Wayspot Title: Ancien Château d’eau Location (lat/lon): 43.736663, 5.552564 City: La Tour d’Aigues Country: France Screenshot of the Rejection Email (do not include your personal information):
I am submitting an appeal for the removal of the Wayspot titled “Ancien Château d’eau”, currently functioning as a Gym in Pokémon GO.
Reasons for Removal:
Restricted Access: The Wayspot is located behind a locked gate on private property belonging to Durance Luberon, a water management facility. Although it’s possible to stand in front of the gate, a sign explicitly prohibits lingering in the area, making any prolonged interaction with the Wayspot both unsafe and against local regulations.
Safety Concerns: The location lacks safe pedestrian access. Players attempting to interact with the Gym may inadvertently trespass or loiter in prohibited zones, posing safety risks and potential legal issues.
Violation of Niantic’s Criteria: According to Niantic’s Wayfarer Removal Criteria, a Wayspot should be removed if it is not safely accessible to the public or encourages unsafe behavior.
I kindly request that Niantic re-evaluate this Wayspot for removal to ensure the safety of players and compliance with both local regulations and Niantic’s guidelines.
Thanks for the appeal, @Mikasourix We took another look at the Wayspot in question and decided that it does not meet our criteria for removal at this time.
If there is not safe pedestrian access at the location, even for people allowed to be there, then you should present evidence of that. I looked up the location on maps, and don’t really understand what this is.
Another path you can pursue is to contact the property owner and have them request the game location be removed if you truly believe it should not be on the map. Owner removal requests are honored. I did this when Niantic would not remove a game location for a cover over a drop off/pickup area at an outpatient surgery center that had been submitted as a pavilion. Staff at the surgical center was very appreciative of me letting them know this existed and made the request. This was where the ambulance picked up my husband went he went into afib during a procedure, so I knew they would want to keep the area clear.
I will go back to the location and submit a new removal request with updated photos, as there are clear signs stating “Danger” and “No public access”, which proves that the site is not safely accessible and does not meet Niantic’s criteria to remain a valid Wayspot.
Looking at the available Street View and satellite imagery, it appears that anyone who works for Durance Luberon would be able to safely walk up to and stand at the wayspot. This would be why your removal request was rejected, as people who have a right to be on that property can access this Wayspot safely. Attempting to report it again won’t change anything because it meets the safe access requirements as they’re currently written in the guidelines.
As @cyndiepooh says, the only way you would be able to get this removed is if someone from Durance Luberon was to contact Niantic and ask them to remove it, as it’s their property and they have the right to request a removal if they think the wayspot is a nuisance. Just because you personally don’t have access to it though, it doesn’t mean it isn’t valid.
No public access doesnt means ineligible. Some wayspot inside gated community such as factory or condo is still eligible. So u nd to work on other factor
