Why was my Pokestop Nomination Declined?
Hollywood3685-PGO
Posts: 4 ✭✭
I nominated Fire Station #3 in Bryant, Arkansas near Springhill Road. There is high foot traffic on the side walk in front on the station because children walk to and from the school/neighborhood directly behind/beside the station. There are 100s of fire stations in PG that are not in safe areas. This specific one is. Also, within the last week a new pokestop labeled fire station on Springhill Road has popped up- there is not even a fire station there!?!? What’s wrong with my stop? Why can there be stops with no pictures of things that don’t exist?
Comments
Fire stations are ineligible because of the risk of obstructing operations
Then why are there 100s in the game??? Why was one entered within the last week? It has no photo or supporting information. I think this system is botched to say the least.
They're one of the things that is mistakenly accepted on a fairly common basis.
Back in the early days of Ingress, when that was Niantic's database and Pokémon Go didn't even exist, they did imports of Portals from external sources, and fire stations may have been among those initial imports. The rules that don't allow them are more recent than that, but because some already exist in the database, people don't use common sense by looking at the rejection criteria and instead just blindly submit them/approve them.
The existing ones should realistically be reported and removed, and new ones should not be submitted.
@NianticAaron perhaps one of the team could remove the fire station in the post above and remind reviewers that agreed it that they are not eligible. Thanks
@Hollywood3685-PGO You seem frustrated by the rules of the system. That makes you a perfect person, IMO, to help us figure out how to make it better.
What do you think is important to get new POI added to the games?
Where do you go to find information on what types of things make good POI?
I have given up trying to nominate spots, only one I have submitted has been approved. I see 25 stops and gyms on a single block near our beachfront and small business district, but I tried to submit the plaza/**** mall sign (same name for more than a decade) because there are NO stops or gyms and there are 15+ stores that generate lots of foot/vehicle traffic and it’s denied. This is just one example of one that was not approved. It’s disheartening because I play daily and I know where they are lacking and would be appreciated but decisions are made by people who have no clue to the area.
Hi - A sign for a plaza isn't likely to fit any of the current criteria so would normally be rejected. Nominations have to be great places to explore, exercise or socialise. If the plaza has a seating area that may meet the socialise criteria with a strong description, but a plaza sign wouldn't. Wayspots have to meet criteria, having lots of foot/vehicle traffic isn't relevant. If you want to post your other nominations here people will happily give you advise as to whether they meet criteria or how they could be improved.
A sign for a plaza absolutely can be an eligible POI, according to this criteria clarification from last year. https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/comment/175600#Comment_175600
They are not automatically eligible and the clarification has not made a big splash in the reviewing community, so many people still vote against them. Please take a look to see the logic behind how plaza signs can fit criteria.
If the nomination is the Plaza and the sign is just used as a placeholder then yes I agree they can be valid - if the nomination is for the sign itself then I don't see what eligibility it has, but apologies if I didn't make that clear.
Rejected request.
I recently nominated a tree marked with a plaque that was planted along a walking trail at a public park. I appealed just now. What went wrong? Tree is large, plaque is in ground and permanent. It’s at a public park, along a walking trail that circles the whole park. No other stop/gym in immediate area.
If you were going to submit this, I would've taken a close up photo of the plaque instead of the photo you took of the tree where you can't really read the plaque.
That being said, memorials need to be for significant people. Think along the lines of a former mayor, or someone more nationally or internationally known such as a famous athlete or singer. If Toni Pacholski was not significant, this isn't really eligible.
I am more lenient about memorials along walking trails but I've learned to be skeptical about what constitutes a walking trail. A lot of people claim things are trails when it's just sidewalk. So be sure that satellite view proves your claim of it being a trail.
Rejected request.
I recently nominated a tree marked with a plaque that was planted along a walking trail at a public park. I appealed just now. What went wrong? Tree is large, plaque is in ground and permanent. It’s at a public park, along a walking trail that circles the whole park. No other stop/gym in immediate area.
I added a supporting picture with a close up of the plaque. Clearly a path around the whole park via satellite. I’m 0-5 on nominations. I give up. I think people are are out there just denying nominations for no good reason.
Looking at it, I would have had the main plaque photo that you said was supporting as the main image and this one as supporting.
I would have thought there would be some more details about the person too. I have had my bonus location in Illinois before and wouldn’t know this person, so I would think there’s something in your supporting about who they are and why they’re important to the community.
What rejection reasons did you get? Best of luck with the appeal, but please take my points on board if you need to resubmit.
You certainly need to give some information as to who the person is and why they were considered worthy of a memorial. Memorial plaques in the ground are no different to memorial benches - they have to be for someone locally or nationally significant, not just something paid for by friends or family. Most reviewers don't set the bar very high - mayor or even councillor will often pass, but you need to include some reason.
Again I would take a cose up of the plaque for the main photo, with the tree in the supporting photo.