Is there a way to reach out to Niantic regarding a nomination that's pending appeal?

[JV0255]

Hello hello.
Short profile background: Started playing Pokemon Go last 2016 but stopped after some time as I lived in a rural area and there’s really no Pokestops nearby as far as I can remember. I only get to enjoy it during the days I would be reporting to the office which is a long commute from home. Started to play again since March this year (I think) and glad to see a few Pokestops have popped up in my area and then after a while, learned that players can nominate wayspots now.
This reignited my interest in the game so I started exploring nearby areas looking for potential nominations, exploring around and taking pictures. Just saying all this to probably preface that I’m still learning about nominations.

Now I submitted a wayspot nomination for a small village’s water supplier office but it was rejected by Niantic’s automated process.

I’ve read that usually it’s because of the picture and since the current picture is all worn out/faded, I resubmitted with a picture from Google Maps and it got rejected again. I submitted an appeal so Niantic could help review but now I just learned that the photo is not allowed and I’m worried this might get me penalized.

I did mention it under the supplemental information so hoping this would not be considered malicious by Niantic.

Title: St Joseph Water - Marinig Field Office
Description: Office of the water supplier in the whole subdivision.

I can still resubmit if Niantic would allow the old picture however faded it is but overall I just do not want to get penalized.

I have other comments I’d like to make in the community review process but that’s probably for another day.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

[wooperIooper]

Hi and welcome to the community!
This is the correct place to contact the wayfarer team.

Disregarding the third party photo situation, I don’t think this wayspot will ever be accepted. It is not a place to explore, exercise, or socialize at

[salixsorbus]

If you do get penalized for using a third-party photo (hopefully you know now not to do this), you can point them at this thread as it appears to be a honest mistake.

As @cyndiepooh said, this office might be safe, accessible and permanent, and important to the community’s life, but that doesn’t make it eligible as a wayspot. Wayspots need to be focussed on Social, Exercise and Exploration, not just be somewhere where these can take place.

Not everything that is valuable to a community will be eligible as a wayspot.

[wooperIooper]

If I have the correct location, I would recommend submitting this basketball field instead. If I have the correct location I’m extremely surprised this is considered a small village

Here is some other stuff I found, plus there seem to be a lot of cafes nearby

[JV0255]

Hello and thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I’d hope it would be accepted as it’s a pretty important location/landmark in the area but I hear you on wayspots to be focused on social, exercise, and exploration.

[JV0255]

Hello and thanks as well for responding to my post. I know I said I would leave my comments to the community review process for another day but since it’s related to your message…

Regarding your suggestions, the One1 Fitness Gym, it was recently rejected by the community - lack of uniqueness or historical/cultural meaning. I mean it’s a local gym and it’s a great place to exercise so I’m not sure what else to do. And the other reason - and that it may obstruct access to emergency, I don’t know what else to say

Title: One1 Fitness Gym
Description: A local workout spot where residents can exercise, stay healthy, and connect with others.

I understand that the supporting picture could have been better but as much as possible, I don’t want to take pictures of other people working out and they have been organizing their things at that time.

• I also learned not to take photos in portrait mode. I had to withdrew one of my submissions and resubmit due to the photo being not in the correct alignment.

For this one, can’t do anything about it since I had already used both appeals. One was used on a nomination for an italian cafe/pasta house (started 2022) which was approved by Niantic. Reasons it was rejected by the community (can’t see it anymore) - the lack of uniqueness or historical/cultural meaning (if I remember correctly) and the other was that it’s in private property which if you look at the supporting photo, you would see the street roads

Also, would like to get your thoughts on this. Street art from 2023. I understand it could always be removed but it’s been 3 years… I mean it’s pretty unique in our area that it’s easy to meetup in that location for the locals.

Lastly, looks like someone from the Niantic Team has read my post and rejected my appeal. No warning email when I checked (hopefully that would be it). Thank you for checking and taking action on my request.

And I know my submissions are not all flawless (on some, probably far from it) but I think some from the community are a bit too harsh. Not sure what else to do especially when you’re in an area that’s not a big city (I’ve always thought of our area as a small village but I guess it’s been expanding) and there’s not a lot (there’s still several but not city-alot-level) of options we can nominate. I still have a few areas to look into from my list (both A Cafe&Bar and CSFL Church included; need to check the court if that’s the same one I think it is) that I have yet to explore to so at least there’s still something to look forward too.

Anyway sorry for the long post. I don’t usually post, just like to lurk but really need advise on my original post and this one, probably just needed to vent out a little.
Regardless, I’m still enjoying the game though + it pushes me to walk and explore more.

Thank you. Have a great day.

[salixsorbus]

Briefly

The gym is certainly eligible. The community reviewers struggle with gyms, so they often have to be appealed or resubmitted. Each of the appeals (you have two) reappears after 15 days. I have had an appeal reviewer reject a gym, so I posted here to get it accepted (and to alert Niantic to the mistake the appeal reviewer had made).

The graffiti (Sage Street Art) is not eligible. It isn’t a mural and isn’t high-quality graffiti (see the criteria clarification for Unique Art).

[TjoeMi]

Wayfarer are reviewed by community so sometimes it may not fully follow criteria(new reviewer do make mistakes). Depending on who review your nomination, even eligible nomination can be rejected. Gym is one of nomination that often got rejected by community but accepted on appeal.

[wooperIooper]

@JV0255

Also, would like to get your thoughts on this. Street art from 2023. I understand it could always be removed but it’s been 3 years… I mean it’s pretty unique in our area that it’s easy to meetup in that location for the locals.

That is a graffiti-tag not street art. Throw-ups like this are generally not considered permanent (anything done in chrome paint like here is also intentionally meant to be something done quickly, not to be artistic) and it’s most likely vandalism. They can’t be wayspots for these reasons

[JV0255]

Hello again.
I will try resubmitting the gym and hopefully this time, it would go through.
I don’t remember any other graffiti in our area so for me it’s unique but I get what you are saying and thank you.

[JV0255]

Hello there. I understand that but sometimes I can’t help but feel frustrated that you would have to use an appeal (which is somewhat limited) especially to those you would think are good/valid nominations. I guess I just need to be patient and for sure we’ll get those approvals someday
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[JV0255]

Hi again. For this one, I feel better now and accept the decision.
Looking forward to the weekend so I could explore other nearby areas to look for other potential wayspots!
Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions/concerns.

[TjoeMi]

Yes true. But that is just why appeal exist. Sometimes we also need to improve our nomination. We tend to think that certain nomination is slam dunk when in fact we can still improve it. Doing so will reduce the need to appeal.

[CostcoShopper13]

As a wayfinder who grew up a short distance outside a small town (population of around 20,000 but we lived about 6 km outside the town)… some ideas for small towns.

Businesses, especially if they are independent rather than part of a chain, often have custom / unique artwork on interior walls. This is especially true of restaurants. Submit as the artwork, not the business; if the building straddles a S2 cell line, you might be able to do two stops in same business.

Churches are good! Again, if the church property is in multiple cells, you may find other things to use on property… my church has five wayspots (monument sign, two outdoor statues, memorial plaque, and a stained glass window).

Seek out government buildings other than schools. These are often valid on their own (library), or contain artwork or memorial plaques. Note that while law enforcement and emergency responder buildings shouldn’t be nominated due to obstruction (and do not really meet any criteria themselves anyway), these sites often include art or memorials that can be submitted with care. (One fire station near me, has a 9/11 memorial bench and pergola on one corner of the property, away from the driveway; another has a decorative tile mosaic on an exterior wall).

Check also for unusual signs and statuary. For example, there are some chain businesses that advertise by placing a statue outside. Shopping center directory signs are often good, particularly if the center has its own name/logo. These centers may also have outdoor art (such as a windmill, antique farm equipment, etc). And town boundary signs or other government signs are sometimes on unusual structures that are notable (such as, in the US, signs erected by the US Forest Service or National Park Service which are often wooden signs protruding from a stone column).

Lastly, if there are any multi-housing complexes, check for common area amenities (picnic area, sports facilities, dog park, play structure).

[JV0255]

Hello and thank you for the tips!

• Submit artwork and unusual signs/statuary, not the businesses
• Consider church property too
• Artwork or memorial plaques in government buildings could be submitted but with care
• Check town boundary or other notable government signs

Although I think most of the businesses or even government buildings here are pretty basic (small in scale as well) in terms of amenities/decorations but I will definitely be on the lookout. For the churches, I could probably find worthy things to nominate. No notable shopping center, at least here in our area. And, the boundary signs and common area amenities are what make most of the wayspots here. Life here is quite simple, but here is home so all good.