Community Mapping

Community Mapping

edit this article

Community Mapping is the creation of a map via a community driven process, usually done to map non-traditional features, such as safe biking or walking routes, local trees and park or other aspects of community life. Community mapping has existed for hundreds of years, but recent advances in technology, such as GPSes and online mapping portals such as Google Maps have allowed the creation of better and more detailed maps, as well as expand their reach beyond a small group.

Mapping around the World

Many examples exist around the world.

Victoria, Canada

Victoria is a city on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Contsrained by geography, Victoria has evolved many livable and dense neighbourhoods, such as James Bay, where the Common Ground Community Mapping Project (CGCM) originated. CGCM started in 1998 and very quickly started working with local teachers and students to get them to map their local environments. This success led to the creation of the Victoria Regional Green Map and many smaller local maps, in James Bay, Hillside and Victoria West[1]. Using Google Maps, CGCM is currently working on the Online Greater Victoria Green Map[2].

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap, described as a "Wikipedia for Maps"[3] is an online project to not only create high-quality community driven maps, but to also free the underlying data which makes up that map. Founded in 2004 by Steve Coast, OpenStreetMap has grown rapidly in the past few years and nears street-level completion in many countries in Europe.

Creek Mapping, San Francisco, California

Many of the minor waterways that drained freshwater into San Francisco Bay from the surrounding hills have been buried by the frenetic urbanization of the area. Much of this drainage still exist in underground pipes but is invisible to millions of resident who live here. Through the initiative of Christopher Richards of the Oakland Museum of California and the Creek Mapping Project many of these creeks have been relocated on a series of maps and guides. As a result of this new visibility many communities have embarked on waterway restoration and enhancements. The Creek Mapping Project can be credited with a reawakening of the possibilities of making these waterways the center of green space development. Some communities have even begun serious discussions about daylighting segments of creeks that remain underground.

There are many examples in the Bay Area of projects that include pedestrian or bicycle paths along rediscovered creeks. Many educators have also taken a cue from this project to become involved in creek side clean up events and water quality monitoring projects.