“Game is on” in an afternoon of car(e) free streets

Charlotte, NC — “Game IS On” once again at Open Streets 704 this fall, as the popular event teams up with Niantic for temporary PokéStops and Gyms on the September 30th route through West End and South End in Charlotte.

Following our successful spring 2017 event on May 7, 2017, this coming run at Open Streets 704 on September 30 will again test the idea of bringing a community together through games. Fans and friends of Pokémon GO – or anyone else who wants to play along – will once again be able to enjoy the car(e) free Open Streets 704 route, with PokéStops and Gyms set up at significant sites along the way. The initiative is part of a national collaboration between Niantic Inc., developer and publisher of Pokémon GO, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which advances civic engagement in local communities around the United States through augmented reality experiences.

Locations will be highlighted on the official Open Streets 704 route map displayed at the event. And, yes, the stops will be marked with signage to make them easier to find!

Niantic, the developer and publisher of Pokémon GO, is working with UNC-Charlotte Assistant Professor Ming-Chun Lee, through a Niantic/Knight Fellows Program. Lee is working with Niantic to create a unique experience for local players during the Open Streets 704 route. Niantic is also offering special giveaways for trainers who play the game during Open Streets 704 this fall.

This is just one augmented reality mobile game Lee is preparing for Open Streets 704. A glimpse of Charlotte’s history is also in the works along the route. Lee is working with archivists in the Carolina Room of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Libraries to find historical photos of locations along the West End-to-South End route that patrons can pull up on their smart phones. With Charlotte growing so quickly, Lee promises the app will allow Open Streets 704 patrons to see Charlotte in a whole new way.

This unique experiment will use Charlotte’s streets as a testing ground for new ideas to empower local leaders and community members to use proven AR technology (such as Pokémon GO by Niantic) to both create and amplify community programs that create significant positive impact, promote social learning, and foster civic engagement.

“We’re really excited to partner with Knight Foundation and Niantic to bring a fun twist to Open Streets 704,” added Scott Curry, who’s part of the Open Streets 704 planning team. “We’re thrilled to be on the cutting edge of using Open Streets 704 events to explore new opportunities for digital community engagement,” which is perfectly in line with the goal of this Knight Foundation/Niantic Augmented Reality & Cities fellows Program.

PokéStops, Gyms, and other augmented reality features will be added to the Open Streets 704 route map in time for the Sunday, September 30 event. The route map and activity zones are available now at openstreets704.com/route

To learn more about Niantic/Knight Fellows Program, please go to https://nianticlabs.com/blog/knightfellowsaug2018/.



