Johns Creek Releases 360-Degree Tour Of Parks

JOHNS CREEK, GA — The city of Johns Creek has partnered with Google’s “Trekker” team to capture 360-degree images parks and natural areas, which are now available to users through Google Maps.

The project, which is the first of its kind in Georgia, includes panoramic photos of Newtown, Ocee, and Shakerag parks, as well as 14 miles of the Chattahoochee River, 1 mile of Rogers Bridge Trail, and 1 mile of the Linear Park trail in Technology Park.

The Trekker device is a 50 pound, backpack-mounted version of the same camera setup that Google mounts on top of cars to collect images for the StreetView layer of its maps. The spherical camera has 15 independent cameras that each take a photo every 1.5 seconds. The 15 photos from each 1.5 second capture are then assembled into one panoramic photo by Google and then made available in Google Maps and Google Earth so that users can virtually travel down park trails and the river.

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“The goals of this partnership with Google are to make our parks more accessible to people using Google Maps and to showcase all the amenities and trails that are available in Johns Creek,” said Nick O’Day, Johns Creek’s chief data officer.

O'Day said the imagery can also be accessed by fire department staff as they respond to emergencies on the Chattahoochee River as a way to help guide rescue operations. Residents and visitors can view the panoramic photos on the parks pages on the city's website:

• Newtown Park
• Ocee Park
• Shakerag Park

You can also view the panoramic imagery on Google Maps using StreetView:

• Chattahoochee River (near Abbotts Bridge Road bridge)
• Rogers Bridge Trail
• Linear Park (trail behind future City Hall building in Technology Park)

Image via city of Johns Creek