Signs and statues in cemeteries
RubyandSamsMama-PGO
Posts: 44 ✭✭
So I am wondering about if I should venture out to the local cemetery and try to add a few waypoints. I think they are good waypoints as they do promote exploration in the area. I have also seen a lot of cemetery signs and unique sculptures in them accepted into Niantic games. I know a friend of mine nominated our cemetery a year or so ago and it was not accepted. She also nominated a church that wasn't accepted. When I reached the proper level I nominated the church near me that she got a rejection for and it was approved first try. I am wondering if maybe her pictures or descriptions were just bad? Or if Wayfarers in some areas tend to vote no for cemeteries or churches? I am in the south Florida area. Should I attempt this? Or am I in an area where these sorts of things get rejected more? Or are they maybe something else I've heard of which are things that no longer meet criteria that used too?
Comments
I don't think there is a correct or incorrect answer to this.
I know that some cemeteries are places that people can go to, walk through in a respectful manner even if they are not visiting deceased family members/friends.
Locally around me there are some cemeteries, headstones etc that have been added to the database.
When I first started submitting I was going to try to add these memorials/headstones but decided the people still alive and visiting the cemetery were more important than my Ahabian need to add everything to the game.
You can reliably expect any nominations related to a cemetery to be rejected as “Location sensitive.” There are some small exceptions that can bring gravestones, monuments, or signage within the circle of acceptable criteria, but don’t count in it. Cemeteries are, in short, poor places to play video games, and most nominations there will not see the light of acceptance.
In my general area, there are many cemeteries designed long ago as pseudo-parks: families would picnic and stroll in these cemeteries as they would in any public green space. Many of these cemeteries host public tours or organized group activities today. I consider these eligible locations for valid wayspots within
I generally avoid submitting the following:
Another thing to keep in mind is that the cemetery owners/managers may have a block in place that prevents wayspots from showing up in certain games.
If you can find a web site promoting random visitors to the cementery - include that in Supporting Info. I know cemetery tourism is really taking off in the U.S.A, and also parks are including their pathways on trails, and more.
Absent obvious tourism, your odds of acceptance really drop. Increase your odds a bit with these tips:
Niantic created the “Location Sensitive” rejection reason specifically for cemeteries. Just don’t nominate at all in a location that has its own rejection reason. Cemetery POIs are in poor taste and very likely to get rejected.
I also tend to reject cementeries - however, there are some that are local attractions. Just think of Père Lachaise or Wavetley Cementary in Bondi.... I really do think that there are justifiable exemptions to the sensitive rule. Personally I live close to a graveyard that could be nemed the "local Père Lachaise". It is said rto be one of the most beautiful graveyards in my City and the graveyard of the noble and rich. You even can book tours around the place in the local tourist guide office. I often go there for walks and exploration. There even is on pokestop (for a chapel) but I always find it regretrable that there is not more POIs ..it is such a genuine place that I would really like to show it to other players....
Everything I've nominated in a cemetery has been accepted. That's because I only nominate graves or cemeteries that are historically or culturally significant.
1) A veteran of the American War for Independence, brother-in-law to Patrick Henry (a founding father of the US). The man was from a prominent family in the area - streets and neighborhoods in the area are named after his family.
2) A man who served as the first President of the first women's college in our state, possible the country.
3) A cemetery for an African American community that no longer really exists in what was otherwise a predominantly white area. I think it's technically still open to receive burials for descendants of members of that community but they are so far disbursed at this point that I don't think they've had a burial there in a long time. There's a historical marker to discuss the significance of the cemetery and who is responsible for maintaining it. It's at the end of a long road with nothing else on it, so it would be very easy to miss without an in-game reason to travel down there to spin the stop. Our city has done a lot to recognize this AA community with various historic markers.
I don't agree with there being a time period for "cemetery tourism." That is completely dependent on the cemetery and how it decides to use its grounds. Our most famous cemetery in Atlanta is Oakland Cemetery. It is technically still an active cemetery. Yet it is also designated as a city park (the city's first park, in fact). They host walking and cycling tours on a regular basis. It is commonly used as a picnic location for people on dates (not just goths). It was featured in GQ magazine as a top event space - like, they list on their website that they host weddings there. Obviously, not every cemetery is going to operate this way. But because there are some that do operate like this (I could list a few more in my state that are almost as touristy while still being active for burials), you can't say with 100% absolute certainty that cemeteries are not eligible.
Common cemeteries and common headstones, even statuary, I'm going to reject as "location sensitive." But if the submitter makes the case that this is a touristy cemetery that encourages people to visit or that the person being nominated was really significant or interesting, I'm going to give it serious consideration and probably approve it.
I have had some success in my local cemetery nominating the following this:
As a general rule, I would only nominate the graves of people who died long ago (more than fifty years ago at least). Depending on the person, it could be less time, because if it's grave of a celebrity who is known the world over, it is generally expected that people will show up as that person was very popular. I will also say (and this was not nominated by me), a map of my local cemetery got accepted too, perhaps because it is a substantial cemetery (the largest in the county).
To those who would say that a person quietly strolling through a cemetery to play a Niantic games is disrespectful, I say two things:
People do tend to treat the local cemetery as they would a public park, so it is nothing out of the ordinary to see people venture there without the intention of visiting any graves. In summary, although I am more cautious with cemetery nominations, if it the nomination is unequivocally one that educates people or is a nice piece of art, I would accept it. I also do like war memorials, and other reviewers seem to agree with me, because I have had no problems having the two war memorials in my local cemetery accepted.
The general rule is
1. Graveyard itself, if not historic, not allowed
2. Famous people's graves, or important people's graves, tend to be ok so long as you can prove it (I managed to get the creator of the boy scouts, a Scottish Hall of fame boxer, a Scottish singer from the 40s/60s and a purple heart soldier through)
3. Memorials tend to be good, wear memorials are the most obvious, but I've also gotten a memorial for a mine accident and a memorial for all the priests who had been in charge of the crematorium through
4. Statues might get through, it's more depending on if they aren't related to any graves, but there to be viewed
5. If there's an information sign about the history of the graveyard, that could be ok