Mapping Program Marks Hillsborough Sites

In partnership with BoroGreen, the invites residents to “Map Our Town’s Treasures” starting with historical sites, bikeways, green businesses, parks, ball fields, and trails.

The Green Mapping workshop is set for 1 to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 28.

At last November’s library workshop to launch the Dodge Foundation-funded program, residents shared their collective interests. Avid cyclists explained how dangerous it was to bike in certain areas of town because of limited or absence of shoulders on the sides of the roads. Other residents expressed an interest in historical sites and their wish to identify landmark trees or fruit trees on public lands.

These diverse interests led to an interesting project. BoroGreen members attended the Historical Commission’s November meeting to ask if they wanted to add historical sites onto the Hillsborough Green Map. At the Commission’s next meeting, they whittled down over 100 documented sites to the top 20 most interesting sites. At the upcoming workshop, participants will add the location, photos, and descriptions of these sites to Green Maps.

Participants can choose other sites to add depending on their own interests.

If photos will be loaded, they need to be in .jpg format.

BoroGreen is also seeking volunteers to help organize a Family Cycling event this spring in which the rest areas are located at historical sites. Volunteers can help plan the route, add it to Green Maps, and explain the historical significance of the rest areas on the day of the event.

Different organizations can contribute sites to Green Maps.  Scouts are welcome to take charge of one theme, such as all of the bike paths in our town as a Silver, Gold, or Eagle project. Booster clubs may want to map all the playing fields in town. This can be helpful to visiting teams and new families who are joining the teams.

Contact info@borogreen.org if you or your organization would like to contribute. See your contributions added live to a GIS map at http://www.greenmap.org/. The library is also lending Google Chrome Books so that more people can add sites.  Here is the registration link for the library program: http://www.libraryinsight.net/eventdetails.asp?jx=hup&lmx=234758 

Submitted by Thuy Anh Le.