Lovell Johns (LJ) recently completed the launch of a new mapping service for sports clubs and users in the region of Merseyside. The Merseyside Sports Partnership (MSP) commissioned LJ to develop an interactive map showing the location of clubs, with links to their website and details of their timetables. This is part of a wider strategy to provide a fully accessible and inclusive sports system. The agencies vision is to improve the quality of life for the people within Merseyside through sport and physical activity.
LJ chose the Google v2 API as the platform in which to append the clubs address details to a map. Google’s service matched the need for full and inclusive public access mapping, which was key to the project objectives. So-called “Mash-ups” with other spatial technology skills and databases are becoming an increasingly popular method of interrogating data over a Google map by using comprehensive spatial searches.
At the system back end, the first step involved the geo-coding of club addresses using postcode software to ensure accuracy. MSPs on-line content management system was then set up to send automatic updates of the details and locations of existing and new clubs and amended on the map. A spatial database feature also works in the background to enable fast processing of individual user’s search requests.
Lovell Johns web designers created a style for the map window interface, drop down menus, and information boxes that resembled the styles used in the main pages of the MSP website. This needed a clear and functional layout, providing an easy-to-use search sequence that defined MSP’s search priorities. A special feature of the site is the focus on junior accredited clubs. Before making any search queries possible, users need to choose between an age band of Under 16 or Over 16 years of age. The search for Under 16’s will only bring up the results for clubs with accredited junior sections within the specified locality. Users are then requested to search for a sports category, and area of search (the postcode or district). Details of each club can then be accessed by clicking on the marker pins and selecting the Contact tabs.