Cary has a program to help you do that!

Our Legacy Program allows our community members to mark an occasion or honor an individual in the Town, with the placement towards a tree or bench in the location of your choice. Also included is a personalized plaque on the bench or at the tree location. This unique program provides a long-lasting gift that will continue to not only benefit the community for years to come, but a way to honor that individual or event.

This program was an idea from a Cary citizen, approved in 2016, with the program finalized and launched in 2017. We’ve had some wonderful installations!

Beautiful Markings

One such installation is the bench along New Hope Church Trail near the Durham County line. This bench was very important to the Cogburn family as Julie would use the Durham County Line as her “touch and return” point when she was running.  This is truly a beautiful example of how we can honor the wishes of our citizens in a way that benefits our entire community.

Julie’s Bench

We also plant trees in Cary to celebrate all types of events. These plantings play an important role in our natural cycle by not only capturing carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide, but also releasing oxygen. Of course, trees also help prevent flooding and assist with controlling soil erosion, and add value and beauty to our surroundings.

You may have noticed that trees are even planted on behalf of our Hometown Spirit Award winners.

Sheila Ogle – Hometown Spirit Award winner

Just think of all the ways our citizens can use this program to establish a new family tradition, commemorate a graduation or wedding, celebrate family births, recognize the accomplishments of an organization, or to remember a loved one.

Another Tree Program

We love trees in Cary – it’s why we have nearly 50% tree canopy cover and are proud to have been named a Tree City USA Community for 34 consecutive years.  Our Champion Tree ordinance has saved countless large trees, and when they haven’t been able to be saved, the ordinance has ensured that trees of a similar type were planted, so that the total caliper inches of the trees planted is no less than what was there previously.  So although we might lose a large tree, we are gaining more trees in its place.  It’s not the best solution for those of us that love the large trees, but it helps when we can’t save one.

Trees are special to so many of our citizens.  Have you ever noticed some of the amazing trees around Cary, and wanted to learn more about them?  Or, have you wanted others to know about a special tree?

Here’s your chance! Check out Cary’s Tree Collector program – where you can mark (online) a special tree, or learn more about the ones in our town.  Learn more about trees and our programs at our Tree Planting and Care page.  Of course, you know that data is saved in our Open Data portal, too, right?

Other Ways to Give

So, is a tree or bench not what you were looking for?  We have other ways for you to mark an occasion.

Engraved Pavers – landscaped pavers are available to personalize at some of our various park facilities.  You can find a list of locations and contact information here.

Make a difference for a Child – you can donate towards a scholarship for programs, classes and camps for those in the community who would not otherwise be able to afford to participate through Cary’s Parks Recreation and Cultural Resources “Play it Forward” Scholarship fund.

I also remember when I got my first navigational system, a Garmin box that had a suction cup to attach to the windshield.  That device was life changing – I found new ways to get around the town, and I distinctly remember feeling like this new technology was finally addressing my navigationally-challenged self.

How did this happen?

What you might not know is that these systems, along with Google Maps and Waze, built-in car navigational systems and other mapping applications on your phone – are some of the first commercial implementations of Open Data.  Yep, it’s true.  (And yes, I’ve written about Open Data before.)

The data used for these systems is GPS – Global Positioning System data.  

This information comes from a space-based satellite navigation system that was built and maintained by the Department of Defense (DoD) in 1978, and is now freely available to anyone in the world with a GPS receiver.  The availability of this data has had a huge impact on business and society in general – and has changed the way we all interact with the world around us.  It’s used in every sector of our lives – from agriculture, construction, transportation and has allowed new productivity and efficiency implementations across the board.  And, whole businesses have been created using this technology.  For instance, farmers use GPS to help with crop planning – and yes, GPS is what helps those beautiful corn mazes get built.  GPS will get your emergency vehicles to you more quickly in an accident, and ensure that your cruise ship gets you to the next port.

Learn more and see the BIG poster at: How GPS Works (gps.gov)

GPS Social Mapping

GPS is so omnipresent, that we don’t even think about it anymore.  We tell Siri to get us to a location, and our phone instantly shows us a map, and we indicate if we are walking, biking or driving – to ensure we get the safest route based on our mode of transportation.

My house on Waze

But, here’s the cool part.  New GPS products are allowing our mapping tools to be reactive to dynamic changes in the transportation system around us.  For instance, Waze is a free mobile app for your phone, and it’s what we call a Social GPS tool.  It taps into the information of “Wazers”  – that is, folks that use Waze and have allowed the app to share their transportation information, such as slow-down information directly from the drivers, themselves.  By combining this information with data from other Wazers – the goal is to take this combined information from other drivers and use it to improve everyone’s commute.

What does that mean?  Well, by allowing Waze to see where you are, how fast you are going, and allowing you to contribute information such as slow downs, hazards and accidents, Waze creates a community-based map that provides real-world information about the status of traffic.  All of your data is anonymized, so individual data cannot be shared.

Here’s an example.  I was driving to a meeting in downtown Raleigh a few months ago, and I was  using Waze directions to get there.  All of the sudden, Waze started directing me to get off of I-40 and to take the backroads that would lead me downtown.  Little did I know it, but a huge back up was happening about 3 miles ahead due to an accident, and it was being detected by Waze.  The app was proactively re-routing me based on that real-time traffic and road information being provided by Wazer’s data.

There are more than 50 million monthly active Waze users today – whether they are using it “actively” – meaning interacting with the app, or “passively” just allowing the app to contribute their speed, congestion and routing insights to the app.  They also have map editors (volunteers) that update maps and verify local edits to ensure accuracy. 

I’m from the Gov’ment – I’m here to help

But, and here’s the cool thing, Waze also has a “Connected Citizens Program” that now allows municipalities to provide information to the app, giving users a look at real-time road activity, construction and road closure data AS IT OCCURS, so that you can be re-routed BEFORE you’re sitting in traffic.  This 2-way communication, or data exchange, allows transportation systems and cities to get real-time information that can help with faster emergency response time, and to help Waze users get around road closures and other incidents quickly.  Over time, as Cary implements a phased rollout plan, Waze will provide real-time anonymous incident and slow-down information while the Town of Cary provides real-time and advance information on construction, crash and road closure data. More than 100 partners such as cities, state and country government agencies – as well as nonprofits and first responders are using this tool to help ease road congestion and make an impact by getting the right information to the right people, at the right time.

WAZE Connected Citizen Program

So how does this work on the ground?  Well, you know that road that is planned to be closed by your house soon?  Well, now we have a way for the Town of Cary to send that road closure information to Waze, so that you and other drivers will be re-directed away from that closure, and not be impacted and stuck in traffic.  We do that proactively, looking at our upcoming closure data and planned events, and then the Town provides that relevant information including road name, reason for closure, date and time of closure, and GPS coordinates to Waze.

And this isn’t just for road construction, either – this capability is especially helpful for planned events. For instance, coming up soon is a great event called the Tobacco Road Marathon.  This marathon and half-marathon is in Cary, on March 19^th, and it starts at USA Baseball in Cary.  There will be a number of roads closed to traffic during the race – and it might be frustrating for some residents to navigate – but never fear!  If you use Waze, just know that the Town will be sending road closure information to the app, and you will be rerouted around those closed streets.  Cool, huh?

I went in to get a peek at how this works – and wow, this is great. The IT Cary Innovation team (that’s my new name for these awesome folks) closed off a small street behind Town Hall – Cary Street – and then sent that information to Waze.

Immediately, the application updated the map, and showed the closed road.  Of course, this can be planned way in advance, as well.

Close Cary Street

Also, while “navigating” it would also re-route me, away from that closure.  (Of course, there are lots of processes and security behind the scenes, to make sure that only the RIGHT people can close a road and send that information to Waze.)

Why are we doing this? 

There are several reasons.

– Leveraging this technology solution will improve our citizen’s quality of life by saving folks that use this app, time and gas money on their daily commute

•  – Utilizing Waze data will help to improve city planning, inform our infrastructure decisions, and increase efficiency of day-to-day operations

This tool has done great things for many of the cities leveraging its capabilities; Boston has seen a measurable reduction in key city centers, emergency response times have been reduced, and it’s helped facilities infrastructure planning in Rio de Janeiro.

Being able to save you time on your commute, reduce traffic, and of course, that means reducing pollution, is important to you and our community.  The more WAYS (ha, see what I did there?) we can do that, the better it is for everyone.

Well, you guessed it, THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT! And it uses Open Data.

Thanks to the great work done by the new Cary Code for America Brigade (read more about them at the CaryCitizen), you can now get quick access to development information around Cary by using your smart phone or your computer. This impressive project does a great job at illustrating the value that Open Data can provide to citizens, by giving you the power to see what development is occurring close to home, or work, or in your community.

DevMapp is a very cool application that maps development in Cary – by mashing a Google Map along with permit and rezoning data provided by the Town.

What does that really mean to you? Well, with this application you can look at its map (the app will locate where you are if you give it permission to do so) and then you can visually see where development is being planned across the town. Just “click” on those properties that are highlighted and then you can dive down and review the plans associated with that property, see the rezoning applications, etc.

A Walkthrough

Ok, let’s pick an example to walk through.  I’ve picked  one close to where I live. (Why not?) Going to the DevMapp application on my computer, and allowing it to see my location – the application shows me this map, below – after I zoom in a bit. Notice that so much of the new development is occurring on the western side of Cary. No surprise, right?  (I’ve addd the red circle to illustrate that point.)

Map of development around Cary

Also notice that the colors of the properties on the map indicate the status of that property. That is, where there is active construction is occurring – is displayed in RED, and upcoming rezonings, in BLUE. (Note – it’s the BLUE projects that are  on the map, not the bodies of water.)

DevMapp

So, I click on the property at the corner of Davis & High House – close to my house. And, lo and behold, I see it’s the Bradford development. On that popup is a direct ink to the Town of Cary site and subdivision plans associated with this project. Woo hoo! Instant and easy access to what’s planned for that corner.

Now, let’s look at a Rezoning: This time, I’ll click on a “blue property” – this one is on High House Road. In this example, the rezoning pop-up is displayed, and also a hotlink to the Town of Cary Rezoning page. In this case, I see that the rezoning is in 2014, so I click on the 2014 rezoning page link. There, I see the information regarding this rezoning – such as the fact that it has a scheduled Public Hearing on June 26. And, finally, clicking on that link takes me directly to the Staff report for that property. Voilà!

How does it work?

The application takes the rezoning and permitting information about a particular property that is going through the review process or in construction, and uses that data provided by the Town and then marrying it with the Google Map geolocation information. Finally there is a bit of magic – or what we call programming,  by the team at the Code for Cary Brigade, to bring you this great application.

All of the information provided by the Town of Cary is Public Record and Open Data – and a great way to provide visibility of development in and around Cary in an easy-to-use app.  

Try it out

So, now it’s your turn.  From your computer, if you are reading this from a PC or MAC, you can click HERE – or type in: http://www.codeforcary.org/dev.html

Or, from your smartphone – type in www.codeforcary.org in your browser, and you can check it out there.

By the way, be sure to do a shoutout to the team that did such a great job on this – either on Twitter – @CodeforCary.

Want to help out?

Get involved with the Code for Cary team. You can learn more and meet them at one of their Hack Nights.  You don’t have to be a programmer to help – lots of folks have great ideas and thoughts to improve the current application, or you may have ideas for new work to tackle.  All are welcome.

As always, thanks for listening and please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns.

________________________________

Featured photo created by me using the DevMapp application, and turning on Satellite Mode.

 Updated 6/5/14 – Please note a few changes to this post:

1) Added the new DevMapp logo and Code for Cary logo

2) Note that the DevMapp application has since changed the color used for rezonings from BLUE to GREEN.  (Besides that, the function remains the same.)

3) Updated a few pictures because the CaryCitizen is too good at it and I stole their ideas.

I’ve written about it before, it’s part of my twitter profile, and I see the value of technology to engage citizens, connect people and improve lives.  Technology can bridge the gap between communities and continents, it democratizes all voices, allowing citizens to participate on a level playing field, and improve access – closing the educational divide.

You use it, and you want it

Here in Cary we’ve seen our citizens use technology to engage with the Town:

– Citizens use the Town website to look up Town agendas, minutes and development activity and watch Council meetings on YouTube.

– Provide budget feedback via Twitter (24 tweets), post on Facebook (37 comments) and email (66 emails).  The number of  Tweets and Facebook posts combined (61) this year were more than ALL of the input we received for last year’s budget (59 comments.)

– We saw you create an online petition signed by 1275 residents to save the Cary High School Water Tower

•   – A biennial survey that shows 54.5% of our citizens own or plan to own a smartphone this year and the trend is that smart phone users outnumber basic phone users.
• And on and on… 

• Charting a path

  The goal of creating the Technology Task Force (TTF) was to tap into the wealth of information that we have in our citizenry – these folks are the best of the best, and that’s what we needed.  We have incredibly technology literate people in Cary – you work for IBM, Cisco, NetApp, SAS, LexisNexis, … and so many of you use these tools everyday. Cary needed a set of recommendations from folks from all areas that use, build, or leverage technology; to share with the Town ways to increase citizen engagement, and to get us on the right path.

  And they delivered! The TTF gave Council 71 recommendations.  Of those, 2 have since been done (but not by the town.)

• Disappointment

I was hopeful that some of those recommendations would make it into the Town Budget for this year.  No such luck.  Not a single TTF recommendation – from improving the website, providing Open Data, to creating mobile apps, improving social media  or citizen engagement tools are included in the budget for next year. (I wrote about the Town budget earlier this year.)

Why?  It comes down to money and priorities.

Our Town budget is tight, and council has to make some hard decisions.  Town staff has detailed that implementing ANY of these recommendations will cost staff time, meaning real operating expenses.  And our collective priorities aren’t aligned to provide those funds.

I don’t disagree with staff.  It will cost money.  But I disagree with our priorities.

Here’s what I believe:

1. We need to foster Open Data – get the data that we have out there so that really cool people can build really cool apps, that make our lives easier.  Apps like RGreenway that now shows Cary Greenways (made possible by putting out our greenway data, but what about new greenways that come online?)  Then we can have great Open Apps – civic apps built with open data – and have I mentoned the value of Code for America?  (Join the Brigade!) 
   
2. We need an app or service like SeeClickFix, a 3-1-1 tool that allows citizens to post issues (pot holes, streetlight repair, and other nuisances and issues) to an app – getting you to submit and track non-emergency service requests.  More importantly, you can vote, and see if other people have submitted it, and track the requests.  We could call it “ASK Cary” – just sayin’.
3. We need expanded social media tools and engagement, to reach out to citizens where they are, and using what they use
4. Update our website.  Make it easier to use, to find content, and to easily find information.  How many times have you tried to find out if a Town field is open? A list of fun events coming up this month, for kids? For teens? For seniors? Something that looks professional, clean and easy to navigate.
5. We need a Town of Cary Official App – that would provide users with event information, get Town news, request services or connect with a Town official.

Raleigh’s SeeClickFix

Yes, it costs money

Technology isn’t free. I know that.   But I ALSO know that an investment in these areas can save us money in the long term – while also connecting us to you, our citizens.  Other cities have shown that these investments DO have return in cost savings in reduced phone calls, while providing real-time feedback to citizens. Leveraging technology is not just a nice or cool thing to do — it’s critical if the Town hopes to cut costs while still providing core, vital services.

And, most importantly, technology touches all of our citizens.  99% of our residents have internet access.  54.5% have a smartphone, or are planning on getting one. I’ve seen children looking up Skate Park information, our seniors using the web, and new users accessing their water data online. Improvement and expansion of our Town services touches us all, and it’s the right thing to do.

Not funding any Technology Initiatives this next year means that we are going to be another year behind.  We have a roadmap – given to us by our great TTF members, let’s do something.

What can you do?  Speak Up, Speak Out 

So, I might be the only one that thinks we can do better, but I hope not. I hope we can get back to Cary being the “Technology Town of NC” – but I’m afraid we won’t get there at this rate.

Personally, I think these initiatives are at least worth the kind of  $110,000 Public Art funding for Fire Station #2 that is in the current budget.

If you agree, or don’t, make sure to make your feelings known to your council members:

1. Speak at an upcoming Budget Public Hearing:
     At Town Hall on Thursday, May 23, 2013 and June 13, 2013, 6:30 p.m.
        (Held as part of the regular Council meetings)
       Town Council Chambers at Cary Town Hall, 316 N. Academy St
   
2. Call or email council with your thoughts
3. Tweet your ideas, thoughts or concerns about #technology in #cary to @TownofCary

You can read more about Cary’s FY14 Budget at our website.

Most importantly though, thanks for being an important part of Cary.

(This is the moment when I know my mom is rolling her eyes – I can feel it.)  But, there is a “method to my madness,” because, as Nicholas Negroponte says:

Collage by Will Lion

So, with this post I hope to give you an idea, even if it’s a glimpse, into what Open Data IS, and why it is so important for Cary.  First, what is it?

What is Open Data?

Open Data is the act of making information that is collected during the course of normal Town operations (that doesn’t identify individuals or breach commercial sensitivity) available in a standardized way.  The data that we are talking about here includes geographic information (greenways, roads, parks), public event schedules, and basic crime statistics.  This is already public information, the act of making it OPEN and easily accessible in a standardized format allows users, developers, the Town itself, and the technology community to leverage and use this data in new and innovative ways. That can mean applications that increase citizen engagement, provide vital information to our citizens, and improve their quality of life. It can also mean ways to leverage the data to help us become a “smarter town”, by looking at ways to improve our processes and become more efficient.  Without consistent streams of this data, few people will invest the time it takes to unlock the immense value hidden in the information that is collected every day by the Town.

What does that really mean to me?

It means that by making this information more easily accessible, cool people (and companies) can create awesome apps.

Let me give you an example.   Check out RGreenway. (You can download the app for free from iTunes.

RGreenway is an iPhone app that came out of the CityCamp Raleigh event last year. (I was honored to participate in CityCamp with all of the fantastic citizen hackers out there.)  

From their website:

The RGreenway application, designed for smartphones, functions as a guide to the Raleigh Greenway systems. Long-term, the application is designed to make the 3800 acre 115 mile Raleigh Greenway system an integrated park. No other City or community of cities has invested as much as Raleigh and the Triangle in a system like ours. Few have committed themselves to the principle of open data like Raleigh has. Together this presents an opportunity to create America’s Smartest Park.

So, right now – it is only accessing Raleigh data – how about expanding it to include Cary, and the rest of the Triangle? Wouldn’t that be cool?

More Examples and Ideas

Let’s see how Open Data can be used to help citizens better connect with Town Hall, find information about Parks, Bus schedules, and more.

SeeClickFix is municipal app that creates stronger citizen engagement – by having citizens report issues directly from their phones to Town Hall.  (This app is being used in Raleigh, now.)

What if we had a Parks and Rec app that would list ALL of the parks, playgrounds, dog parks, community center, public restrooms and other interesting locations (like the Cary Arts Center and Historic landmarks) around Town.  We could enable location-based technology so that the app could tell you about interesting sites, greenways, paths or activities near you.

Photo by bobistraveling

QR code for Video of Fire Sculpture

In fact, just the other day I was speaking with Town Staff about the Fire Sculpture that is currently across from the Cary Arts Center.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could walk up to our Fire Sculpture today, and see a placard that explained the process that was used in its creation? (If you were there that day, it was truly magical.    It can be hard to imagine what it was like that week, by just looking at the ceramic piece now. ) But, it would really hel put some additional context around the experience by having a placard near the sculpture that described the creation steps, along with this QR code, that would launch the video actually showing you the process.

And finally – how about an app that taps into our C-Tran bus schedules. TransLoc has a few apps available for the Triangle Transit Authority today  – but they don’t yet include C-Tran. (I hear it’s coming soon!)   It will be great when a  C-Tran app will show you where the C-Tran buses are, the bus stops, schedules, and real-time commuting information. That’s data that is open, and could be made available to the public.

Open Data is a step in the right direction

As you may remember, the Cary Technology Task Force was created last year by Town Council, and was tasked with taking a look at how to leverage and improve technology services to citizens.  They looked at everything from our Town website, to social media, mobile applications, Open Data, how to engage citizens, as well as how to leverage technology to enhance economic development (and more).

These nine thought leaders on the Technology Task Force did an amazing job last year. After 4 months, with 2 sub committees and more than 300 collective hours in meetings they presented a 254 page report with a long list of prioritized recommendations.   (You can check out their abridged presentation below.)

Pardon me while I gush about these folks.  I am truly honored that these people gave of their time, talents and energy.  They brought more than their technology expertise, they brought a fresh perspective, a child-like inquisitiveness and curiosity, and a passion for excellence that so many of our Town boards and commissions have.  We owe them all a huge debt of gratitude.  

If you see the following folks, please thank them!

• Eric Brown

• Ian Cillay

• James Dixon

• Hal Goodtree

• Laura Hamlyn, Vice-Chair

• Ian Henshaw, Chair

• Brandon Smith

• Eleanor Thorne

• Raymond Zeisz

And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank all of the Town Staff who kept up with this group – they worked long, long hours, and made this effort a true team success.

Getting back to Open Data.  Open Data is just one of their many recommendations and the impetus for submitting an Open Data Day Resolution.  This is just the FIRST step in a set of recommendations that came from the Technology Task Force – but it’s also a VITAL step in taking Cary to the next phase of our technology innovation.

This resolution also demonstrates that the Town of Cary is serious and absolutely committed to enhancing our openness and transparency, improving our technology prowess and driving economic opportunities and innovation, as well as participation by anyone that wants to help Cary along the way.  (You can look at Cary’s Open Data that is available on the Town’s website once it is posted at: http://data.caryNC.gov.)

This resolution also supports several upcoming events, as well.

•  – Cary’s Open Data Day – Feb 23^rd,  and Sunshine Week – starting on March 10th

Cary’s Open Data Day

The folks from the TTF were so energized that they set up Cary’s Open Data Day – scheduled for this Saturday, February 23^rd.

Feb. 23 is International Open Data Day – when people from around the world will gather together “to write applications, liberate data, create visualizations and publish analyses using open public data,” according to opendataday.org.

The event is sold out – but it’s just the first step in our journey. So if you are interested and didn’t get a seat, trust me, we will have more ways for you to engage.

In fact, check out the TriangleWiki – and share your knowledge of the Triangle , it’s a great way to get involved with the community.

Thanks for letting me “technology ramble” for awhile – hope to see you on Saturday!