[Tagging] leisure=common

[Craig Wallace]

On 2014-08-28 16:01, Pieren wrote:
> I find a bit harsh that leisure=common has been completely withdrawn
> from the wiki "map features" in the middle of the summer. If it's a UK
> specific tag, then move it to a special UK map features page/table, no
> ?
>
> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Template:Map_Features:leisure
> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:leisure%3Dcommon

I think leisure=common is an unhelpful tag, so should be depreceated.

In the UK, a common or common land is a legal definition. Historically, 
it was about the right to graze animals or collect firewood there. Not 
just a right to walk across it.
Many places which were once commons are not any more, even if they still 
have 'common' in the name. eg Clapham Common in London - you wouldn't be 
allowed to graze a herd of cows there.

There have been some more recent laws, eg Commons Act 2006, which 
registered some common land in England. Not sure what difference the 
actually makes, what rights or protection does it give?

More useful to tag what the land actually is, and what it is used for. 
eg most of the London commons could be tagged as leisure=park or 
natural=woodland etc.
If it has a specific legal designation, then add some sort of 
designation tag.

Craig