WRT / Greenbelt Route Mobile Workshop – 05 May 2014
Greenbelt Navigator:
an integrated approach to
exploring the greenbelt
David T. Brown
Department of Tourism and Environment, Brock University
500 Glenridge Avenue, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1
dbrown@brocku.ca
tourism in the greenbelt
the greenbelt evokes tourism themes
that are compelling and attractive
greenbelt attributes
□  protected green space
□  farmland and agricultural
bounty
□  vibrant communities
□  forests, wetlands,
and watersheds
□  fresh air
□  clean water
□  healthy local food
□  rural routes and trails
greenbelt tourism outcomes
□  culinary tourism
□  wine tourism
□  agritourism: local food,
local production, local
consumption
□  nature-based tourism
pursuits (birding,
botanizing, horticulture)
□  heritage tourism
□  outdoor activities (hiking
cycling, boating)
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Cycling routes and destinations
Culinary tourism
Grape and wine production
Wineries
Tender fruit production
Pioneer heritage attractions
Birding and wildlife
Birding and wildlife
Birding and wildlife
Trails, greenways and waterways
Trails, greenways and waterways
Trails, greenways and waterways
Waterfalls and cataracts
Industrial Heritage
Industrial Heritage
Transportation infrastructure – modern
and historic
Parks and conservation areas
tourism in the greenbelt
□  only a few greenbelt destinations are
‘must-see’ attractions in their own right
however:
□  there are many distinctive, desirable,
and unique destinations throughout the
greenbelt
□  in aggregate, they can add up to a
compelling tourism experience
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Niagara
NiagaraGreenbelt
GreenbeltRegion
Region
the greenbelt is greater than the
sum of its parts,
and must be promoted holistically
tourism in the greenbelt
to effectively promote greenbelt tourism:
□  we must know - and show - what is
genuinely unique in the greenbelt
□  we must aim to provide fine-grained insight
into greenbelt points of interest
□  because greenbelt tourism is a holistic
experience, we must show visitors what
greenbelt and adjacent destinations can
offer in aggregate
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like many regions,
ontario’s greenbelt has many
unique and wonderful assets
that may be of great interest
to visitors and residents
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However…
□  most people lack the knowledge,
research skills, patience and time
required to find them
□  conventional interpretive resources,
tourism brochures and static websites
do not meet this need very well
□  interpretive opportunities (and tourism
revenue!) are lost as a result
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promoting greenbelt assets
tangible resources:
□
□
□
□
□
venues
destinations
businesses
organizations
people
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promoting greenbelt assets
intangible resources:
□  stories
□  live music /
performance
□  skills / crafts
□  oral history
□  behaviour
□  language
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promoting greenbelt assets
…also:
□  encouraging
connections
amongst these
resources and
people
□
(e.g.,
guidebooks,
websites,directories)
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greenbelt assets:
facilitating access & engagement
□  physical access
and engagement:
location, wayfinding,
itinerary building
□  intellectual access
and engagement:
awareness, knowledge,
interpretation
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greenbelt assets:
facilitating access & engagement
□  may be done using
traditional means (storytelling,
tour guiding, mentorship)
□  may be done employing
technology as an extension
of our human aptitude - e.g.
□  “low-tech”:
guidebooks, paper maps
□  “high-tech”:
GPS units, digital devices
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using technology
to facilitate access and engagement
Transformative new technologies:
§  Internet
§  mobile digital technologies
□
□
□
□
□
websites
GPS
cell phones / smartphones
digital media players
personal mobile devices
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?
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Our first digital tool
for integrated exploration:
Niagara Greenbelt
Gateway Website
www.niagaragreenbelt.com
www.niagaragreenbelt.com
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www.niagaragreenbelt.com
Some goals of project:
□  introduce people to natural and
cultural assets in an integrated manner
□  take focus off of traditional mass
tourism destinations
□  emphasize ‘Greenbelt principles’
□  promote sustainable tourism practices
□  get people out of their cars
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website features
point of interest (poi) pages
□  points of interest arranged
by categories, subcategories
□  Google Maps integration to
show location of sites
□  full details on 700+
destinations, tours, events
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website features
point of interest (poi) approach
□  detailed point of interest page
created for every Greenbelt asset
□  description, features, location, GPS
coordinates, etc.
□  key photos of POI, photo gallery
□  example: Morningstar Mill
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poi
page
poi
page
website features
TripClips
□  interpretive audio and video info
in downloadable format (mp3,
mp4)
□  playable on iPods, mp3 players,
smartphones, car stereos
□  standalone interpretive info
for individual POIs, or can be
incorporated into tours, trails and
routes
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click to play ->
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website features
itinerary planner function
□  allows users to choose
any poi sites and join
them together into a
custom tour
□  poi sites can be added,
deleted, or rearranged
□  custom map with turnby-turn directions is
created
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website features
itinerary planner function
□  completed itinerary can
be printed, e-mailed to
other users, saved, shared
□  when finished:
itinerary, route map,
directions, poi sheets, and
media content can be
downloaded to your
computer or mobile device
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website features
prepared itineraries
□  prepared thematic
tours are also available
□  most are audio tours,
though video or GPS
tours are possible
□  simpler “Mini Tours” also
available (including
user’s saved itineraries)
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website features
itinerary planner function
Tour and route themes can
□  integrate and promote specific
destinations in the greenbelt
(parks, trails, markets, museums,
galleries)
□  recognize and emphasize
specific growers, producers, or
craftspeople (e.g., pick-it-up
picnic tour; icewine tour; craft
tour)
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website features
trails and cycling routes
□  excellent potential to include
wayfinding and interpretive information
along trails and cycling routes
□  routes can be added to any itinerary
□  routes can be customized by users to
include other
destinations
website features
poi
page
Example: RNBC routes
Niagara Falls Loop cycling route listing
Niagara Falls Loop
□  Live interactive
Google map
□  May be used ‘as
is’, modified, or
added to another
itinerary in website
□  NOW: can be used
for live turn-by-turn
route navigation on
smartphones
evolution of the platform:
The Laura Secord
Legacy Trail
> 75% of trail
is within the
www.friendsoflaurasecord.com
POI pages for more than 50+
on- and off-trail destinations
□
□
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□
□
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□
□
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Laura Secord Homestead, NOTL
Actual Battle of Beaverdams site, Thorold
Sites of First Nations significance
Battle of Beaverdams Park, Thorold
Decew House, Thorold
Laura Secord Gravesite, NFLS
Laura Secord House, Chippawa
Laura Secord Monument, Queenston Heights
Homes and farms of Laura Secord relatives
etc!
The Laura Secord Legacy Trail was
interpreted with:
•  POI pages
(mobile and conventional)
•  audio clips and tours
•  QR code interpretation
SIX NATION
CONFEDERACY
□
□  QR Code system
□  Install QR code
at site (easy, cheap)
□  scan the QR code
with smartphone
camera
□  mobile browser links
you directly to the
interpretive info with
one click
□
□  QR Codes
May link to:
□
□
□
□
Web pages
Audio clips
Maps
Photos
□
□  QR Codes
May link to:
□
□
□
□
□
Web pages
Audio clips
Maps
Photos
Videos
NOW…
imagine the above
WITHOUT THE
QR CODE!
next step: GPS integration
□  we are working on automatic
triggering of media clip based
on physical location
-> great interpretive
potential!!
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location triggered multimedia
• Your physical location will automatically
trigger directional prompts or media clips
about points of interest in predefined
categories you have chosen
• Useful for pre-defined tours
• Useful in ‘discovery mode’
to alert you to destinations
you are unaware of
PROPOSAL HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE
GREENBELT FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT!
The Greenbelt in Your Pocket:
Greenbelt Navigator
‘Greenbelt Navigator’ FEATURES
•  dynamic digital platform which replaces conventional websites and print
materials with a web interface and companion mobile application
•  powerful, integrated smartphone tool to quickly discover, locate, explore,
interpret the Greenbelt • centralizes information, interpretive text,
multimedia clips, and links to additional resources
•  allows you to search and find destinations, build custom trip itineraries, or
follow prepared thematic tours/trails/routes;
•  has integrated trip planning and digital mapping tools;
•  incorporates automatic turn-by-turn directions, digital maps, and
interpretive audio while you travel;
•  alerts you about POIs and events in chosen categories, on a date- and
location- sensitive basis;
•  can automatically trigger directional and interpretive information for
thematic tours/trails/routes or random exploration;
•  can alert you in ‘explore’ mode to previously-undiscovered destinations
using location-triggered proximity alerts;
•  allows exploration of ‘fine-grained’ destinations using QR-code tours;
•  lets you plan your Greenbelt visits either in advance or on the fly;
•  lets you create, save, modify and share your own thematic Greenbelt tours
and itineraries with others on the site or via social media;
à
‘Greenbelt Navigator’ FEATURES (cont’d)
•  features integrated events calendar with alerts for festivals and events;
•  includes an integrated ‘twitter’-style social media feature to alert potential
visitors to short-duration ephemeral events and natural cycles;
•  includes a multi-day itinerary builder / trip planner integrated with the
events calendar, which allows visitors to plan their trip to Greenbelt
destinations and accommodations over several days;
•  includes integrated e-commerce functionality;
•  encourages sustainable tourism, promoting low-impact activities and
modes of travel (e.g. cycling, rail, public transit, and walking tours), with links
to automatically calculate and purchase carbon offsets;
•  is adaptable to multilingual digital interpretation for international visitors and
new Canadians;
•  is readily expandable to accommodate a whole range of proposed (and
even unanticipated!) uses;
•  is free to own and use, and is compatible with virtually any mobile digital
device.
Friends of
Laura Secord
POI page links
Niagara
Greenbelt
POI page links