[OSM-talk] Picnic Shelters?

[Hugh Barnes]

On Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:25:11 +0200
Peter Herison <pherison at web.de> wrote:

> Jeffrey Ollie schrieb:
> 
> >I'm just getting started with mapping, and have started with the
> >trails and other objects in my local city parks.  One thing that I
> >haven't quite figured out is how one would tag a picnic shelter
> >(http://images.google.com/images?q=Picnic+Shelter)?  From reading the
> >wiki, the closest I've been able to come up with is "amenity=shelter"
> >but that doesn't seem quite right as the wiki page for
> >"amenity=shelter" is designed more for places to protect hikers from
> >inclement weather.
> 
> Shelter means that there is a place where you're protected from wind
> and rain. There might be also tables and benches for picknick and a
> fireplace.
> 
> Therefor I'd suggest to use "tourism=picnic_site" for table and
> benches, "amenity=shelter" if it has a roof.
> 

Though I couldn't find support on the wiki, I've been using
"shelter=yes", particularly for bus stops.

I wondered a little while back how specific we might get with the type
of shelter offered. Here (in Australia) it might encompass shelter from
aggressive sun or lightning strike [1]. In other places, I imagine
shelter might be offered from cold weather, like some of those heated
rooms you find on exposed European train station platforms.

In application, I can imagine this kind of precision being useful when
shelter is sought, because generally a very specific kind of shelter
would be required. However, I'm insufficiently motivated at present to
propose it.

Cheers

-----

[1] complete diversion — these had me thinking of "Fear no more the heat
o' the sun", which I $SEARCH_ENGINEd and was surprised to find cited on
the TfL site!:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/projectsandschemes/artmusicdesign/poems/poem.asp?ID=27