Cache Up NB’s Future As A News & Community Portal
Now that the dust has settled and folks are getting used to the new look around here, I thought it was a good time to bring up something that has also changed but really hasn’t been addressed. I’m hoping to get some feedback from folks here as I feel it is important to know what the general consensus is.
When Cache Up NB was originally conceived, one of the things I wanted to avoid was becoming an “association”. Cache Up NB was something I was starting and I had a very specific goal in mind with it. I wasn’t interested in getting involved in the politics of geocaching associations, nor did I want to become involved in the volatile debate about geocaching associations in this region. Anyone who has been around long enough knows exactly what I am referring to.
As a result of this, I chose to target Cache Up NB as more of a “news and information” website for geocachers in the province of New Brunswick. Folks could come here, read the news, gather bits of information, and share their own stories and commentary on whatever the latest news happen to be. For two years, that has been going very well and thanks to our growing community, the users more so than us admins, drive the content on here now.
Last December when the ACGA approached myself and Rev Slippery about taking over the ACGA caches, and possibly the Fundy Park work, I was extremely excited for the opportunity. It made a lot more sense for us locals to manage this stuff than an association based out of Halifax. It did however present one little problem. The moment Cache Up NB adopted those ACGA caches, we became more than just a news and information site. We now became responsible for certain aspects of caching within our own province. It is to this that I wish to solicit your feedback.
From my perspective, Cache Up NB is not myself, or the admins, it is the community itself. However, when it comes to dealing with things like Parks Canada, or the Town of Riverview, etc, someone has to be the person that represents the whole. Right now, that person is myself and Rev Slippery as we’ve been the ones managing this stuff behind the scenes. We’ve always reached out to the locals when we couldn’t handle things ourselves but for most of the visible stuff for CUNB, it’s been us doing the work. It is this specific concern that I am trying to get feedback on. This responsibility has fallen to the two of us as we are the two folks who started and currently run this site. No one elected us, or chose us to do it, we just do it because we love the NB caching community and want to help promote and grow it in any way we can that makes sense.
With our takeover of Fundy park in moving forward, and with a few other opportunities coming in, I feel compelled to be completely open with our readership here as you are the community and if me and Rev are out there doing things and putting the Cache Up NB name on it, we want to make sure that you as the readers and members of this community are alright with what we do and how we do it.
I am looking to find out what people’s opinions are on how best the Cache Up NB community should be represented. Are you content with how we are doing things now? Do you feel that we provide adequate means for you to provide feedback on what we’re doing and use your feedback appropriately?
Bottom line: Has the time come for Cache Up NB to elect a “board” to make decisions about how we interact with municipalities and other companies (and thusly push us one step closer to becoming an association)? Or, do you feel the model we currently employ works for this type of community and we should just stay the course?
It is VERY important to me that readers be honest. If you like the way things are run, say so. If you have concerns or suggestions, post them. If you have an opinion but don’t want to share it publicly, use the contact form to email us directly.
With us having grown and become as visible as we are now we need to figure out how best to move forward. Please share your thoughts and opinions.
All valid points Zor. Quite honestly, some have blinders on when it comes to these issues, and it is nice to see them brought forward in this fashion. We do not currently have an organization solely dedicated to cachers in NB. The idea of a board to provide direction, and a voice, for those involved in CUNB is a great idea, especially if there is movement more towards an association (which appears to be happening).
Here’s the thing. Cache Up NB has never been defined as an association, mostly because I have tried to keep out of the “association” game (mentioned in my post).
But in reality, all of the things that CUNB has been doing are typically done BY an association. So in a way, CUNB has sort of become an association by proxy. We don’t call ourselves that, but we are involved in many of the things that an “association” would normally be doing. Info sessions, awareness programs, regional and provincial partnerships, and geocoin challenges are all things that CUNB has been behind and those are all things typically handled by an association.
So it comes back to the original question which is, do people feel that the way things are handled now are sufficient, or should we look at forming a more formal board made up of reps for various regions all under the CUNB canopy.
I’m fine if people want to have their voices heard for their region, but what concerns me is that I don’t want it to turn into one of these political messes. What we have now seems to work so far (or so it would seem based on the site’s growth and feedback) but as we grow, it’s good to bring this type of thing out into the open to see what the consensus is.
I know I am opening a can of worms here but I knew late last year that this was going to come eventually so now seems like a good time to bring it up.
I’m not disagreeing with you in the slightest. But I’m not sure it has to do with regions, but more with everyone having a say in what direction CUNB is going. Adoption of the ACGA caches, the partnership with Parks Canada-this was done without solicitation of the members of CUNB, correct? I guess my worry is what we will see happening here will be similar to what is happening elsewhere *cough*MGA*cough*.
When you announced that Cache Up NB was taking over the ACGA caches in NB, and thereby some of their responsibilities, during the CUNB Relaunch event I knew this conversation was coming.
From what I have seen in my travels, geocaching is much more popular in our province than in others. It stands to reason, given the popularity of the hobby here, that the local community would grow to a critical mass that would be large enough to have a standalone geocaching association.
By that same token, CUNB has been mostly, though not entirely, Moncton-centric. It makes sense that it would start off that way, given that Zor and Rev Slippery live there, and that they would have promoted the site to local cachers. I’ve seen an increasing presence of Fredericton-based cachers on here, but beyond that, its reach is small. I can’t think of any Saint John cachers on the site, let alone from northern NB. I’m sure there are some, but it’s by and large a Moncton and Fredericton website.
Moving to become a provincial association would probably help with growth. It certainly adds some legitimacy to what CUNB is doing. Having regional reps might bring more cachers to the site. It also brings more responsibility, as CUNB would become a contact point for agencies and government for geocaching issues in the province.
A few points to ponder:
1. Cache Up NB is a nice name for a website to discuss geocaching issues, but not the best name for a provincial association. Would a new Association name be required? (for my part, I think yes)
2. Does Groundspeak have anything to do with sanctioning local geocaching organizations? Otherwise, there’s nothing stopping Pierre Poutine from changing his focus from robocall scandals to starting up the NB Geocaching-Poutine Association.
3. How would representatives be selected? Who could vote? Would voting be restricted to premium members, given that otherwise a “candidate” could go sign up as many free memberships as they wanted to secure votes?
4. Given that association directorship could change, who would get the say on what happens to the content of this website? Do Zor, evulc and Rev Slippery become webmasters?
It’s probably inevitable that CUNB morph into a geocaching association, despite the kettle of fish that will entail.
That’s my 2¢, figure I’d provide it before the penny goes out of circulation.
I can understand your concerns with the politics that will be involved with becoming an association. Being an open and sort of freestyle website that you are now makes visitors and members perceive a more relaxed atmosphere about the whole thing. Being an association makes some, but not all, think of a more strict and rigid platform. Although this will not affect the whole layout, look or interaction of the website at all, some people just do not like the politics of boards and voting members and who’s in charge.
But in moving foreward with promoting geocaching in New Brunswick I would think that the various associations you may work with would like to be dealing with an association, not just a bunch of people that run a website. Something that has a structure and direction. Someone who is a representative and spokesperson. Lets face it, associations like to deal with associations, that’s the politics of the real world. And if that’s what is needed to help grow, so be it.
After all, the association aspect is just something that runs in the background, but can have a positive influence on what happens in the foreground with the promoting of geocaching by bringing in other organizations or associations to play along with us.
I can think of a few other concerns that Zor may have about being an association, but that would consume too much space and writing, so I’ll just leave it at that. But thinking about it, Zor and Rev Slippery run this site now, the only real change is making it “official” and maybe having one or two others as contacts and representatives to help with a possible growing demand in the future.
I would also like to nominate Nemo as Secretary Of Trout. Democracy and free geocoins for all.
this is what i would say if i wasn’t the blathering idiot i actually am.
well said ebe.
Presently I am not as much in the geocaching world as I was at one point, mainly because of the kids and all kinds of stuff going on. So my opinion here may not have a whole lot of weight, but I’ll share my thoughts as I usually do anyway.
On this subject, I am a bit on a teeter-tooter.
When CacheupNB started, I was all WOW about this site (and I still am) and I got surprised and very happy at how fast it caught the attention of the geocaching community and how much it was used.
I will bluntly say that this crap that went on, and for all I know may still be going on, about the 3 letter association with and/or without an hyphen was very annoying: To Didi and I anyway. It turned us completely off about having an “association”, or being part of any. Half were happy with one side, half with the other, and whatever clan you would pick, somebody would be unhappy with you. Bunch of BS in my book and I decided: screw the geocaching associations. I do not know all of the intricate details, but I know enough to say it was stinky and there were lots of unhappy people. Certainly nothing to get a geocaching community all together and strong. What I loved about CacheupNB, it was the neutrality that it had. It was just a blog where people who likes geocaching came for the latest news and development in the activity, or came and just stay to write something directed at the bots in the scribbles. LOVED IT & LOVE IT.
Now, CacheupNB undeniably grew, grew and is still growing (undeniably was from me, not Didi, she did not edit this comment, just sayin) but it still is a blog, a place to exchange ideas, and which is run by a handful of guys, that are now ending up doing more into the community than just owning or operating a blog. Right now at this stage, it is still all good. There has not been any situation where someone said “well that is all Rev and Zor doing all this and we have no say” (not that I know of, or perhaps not yet anyway). But in growing, that risk is growing as well.
Because of this, I would be tempted to say that since those actions that will be taken (adopting caches, collaboration with the Fundy parks and perhaps the Cities and so forth), as it will be done most likely under the “New Brunswick geocaching community” banner, perhaps I would be on the side that it’s time for an entity to be created, an association. It would be imperative that all geocachers in the province could still voice their opinion. That being said, I’d surely be one of the first to become a member.
BUT, what scares me is the aura of little politics that sometimes surrounds “associations” and things that devide people instead of making them cooperate. And that scares me a lot. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the bad taste I have left form the association war that no one wants to talk about. And if by becoming/creating an association we start to dissociate everybody again, then I want nothing to do with it and I want CacheupNB to just stay like it is as I don’t want to lose it!!
So eight paragraphs later, I said all this without coming to a conclusion. I should be in politics; I should be the president of the CachupNB association!
Joke aside, as I said earlier, I am really on a teeter-tooter, as I would hate CacheupNB to become something I hate, yet I would like to see it continuing to grow. All in all, in a good old Nemo fashion way, I am not even sure if I make any sense here.
Hopefully the bots will understand.
websites don’t need committees and members. follow ’em or don’t.
this isn’t 1950. we don’t need another elk’s club.
if cache up nb places caches, there’s some new caches.
if AGCA likes Rev to maintain their caches so they gave them to him/CUNB we get more well-maintained caches.
i don’t understand why any of this would need any approval from any one else.
just my 2c.
Ok, let me put this out there. It was an idea I had that sort of side stepped the association issue but still allowing for some of what we’re talking about.
I had the idea of creating the Cache Up NB Outreach Program (call it whatever you want but that’s what I’m using for this example). The idea is that Cache Up NB, the website, remains the same. We still promote caching, have news, discussion, our community, etc. But the outreach program would be responsible for reaching out and working with communities and municipalities, parks, and other official agencies that want to have geocaching programs.
This program would be run by Cache Up NB members within the province who want to represent a particular area. We could meet on a semi-regular basis to discuss programs we are working with, and work as a team to promote the more “official” types of engagements that we are now starting to see. Each “rep” would be responsible for obtaining the wants/likes/dislikes of certain programs from there area so that the whole province can be represented properly. Official CUNB events could go through this board for formal approval if we wanted to get that specific, but I think you get the idea.
How people join the board, etc, would be determined if such a program took off, but the idea is that we still use the CUNB name for our work, but the “official” stuff is managed by a committee under the Cache Up name. Those members would make decisions about things like Fundy and other projects as a group.
It’s just an idea, but I do think it is a way for Cache Up NB to retain it’s current form, but also provide a better way for public input on larger provincial caching matters.
Thoughts?
Winner winner chicken dinner
I love how CacheUpNB is worked. It is for everyone. One thing thatzor said that I think is a good idea. Before making big decisions, have a borad, so that way you are getting more peoples opnions. I am not saying Zor and Rev. Slipprey that you are making the wrong choices but more voices I think would equal a better website. Even though it is a amazing website. On a side note, I can not make it to the event Cacheupnb is holding 🙁
To start of, I am biased when it comes to this and I like things the way they are, not because I wan’t the glory or think I know more than others. We worked hard to make it what it is any everyone was aware of that, things seem to be going smoothly and we make every effort to include everyone who wants to be part of what we do. Ruling by committee sucks and even if we do go to some sort of official thing, it will still be the same few taking the responsibility to do most of the “work”. I have been on the executive of the ACGA for 3 years now and it has been the same few doing everything even though there has been calls for volunteers each year.
Everything done here has almost always had input from those who care. The polls never get more than 20-30 votes and the same core of people comment all the time. If someone wants to take the initiative like we did and form a group or do some of the things we have been doing lately they have every right to. The Facebook groups have taken on things in Fredericton and other areas and it works just fine. So I say the status quo is still fine for here. Again my opinion and I love doing what I do for the community and I love the things others are doing as well like, Coopsquared in Fredericton, Ma&Pa in the ice walk, Zor in the Race for Cache.
Ultimately the CacheupNB account is just like everyone else, it hides caches, does events and helps others when asked. Many people around the province do events like we do and they are not asked to become an association. We do podcast and always try to include new and veteran cachers and we also have plans to travel to record some in other areas in the next few months. We never keep secrets once plans are made and confirmed, I am doing my best to keep everyone in the loop with what is going on in Fundy as well and will be updating the listing soon to include the new details I received today.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it and if you don’t like what is being done then speak up and you always have the chance and right to here or don’t participate, to be brutally honest 😉
After reading your post, I realize where you are coming from. I still love how the site is run. About the ACGA what is the actual job.
I am the New Brunswick rep on the executive and make sure the NB concerns are heard and handle anything that comes up (which is very little these days).
What do the executives do. Do you just talk about caching problems.
No they make the decisions on the direction of the ACGA, handle the $ and organize the “work” done by the group, such as planning and executing the events, making coins and swag to raise funds and communicate with the partners such as park and cities where we do stuff. The ACGA is a official non-profit organization and has to follow all the rules that come along with that designation.
Oh
I can’t resist putting in my thoughts here. My experiences with “boards” or executives or whatever you want to call them is that once you have them then the egos, hurt feelings, politics and everything else comes into play. I think cache up should just keep doing what it has been doing. It’s a website – and a damn good one. Matt and Ken have never excluded people who want to help and have done so much for caching in this region and province it’s not even funny. Ultimately, if people don’t like the direction that the site goes in, they can leave or start their own site or association or whatever.
In recap – stay the course. Don’t like it, you can leave. No hard feelings and best of luck. I hear the interwebs has something for everyone.
OK, many of my thoughts were stated as I read through the replies.
I like the site and system as it is, why rock the boat when the seas are calm.
What I like about the current setup, is that Zor/Rev are (please don’t pass the barf bag) generally wise, calm, easily approachable, and this article being proof, they also take the time to look at the big picture and the evolution of this space. They’ve got it together as far as the interests of caching in NB is concerned. (We all care about our sport/hobby, I believe).
Where I think CUNB could grow is with a more active presence throughout the province. There are several folks in Freddy who could add their talents. Maybe Greybeast or another local in the North East. And someone in Saint John and the Edmonston area? As you can see, I’m all about promoting the sport. For that we need like-minded folks in the other regions. And Zor has addressed this in his comment above.
I don’t think CUNB is large enough to necessitate forming a decision making ruling body. Not yet, anyway.(Some of us have large enough bodies, but that’s beside the point).
Zor, Rev, if it becomes too much to handle, many of us I’m sure, would be eager to help. Evulc is a great example of someone who has come in and we all have greatly benefited from his know-how.
Zor, it’s great that you have the foresight to see the rapid in populatiry of caching and of this space. I just don’t think that the time is right for too many changes. Yet.
Oh, and, yes, I’m a proud member of the Elks Lodge #227 here in Moncton. Cheers!
We’re very happy with the way things are run now and have no problem with CUNB “representing” us, as it is. If an issue or concern arises (like this one) Zor and Rev have always asked for input and opinions from the group. They take that feedback, discuss it, work with it and make a decision. What more could we want? By participating, posting, commenting, voting etc, you’re getting your opinions or thoughts out there, how is that any different than having someone as your representative or regional board member? Someone, ultimately, has to be in charge or make the final decision and that should be Zor and/or Rev.
This website is wonderful (and followed and envied by people from all over), the community here is wonderful and it’s a joy to be able to participate with and be a part of this great caching community. I think that if you take it and make it an official association it will suck all the fun out of it. The politics will inevitably ruin it; we see it happen so often with other groups. It’s also hard to get folks to volunteer their time so it ends up being the same people still doing all the work, but now they have their hands tied by policies and politics.