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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2012/0...63143649717.txt

Park Department will add new signs on beach

By Ilene Haluska
Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, April 19, 2012 5:07 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — If you get lost or need information on a Michigan City beach, you'll get some added help with its new locater and informational signs expected for installation before the beach season opens.

Michigan City Park Superintendent Jan Orlich presented the program to the board Wednesday during a meeting of the Park Board. A map has been created showing flag colors and beach numbers with English to Spanish translations to help both the lost and emergency personnel. The signs, or kiosks, include maps, "You are Here" locations and Smart phone quick response (QR) codes.

"During several incidents in recent years, valuable time was spent trying to locate persons in need of assistance on the beach and or the person who called in the emergency," Orlich said, noting that people calling La Porte County 911 are sometimes unaware of where they are and are upset.

"This is a great advancement for our park department, the beach management signs and the QR codes and we expect to include QR codes with the zoo, golf course and all of our other amenities," Orlich said. "It's a great addition. It puts us up there with some other of your larger parks and organizations like Chicago, New York and California."

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Shannon Eason, director of administrative services, explained that the kiosks QR codes, also known as quick response codes in speckled squares, will allow the person to scan the code with a smart phone. Then it links them to the parks website. Other QRs will link the user to current beach conditions.

Kiosks will display information on rip currents, shelf ice, beach rules, tips and maps with "You are here" flags, so people know where they are, especially at the Senior Center path, Beachwalk and California Avenue, Orlich added.

They expect to conduct personnel training on April 24 with many emergency departments and agencies in the area.

I-Zone of Texas is providing the kiosks for about $10,000, and the maps are graffiti and scratch resistant, she said.

In other news: Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage donated 50 black cherry trees to the Parks Department. They were planted in the Lot 2 median and at Patriot Park, according to Orlich.