moving slowly forward with the conference planning. A number of you have expressed an interest in helping with the planning, so our next step is to get together and start putting down the ground work.

I am looking for suggestions of a central meeting location that we all can get to easily.

I live in the Halton Hills area. But I do have access to a meeting location at Matheson Blvd and Hurontario Street (Hwy 10) in Mississauga or another location in the Mayfield Road and Bramalea Road area in North Brampton. But I am open to all other suggestions.

 

John

[+DirtRunner]

Ye Gods! Why dost thou Mock ME!

 

All these get togeathers on the west side of town! People live and cache on the East side too you know!

 

How about something central to Toronto, like in High Park or something ?

 

Just Spitballing

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[+Olar]

I vote for Mayfield H.S. I wonder why. Baston don't listen to DirtRunner. He hates Brampton because we have a better lacrosse team. Brooklin still has a team don't they?

 

"Pi 'r not square, Pie 'r round you dummy!"

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baston:

After reading the posts here. I am going to start moving slowly forward with the conference planning. A number of you have expressed an interest in helping with the planning, so our next step is to get together and start putting down the ground work.

I am looking for suggestions of a central meeting location that we all can get to easily.

I live in the Halton Hills area. But I do have access to a meeting location at Matheson Blvd and Hurontario Street (Hwy 10) in Mississauga or another location in the Mayfield Road and Bramalea Road area in North Brampton. But I am open to all other suggestions.

 

John

---

 

Mississauga would be OK with me... it's a bit of a haul but there are some caches in that area I need an excuse to get too!!

 

 

[+DirtRunner]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Decodoppler:

Mississauga would be OK with me... it's a bit of a haul but there are some caches in that area I need an excuse to get too!!

---

 

You know, you might have something there...

 

If you would like a partner for the day, I'll tramp along with you before we head to the conference.

 

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by DirtRunner:

 

You know, you might have something there...

 

If you would like a partner for the day, I'll tramp along with you before we head to the conference.

 

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

---

 

No sense in taking two vehicles... let's share a ride... and turn it into a mini-caching event. Any more in the East need to wagon train west, and interested in team hunting for a few hours, just contact me here.

 

DD

[+Baston]

What day and time works for most people.

Mondays are a no go for me.

Most other days and evenings are fine.

 

John

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baston:

What day and time works for most people.

Mondays are a no go for me.

Most other days and evenings are fine.

 

John

---

 

Mondays are never good... most evenings work fine... be aware of traffic issue for those of us coming from the other side of town though

 

DD

[+DirtRunner]

At least that way we could get some daylight. Something in rare supply as we head into the winter.

 

Otherwise I'm gonna have to find and dust off my +2 Flashlight of Illumination.

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[gm100guy]

Weekends are best for me.

 

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gm100guy:

Weekends are best for me.

 

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

---

 

YeS... WhY Didn'T I thinK of ThAt? Fine 4 me 2

[+Baston]

Most weekends work for me.

The only location I can get on weekends is Mayfield S.S.

How about on a saturday around 10:00am til 12:00pm, so that the afternoon can be spend hunting.

 

John

[+Olar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baston:

Most weekends work for me.

The only location I can get on weekends is Mayfield S.S.

How about on a saturday around 10:00am til 12:00pm, so that the afternoon can be spend hunting.

 

John

---

Sounds good to me!

 

Olar

 

"Pi 'r not square, Pie 'r round you dummy!"

[+DirtRunner]

OK, I'll bite.

 

What kind of conference can we have in two hours?

 

Webster’s defines Conference as;

 

“The act of conversing on a serious subject; a discoursing between two or more, for the purpose of instruction, consultation, or deliberation; formal discourse; oral discussion.”

 

If we're just going to shoot the sh*t, then why not just meet between 12 and 2 at a restaurant somewhere in Mississauga for lunch and refreshments.

 

That way Deco and I can cache in the morning, drop by the "conference" for lunch and catch the last few caches in the area before our spouses make us come home.

 

What do you think?

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[Cache Canucks]

Until you establish an agenda (the 'roadmap' of any productive get-together) along with an estimated headcount, it would be difficult to get your arms around 'how long' this meeting would/should last. If the participation in this forum discussion is any indication, you're probably looking at a dozen people or so ...somewhat less than what most would consider a 'conference' (ie: probably not enough to support the workshop activity or attract the type of vendor representation that was suggested early in this thread). Perhaps a better approach would be to make this initial gathering a less 'structured' affair ...such as a weekend brunch (not unlike what I believe 'DirtRunner' may have been suggesting). The agenda would be a simple one ...to afford the participants an opportunity to meet each other face-to-face, share a GeoCaching war-story or two over a leisurely bite to eat (and talk about the guys who didn't come !), and - if the chemistry is right - perhaps sow the seeds for the next 'tete e tete'. The 'planning' would involve little more than designating an appropriate eatery (someplace with decent food, that can comfortably seat a dozen or so folks as a single group, and where they don't serve coffee in paper cups) and then agreeing on a date/time.

 

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by DirtRunner:

OK, I'll bite.

 

What kind of conference can we have in two hours?

 

Webster’s defines Conference as;

 

“The act of conversing on a serious subject; a discoursing between two or more, for the purpose of instruction, consultation, or deliberation; formal discourse; oral discussion.”

 

If we're just going to shoot the sh*t, then why not just meet between 12 and 2 at a restaurant somewhere in Mississauga for lunch and refreshments.

 

That way Deco and I can cache in the morning, drop by the "conference" for lunch and catch the last few caches in the area before our spouses make us come home.

 

What do you think?

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

---

 

Aren't we meeting first to talk over the nuts and bolts of the conference? If, say for or five of us turn out, that's the core group for organizing... we can shoot the **** and work out where we go from there. A coffee shop'll do for starters wouldn't it?

 

As Cache Canucks said:

"Perhaps a better approach would be to make this initial gathering a less 'structured' affair SNIP The 'planning' would involve little more than designating an appropriate eatery (someplace with decent food, that can comfortably seat a dozen or so folks as a single group, and where they don't serve coffee in paper cups) and then agreeing on a date/time."

 

I like Dirtrunner's idea about caching first... maybe after too.

 

Thanks

[+mrcpu]

I participate in bi-monthly "GAG" or Groupwise Administrators Group. We meet to discuss new Groupwise related products and to discuss problems that we may have encountered. A typical meeting involves the organizer (groupwise.org) finding a sponsor to host the location.

 

A couple of meetings ago we held it in the classroom at my office (Around $200 rental) and the last one was held at Metro Hall (Toronto) where they have lots of meeting rooms for community groups. (At 8pm that night was the "Bi-Sexual Men of Toronto" meeting!

 

I would expect to see something where someone talks about a new GPS they have, someone else demo's Fugawi or ExpertGPS or something like that. Perhaps we could get Fugawi to come as a guest (with demo software and a raffle for a free copy of fugawi!).

 

Anyways, the meetings usually last around 2 or 3 hours and afterwards the core people go grab a beer! (or two!)

 

Rob

Mobile Cache Command

[+Baston]

The meeting that I am taking about is the planning meeting for the conference.

A meeting to establish what we want to do and how we are going to do it.

 

John

[gm100guy]

If you read my letter from the minister in the parks thread, maybe we can get the man mentioned in the letter to come and discuss caching in provincial parks?

 

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

[+Olar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gm100guy:

If you read my letter from the minister in the parks thread, maybe we can get the man mentioned in the letter to come and discuss caching in provincial parks?

---

That would be a very wise thing to do. Whether we like it or not the issue of caching in Prov. Parks, Conservation areas, etc. will not be going away so discussing the pros and cons at a "conference" like Baston has in mind is a terrific opportunity to sell ourselves and Geocaching. Also, and at the risk of opening the can too far too fast, it may be an idea to invite a representative from the Bruce Trail Association as well. If we could come to some agreement or understanding with both of those organizations it would be a strong influence on other parks and trail management groups to at least keep an open mind when ruling on a cache permission request.

Cheers, Olar

 

"Pi 'r not square, Pie 'r round you dummy!"

[+DirtRunner]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Olar:

Also, and at the risk of opening the can too far too fast, it may be an idea to invite a representative from the Bruce Trail Association as well. If we could come to some agreement or understanding with both of those organizations it would be a strong influence on other parks and trail management groups to at least keep an open mind when ruling on a cache permission request.

Cheers, Olar

---

 

OK, Hold on there, I'm confused...

 

1) Lets not get too many officials in one place until we know how to work them to our advantage. If we get a guy so-so about the hobby and one against it, the negative will swing the neutral opinion.

 

2) When is this supposed to happen? Are we still up for the meeting pre-meeting in Mississauga at a watering hole to discuss the above and other options or is that now dead?

 

Lets stay focused here.

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[gm100guy]

I was not jumping to far I thought.

 

I was just sugesting a topic that we could use at the conference. Maybe others could think of some and we could then discuss them at the meeting.

 

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

[Sliver & Lucy]

Sounds like something interesting

 

The Oshawa Connection

 

I will keep an eye on this post

[+DirtRunner]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gm100guy:

I was not jumping to far I thought.

 

I was just sugesting a topic that we could use at the conference. Maybe others could think of some and we could then discuss them at the meeting.

---

 

OK, then, when will this pre-meeting meeting take palce and where? If at a dinereats place, then send the co-ords so I can do a cache search based upon that so I can plan my route of attack to and from the get togeather.

 

We all seem to think a meeting is in order, lets get off the pot and make this happen.

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[+Decodoppler]

Baston, it seems fairest for you to make the call since this is your thread... when and where... we already know the why -- get a core group of organizers together... meet fellow geocachers and have a beverage.

 

All the topics and thoughts brought up here now are exactly the issues we need to sit together and discuss.

 

2 cents spent

 

DD

[gm100guy]

Picnic

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

[Geomaniac]

Sounds like a great idea - let me know how I can help you to organize it...

[+Baston]

When: Sat., Jan. 11, 2003

 

Where: Mayfield S.S., 5000 Mayfield Road, Brampton. Intersection of Mayfield Road and Bramalea Road.

 

Time: 10:00am till Noon (That way the afternoon is free for caching.)

 

This will be a planning meeting for a Geo Conference in the summer of 2003.

 

Please let me know if you plan on being there.

 

Thanks

 

John

 

rothwelj@peelsb.com

 

Happy Holidays everyone

[+Decodoppler]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baston:

When: Sat., Jan. 11, 2003

 

Where: Mayfield S.S., 5000 Mayfield Road, Brampton. Intersection of Mayfield Road and Bramalea Road.

 

Time: 10:00am till Noon (That way the afternoon is free for caching.)

 

This will be a planning meeting for a Geo Conference in the summer of 2003.

 

Please let me know if you plan on being there.

 

Thanks

 

John

 

rothwelj@peelsb.com

 

Happy Holidays everyone

---

 

John: I would like to make it but I will be in the States that weekend. Sorry.

 

DD

[+Olar]

I'll be there John. In case anyone has a GPS unit (yuk! yuk!), here are the coords:

43d 46.337m

79d 46.917m

 

Looking forward to it, Olar

 

"Pi 'r not square, Pie 'r round you dummy!"

[Sliver & Lucy]

I will do my best to attend ,,, sometimes things do come up, but I will put it on the list of things to do

 

Sliver & Lucy

 

Happy Holidays!

[gm100guy]

I have date in pencil on calander and will try and make??????????

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

[+DirtRunner]

Bad weekend for me...

 

I hate bad timing

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[gm100guy]

I will have my frs radio on channel 2 as I approach...... if I can make it.

 

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

[+chris-mouse]

It's marked on my calendar as well. No guarantees that I'll be able to make it, but I'll try.

[+TrimblesTrek]

One member of TrimblesTrek will be there.

 

TrimblesTrek