Wayspot Title: Camp John J Barnhardt Climbing Tower
Location (lat/lon): 35.451897, -80.131013
City: New London, North Carolina
Country: United States of America
Screenshot of the Rejection Email (do not include your personal information): N/A
Additional Information (if any): This was an excellent waypoint as this tower has been a focal point of activity at this camp for decades.
Wayspot Title: Camp Barnhardt Chappel (don’t have the exact title)
Location: 35.448160, -80.130451
City: New London, North Carolina
Country: United States of America
Additional information: This waypoint was rather remote in relation to any of the wayspots I submitted so I’m not sure how it was affected.
Wayspot Title: Camp John J Barnhardt (I believe)
Location: 35.448037, -80.1381099
City: New London, North Carolina
Country: United States of America
Additional Information: This wayspot marked the main entrance to the camp. There is a decorative archway at this location to welcome campers to the camp. The camp has many trails and is a pedestrian campus so everything is accessible by foot.
I recently attended a camp at this Camp, and while my scouts were involved in activities, it left me with a lot of downtime. I decided to play Pokémon Go and these were the only three pokestops on camp. There is a Max location at the dining hall. I submitted nearly 30 new wayspots that day because there are tons of locations that meet the criteria. However, as my nominations are being gradually approved, existing wayspots are being removed. I understand that wayspots in close proximity may change existing wayspots, but these three are well away from any of my nominations and I do not understand why they were removed. The removal of the climbing tower also removed the only two routes on campus. My intention in submission of new wayspots was to increase playability in the area, not to replace existing (and well established) wayspots. Please review.
While it is a Scout camp, they host lots of other events, most recently a bigfoot festival and a viking festival, with thousands of participants. In addition, locals have access to the walking/hiking trails anytime there is not an active camp activity running. For safety reasons, the target ranges, climbing tower, and pool are closed access for camp participants only.
Having been to this camp myself, it is a Scout camp, owned and operated by Central North Carolina Council, BSA (Scouting America). While there are sometimes non Scouting events there, it is primarily for the Scouts (youth) use.
I believe the intent of your citation to be Schools and such facilities where playing a mobile game would be a detrimental distraction. If that clause were in fact intended to apply to any facility designed for persons under 18 it would render any playgrounds as ineligible as well.
The citation is for “schools or facilities primarily focused for persons under 18 years of age.” This covers preschools, after school programs, scout camps, and anywhere that children are left under the care of people who are not their legal guardians.
Playgrounds where guardians are expected to remain with children to oversee them are allowed.
I am still seeing reviews for wayspot nominations at this location, and it seems at least some are getting approved. Staff has removed them before - see above – so I think at a minimum we can agree that the Wayfarer team doesn’t think they’re eligible.
Perhaps it’s time for some education for those who approve these and, if not older submissions working their way through the queue, those who continue to submit here?
As I stated in my original post, I submitted several waypoints at this location in a single day. I am not continuing to submit new waypoints.
While I disagree with a scout camp being classified as a K-12 facility and rendered ineligible, I recognize that a decision has been made. And I am no longer concerning myself with this location.
a place where you take your children and stay with them - for example, a playground, soft play centre - is eligible, because it is a family location.
a place where you leave your children to be looked after by someone else - for example, a school, nursery, after-hours care - is not eligible because it is a child-focussed location and not a family-focussed location.
Scouts very clearly belong in the second category. It is irrelevant that there are adults supervising the children - scouts are K-12. You can disagree with this, but are in the wrong and need to be aware of this.