From: "Rick Hood" <rickhood@gte.net>
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 14:51:01 GMT
Subject: Map Copyright Question
Message-Id: <ppZR3.141$hp5.8005@dfiatx1-snr1.gtei.net>


An interesting situation came up when we approach a local county park to map
the park for O -- all seemed favorable, save they initially they wanted to
own the copyright to the map.  After explaining our rational, they seemed to
better appreciate our situation.  Question: has any club actually given over
the copyright to a map, save where the land owner/manager has paid ALL the
cost
associated with the map?

Thanks,

Rick Hood, COC
Edmonds, Washington State, USA








From: "MountainToys.com" <info@mountaintoys.com>
Date: 27 Oct 1999 23:03:25 PDT
Subject: MountainToys.com
Message-Id: <7v8ovd$d85@journal.concentric.net>


Hi everyone!

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I welcome everyone to please come check out the site www.mountaintoys.com .
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I welcome all comments and suggestions.  Thanks for reading my note!

- Jeff






From: "Andrew Kelly" <andrewk@dial.pipex.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 08:55:22 +0100
Subject: New areas
Message-ID: <000601bf2119$ccb869c0$8a82bc3e@jo93.dial.pipex.com>


As chairman of Claro (orienteering club for Harrogate, Ripon and surrounding
area), a few thoughts to add to those already expressed.

Although we have brought approximately 15 new areas on stream since the club
was formed 9 years ago, there are areas that are untouched.  Roy Denney's
posting highlights most of the issues as to why they aren't mapped to date.

There is another one: mapping resources and cost.  All Claro's areas have
been mapped on a voluntary basis (except part of one which was
professionally mapped for JK95), using a team of half a dozen or so.  There
is a limit as to how much can done in between earning livings!  Professional
mapping is an option, but we have avoided this to (a) try and keep costs
down so that events remain cheap and (b) to retain a good skills base in the
club.

The former is important for two reasons.  The obvious one is that it means
the sport is more accessible to newcomers.  The other is that it means the
club can operate on reasonably small margins and reserves.  Reliance on
professional mapping means tying up a lot of money in bank accounts for
long(ish) periods of time, and relying on events making fairly large profits
in order to fund future mapping bills (or paying for past ones - whichever
way you like to look at it).  All of which may benefit the profits of the
banks, but does little for orienteering.

Claro have just decided to raise entry fees for its colour coded events from
GBP2.50/1.00 to GBP3.00/1.50 . This should be seen in the context that over
half the accessible land in our area is owned by one landowner, who charges
GBP 1.50 per head (seniors and juniors). On this basis, we are able to
maintain a viable events programme where half our colour coded events
attract less than 150 people, without having to put on large,
high income/profit events (ie. Badge/Nationals), which would diminish our
capacity to sustain the local programme (we are still a relatively small, if
growing, club).  That programme currently consists of 4-5 colour codeds, 3-4
summer limited colour codeds, a short race event and a night event (both
part
of Yorkshire leagues), almost all within 10km of Harrogate
and/or Ripon.

However, clubs have just received information about the new BOF levy
structure.  Based on the proposed figures (which I obviously hope will be
changed!), clubs who stage annual Badge/National events may benefit or
remain unaffected, but as a club which focuses primarily on local
development, our initial costings indicate a 300-400% increase in our levy
bill for next year, and serious consequences for our event programme and
mapping of new areas - far more so than the odd difficult landowner!

Andrew Kelly