Mass removal of pokestops and gyms

Wayspot Appeals
1

For two days now, the city I lived in has been removing pokestops and gyms that didn’t break the rules. It’s probably an attack by a certain person who has done this in the area before, but in other cities, if someone has mentioned him in an unflattering way.

Wayspot Title: Tomaszowski Klub Karate Kyokushin
Location (lat/lon): 50.452750641241465, 23.412543776235257
Graffiti na murze. - 50.45167589409331, 23.416837320492572
Plac Zabaw - Lokomotywa - 50.44833216485558, 23.413661710718326
Osiedlowy plac zabaw na Lipowej - 50.453471135112096, 23.403844564120085
Mural z kaktusami - 50.45604644025759, 23.412527194414555
Altanka z małpim gajem - 50.448889543667185, 23.405381363730186
Siłownia pod brzozami - 50.44860519086801, 23.40533352092156
Matka Boska z ulicy Leśnej - 50.446898074673925, 23.406385397357564
Osiedlowe Graffiti. - 50.452849393379076, 23.410573895601644
Krzyż na Lipowej - 50.454725209264616, 23.40380253794067

  • City: Tomaszów Lubelski
  • Country: Poland
  • Additional Information (if any

I’m writing on behalf of my friends who suddenly have no reason to play. The POIs themselves were often created several years ago and did not break the rules. Thanks for help.

2 Likes
2

I think you meant to post this in Wayspot Appeals to ask for restoration of these?

I see the word “graffiti” which I recognize. Niantic has been removing graffiti which are just vandalism worldwide. For others, you may need to provide evidence that they should not have been removed.

2 Likes
3

Hello,

I took a look at these, and this is what I was able to determine, and likely what Niantic saw as well. If you have evidence to counter what I was able to see, I’m sure it would help Niantic made an informed decision on wether or not to restore these Wayspots.

The lettering on the building says that this is a Pre-Kindergarten building, this is likely the reason that this was removed. If you can prove that the building is no longer used for this purpose, Niantic might restore this Wayspot.

This appears to be on the grounds of a school.

Again, this appears to be on the grounds of a school.

The title on this appears to translate to “Our Lady of Leśna Street” which, if correct, is not eligible. Streets in and of themselves are not eligible, and I wasn’t able to see any plaque. Again, if I’m wrong please let me know.

This appears to be run-of-the-mill generic graffiti, which is not eligible as it’s not sanctioned by the city/town and is much more likely to be removed.

The rest I was unable to locate and/or verify what the nomination was, so without seeing all of the details I was unable to determine if the Wayspot existed, or what I was looking for.

Hopefully this helps, from my perspective, it appears that some of them were removed for legitimate reasons. If you’ve got evidence that the Wayspots I’ve marked as being on school grounds are not, or those schools are now closed then I’m sure Niantic would be more than happy to take another look at them.

If you’d like to provide more details on the others, I can take a look at those as well.

7 Likes
4

Impressive precision, by the way
https://m.xkcd.com/2170/

2 Likes
5

There are several Pokestops near the school, but not on their grounds. Many playgrounds are neighborhood playgrounds, not school playgrounds. For example, this one - Osiedlowy plac zabaw na Lipowej - 50.453471135112096, 23.403844564120085 - until recently it was an empty piece of land, fenced off from the school.

Krzyż na Lipowej - 50.454725209264616, 23.40380253794067 - it’s a cross by the road, close to the sidewalk. Far from the school. Visible on Street View.

Matka Boska z ulicy Leśnej - 50.446898074673925, 23.406385397357564 - maybe someone got the street names wrong, but this is a real sculpture, visible from Street Wiev. You can change the name to Matka Boska z Ulicy Siwa Dolina

Siłownia pod brzozami - 50.44860519086801, 23.40533352092156 - this is part of the playground and gym of the housing estate, visible right next to it.

Altana z małpim gajem - 50.448889543667185, 23.405381363730186 - as above, the gazebo was built for the residents of the block.

Mural z kaktusami - 50.45604644025759, 23.412527194414555 - this is an ordinary and quite nice mural. Why would it be removed?

Boisko powiatowego centrum sportowego - 50.44668363713016, 23.408511619099237 - this is part of the District Sports Center, a sports complex built by the Tomaszów Lubelski district. The players of the city football club train there. It has nothing to do with the school.The full name is the District Sports and Recreation Center (Powiatowe Centrum Sportu i Rekreacji)

Graffiti na ulicy Hubala - 50.455119472334836, 23.406736611245574 - a part of nice mural, visible on Street View

1 Like
6

Are you sure you’ve provided the right coordinates for all of these?

The first two sets of coordinates appear to be on private residences. I can see the cross, but I didn’t see the sculpture at the coordinates you stated, just someone’s house.

For “Mural z kaktusami” I can’t see it on street view, but the coordinates you provided are again in the middle of what looks like a random garden from satellite view.

For “Graffiti na ulicy Hubala”, you seem to have given the wrong coordinates. The only graffiti I found nearby is more towards 50.455007,23.405871 and is just generic ineligible graffiti tagging.

7

Mural z kaktusami - it’s hardly to see, but maybe you can see this from this point - 50.45655245813517, 23.41252791621817. It’s mural in the The mural is on the wall near the pedestrian walkway.

Zrzut ekranu 2025-01-03 094811
Zrzut ekranu 2025-01-03 0948111342×841 110 KB

Matka Boska z ulicy Leśnej - it’s clearly visible from here - 50.446760741253414, 23.406770187065508

For “Graffiti na ulicy Hubala”, you seem to have given the wrong coordinates. The only graffiti I found nearby is more towards 50.455007,23.405871 and is just generic ineligible graffiti tagging.

OK, it’s here.

8

If that’s on the side of the garage belonging to number 45, and number 45 is a single family private residence, then that would make it ineligible.

Thanks, this also appears to be on private residential property though?

2 Likes
9

Mural z kaktusami - It is on the side of the pedestrian path, it is not on private property.
Matka Boska z ulicy Leśnej - It’s practically on the sidewalk, but it’s actually behind the fence. Is that breaking the rules?

10

It might be good to read up on what is considered private residential property:
https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/t/private-residences-farmland-k-12/12462/2

The edge of private residential property is still considered part of it and therefore an ineligible wayspot location.

2 Likes
11

OK, but this

Siłownia pod brzozami - 50.44860519086801, 23.40533352092156 - this is part of the playground and gym of the housing estate, visible right next to it.

Altana z małpim gajem - 50.448889543667185, 23.405381363730186 - as above, the gazebo was built for the residents of the block.

Boisko powiatowego centrum sportowego - 50.44668363713016, 23.408511619099237 - this is part of the District Sports Center, a sports complex built by the Tomaszów Lubelski district. The players of the city football club train there. It has nothing to do with the school.The full name is the District Sports and Recreation Center (Powiatowe Centrum Sportu i Rekreacji)

All of these places are not close to schools, are not on private properties, and meet all the rules.

12

These two show as to be within the same plot (Geoportal360.pl - Mapa Interaktywna Działek) as the Liceum Ogólnokształcące Uzupełniające and Specjalny Ośrodek Szkolno - Wychowawczy (https://maps.app.goo.gl/eHSrt1F96FBxi6e76) hence should be rejected for appeal as these fall under K12 criteria. If there’s a development that cannot be visible yet on Google Maps/StreetView, I’d suggest you submit geotagged pictures to provide more recent overview of that area.

Here’s a bit more complicated issue, the map shows that it’s a one plot of land (Geoportal360.pl - Mapa Interaktywna Działek) for both stadium and the nearby school (https://maps.app.goo.gl/6Hi93pYrduqEsPd59) - there is a, what appears to be temporary, banner with school name next to the entrance of the stadium/tennis courts https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nsgp9T7uupp3uUWm8 and another listing on Google Maps shows the cafeteria (located on opposite side of the stadium from the main school building) as also belonging to this school. Unfortunately, this is quite common in Poland that larger recreational objects are located right next to or within the school grounds.

1 Like
13

(Some) Graffiti is ART!

14

I completely agree with you, which is why I specified graffiti which are “just vandalism” and said to provide evidence for others which should not have been removed.

15

Thanks for the appeal, @GnollPL. We have taken another look but stand by our decision to retire these Wayspots.