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Wayspot Title: Equestrian Woods Country Club Sign
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Location (lat/lon): Approximately 37.9784349, -84.5915535
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City: Nicholasville
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Country: United States
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Screenshot of the Rejection Email (do not include your personal information):
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Additional Information (if any):
I submitted a POI for removal, but someone rejected it with no chance to appeal it in my Wayfarer account.
To be perfectly frank, this should never have been a Pokéstop to begin with, let alone upgraded to a Gym. It is a sign on the side of a deep ditch next to a busy highway. The clubhouse closed a few years ago, and someone placed a gate and a Neighborhood Watch sign at the entrance to the clubhouse’s parking lot from the other side, but this was a problematic place even while that clubhouse was still in operation.
For example, I moved to the neighborhood with my parents back in 2011 to a house on the other side of the street (I live elsewhere now). One day, while the clubhouse was still in operation, I went across the street to do some Pokémon Go activities near it in the parking lot. A neighborhood Karen saw me and drove her car right up to me. When I told her that I was there for Pokémon Go, she acted like I had some sort of mental condition. After she drove away, she even went as far as to look up my parents in a neighborhood directory and called one of them (I was about 30 at the time) because she did not believe me. She also told them that it was “a children’s game”.
Please remove this POI as soon as possible. I do not want anyone else to suffer the embarrassment that I did that day.
Hello and welcome,
Are you able to provide additional evidence that this club is closed, as well as the sign being in an area with unsafe pedestrian access? Typically, staff is looking for recent photos to show this evidence.
Street View was last updated here back in Sept 2023, so some more up-to-date info may be needed to get this Wayspot removed.
Also, we have people of all ages playing PoGo here! Ignore what that neighbor said to you! There are even grandparents that play with their grandkids here! It’s not a game just for kids!
When PoGo was released I had a Brother and a Brother in Law both well in their 50s playing, I did think it was a bit sad for people of their age to be playing.
I am know about the age they where, I thought I would take a look about 2.5 years ago and still playing. They both stopped years ago…
I do try to convince myself that it’s for health reasons, I try to get out the house and do a short walk when possible and PoGo will sometimes give me the push when I am not feeling 100%.
I am not one for chatting to people I don’t know but if anybody asks I tend to just say “just a game on the mobile” or “just wasting 10 minutes”.
Hello and welcome @CodeSlasher
The wayfarer team will be interested in evidence that this object meets removal criteria.
So current photos of the place are helpful.
From streetview the site around the sign looks fine in terms of accessibility
I didn’t see clear evidence that the club no longer exists.
This from November 2024 had details of what they wanted to redevelop there.
And streetview from clubhouse drive shows an empty pool but chairs and tables. So there needs to be something clear.
3 Likes
I apologize, but please believe me. If you look a bit more with Google Streetview, you will see that this is in a ditch next to Harrodsburg Road, which is a busy highway. It was risky for me to even get close enough on that side to report it. I will take a picture of the gate in a few minutes.
I don’t want anyone going through what I went through, and that was even when the club was open.
I’m sorry if this is frustrating, but even I did a search online for this club, and couldn’t find any info that said this place was truly closed. I even found a result from Yelp that had the info for this place updated earlier this month saying that a catering company may be here now. It did seem as if the club was being used as an event space for the catering company, too.
Staff will need some extra evidence showing that this place is truly closed. I understand it may be hard, being this is next to a busy highway, but there does appear to be a driveway where one could park and get photos. This is how things are typically done around here; staff doesn’t make decisions without current proof.
Yes, there are some in this world that will judge others without even knowing anything, and that’s most likely the case here. Pokémon has been around for decades, so there is quite a big fanbase that spans generations at this point. Yes, there are still kids today playing the games, watching the anime, wanting merch, but there are also adults that grew up with Pokémon that still enjoy it and all that’s offered.
It’s sad to live in a world where others judge without fully knowing, but it’s happening more and more. If they don’t wish to be educated, sometimes the best thing to do is just ignore them, not give them the satisfaction they may be looking for by belittling others they don’t understand.
1 Like
Very well, maybe this will help:
There have been talks to buy the clubhouse, but nothing ever goes fully through. I am deeply disturbed that someone made that Yelp post, too.
In fact, I was chased away from another POI near here today and want to submit a request for removal, but I am discouraged from doing so by conversations like this.
To remove a wayspot the team will want evidence.
I appreciate it is frustrating from your point of view but the processes are there for a purpose.
We are fellow wayfinders and not involved in the decision, just trying to help you put the best case.
The team will review the case. It can take several days.
1 Like
You do not need to reply to any of us who respond here. Staff will consider your request, and their profiles are clearly marked. Any advice given here is to help you present evidence that will accomplish your goal, as well as trying to explain what won’t result in the removal.
It is very difficult to prove that something is out of business when you can’t find proof of that. This is the last post I can find on what I think is their Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrtclsyObqf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=Nmt0MzZteWFraWls
There is no Google Label for the clubhouse, which is unusual for a place in operation.
The url on the sign in the photo no longer works
http://www.equestrianwoodscountryclub.com
The url on the sign in the current Street View no longer works
http://www.theclubew.com/
A locked gate with access to just people allowed to be there is not a reason for removal. Access via grass instead of a sidewalk is not reason for removal. Being embarrassed is not a reason for removal.
If the person who embarrassed you wants the Gym gone, requests from property owners to remove Pokestops and Gyms will always be honored with evidence of proper credentials. If your appeal here is denied, then you can let her know. Or your parents can.
I also see a portal for the pool there. Are you asking for removal of this as well? Or is it gone already in Pokemon Go?
I would hope that a Neighborhood Watch sign that was posted there and not always there would be, and I would hope that a locked gate that prevents cars from accessing it would be. (The locals may consider it unreasonably ugly to completely quarantine the area with more fencing, as this is a rather afluent area… although to the Karen’s credit, they have had human trafficking issues near here in the past.)
Ironically, one of the local players made that POI well after the clubhouse closed, but at least you can be in game range of it from Clubhouse Drive from outside the fence without going through the gate. In all honesty, someone might need to remove it, too, though.
It doesn’t look the case here but just to give you a reason why players need to provide evidence before staff will remove stops / gyms.
Not sure if you are aware of S2 Cells and Pokemon Go, if not do a search.
Lets say a L14 Cell has 3 occupied L17 cells. Near Player 1 there is a Gym, at the other end, near Player 2 there is 2 Stops.
Player 2 states that the Gym should be removed, if it is then 1 of the stops near him becomes a Gym.
It might seem extreme but the team have to try and be fair for all players.
Good Luck.
Are you saying that “fairness to players” is prioritized over player safety and keeping them out of jail because an overzealous person reports them for trespassing? I do not believe that Niantic would be like that.
I am usually not this adamant about things that I submit and Niantic rejects, but I absolutely am for this one. I also do not understand why I have to fight so hard in the first place considering that I live near here and would hopefully know the area better than others.
I would hope that I would be doing something nice for others by doing this. I don’t want to hurt anybody by getting any POI removed just for the sake of removing it.
1 Like
It is not a case fighting us, we are players the same as you. Everything stated as been advice, we are trying to help you get the result you want.
Niantic have it covered, it states in the TOS that you should not break any laws to play the game. If you deem that to play said waypoint would be Trespass then it is down to you not to play at that location.
Unfortunately, you have not given any evidence that this place is closed to everyone, remember a waypoint can in places that are not open to the general public, as long as it is safe for the people that have the right to be there then it is eligible.
Option 1: You show proof that the location is closed and will not be re-opening. That the said waypoint has been removed.
Option 2: Proof that the location is not safe to anyone, even those that have a right to be on the property.
Option 3: You get the property owner to contact Niantic with proof they have the authority to request that the Waypoints are removed.
Again, as is all the comments above, this is advise. Ignore it if you want but do not be surprised if Niantic refuse the removal.
I have given my advise so will not continue with the conversation.
5 Likes
Then I will have to hope that they interpret the evidence that I presented in that way, as I do. If not, then I will have to hope that no one gets caught like I did.
I thank everyone who took the time to try to give me ideas to help this appeal get through. This was something that was weighing on my conscience, so I wanted to at least make the attempt to get this POI removed to help others.
Players are not forced to interact with every single waypoint and the game reminds you to be aware of your surroundings or not to trespass every single login. As a person, you should always abide by local laws.
4 Likes
Thanks for the appeal, @CodeSlasher. After reviewing the additional evidence provided, we’ve decided to retire the Wayspot in question.
Please note: The changes will not reflect in Ingress. Ingress Prime is no longer associated with Wayfarer. To make changes in Ingress, please reach out to Ingress support through Ingress in-game support or using the webform link provided in Niantic Spatial Support: https://nianticspatial.helpshift.com/hc/en/8-recon/faq/798-reporting-a-wayspot
1 Like
