TMCnet News
Coming soon, Boynton history: Yep, there's an app for that [The Palm Beach Post, Fla.](Palm Beach Post (FL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 27--Walking in Boynton Beach could soon become more interesting, and informational. With the help of a $27,000 state grant, the city's historic planner is working on a smart-phone application that would act as a guide and give out information about dozens of Boynton's historical sites. The app would include information on sites such as the Woman's Club, the Oscar Magnuson home and the Lake Boynton Estates entry feature. "It's really just a way for us to take the education program citywide and keep it interesting for kids, students and residents and business owners," planner Warren Adams said. Adams envisions the app to make a sound when the user is near a site that is considered historical and for the ten most important sites to the city's history, he sees an audio file of a person reciting facts about the place. It's for more than only education, Adams says. He sees it bringing an economic benefit, too. The app is in the beginning stages and is to be finished by June 2015. The state's Division of Historical Resources gave the city the $27,000, which will pay for creating the technology. After that, the city will pay to maintain the app, Adams said. A smart phone app is the second phase of the city's existing Heritage Education Program. The first phase of the program was the creation of the Downtown Trail and Cemetery Trail, and an interactive map, a website, signs and brochures about the two. The city received a $20,000 grant for that. The app will include information about sites from both trails, with additional places such as the Audrey Gerger home at 331 N.W. First Ave. and the Sophie Amichai home at 229 S.W. First Ave. In total, more than 30 sites will be included. "I just wanted to come up with something that almost no one around about here has done," Adams said. "It just seemed like a great way to incorporate information technology and history." ___ (c)2014 The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Fla.) Visit The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Fla.) at www.palmbeachpost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |