Keep Pokemon GO in our Rocky Mount NC Parks and Historical Sites!

My name is Donovan Harrell and I want to speak about something. A mobile app called Pokemon GO. Pokemon GO is a mobile app released on July 11, 2016. The game is basically a real time Pokemon adventure. For newcomers it is a fun experience to get you out of your house. For us hardcore players, it's a nostalgia trip dating at least 20 years back. Childhood memories are fun to relive. Especially in groups!

The city I live in, Rocky Mount, has decided that it is "unsafe" for their public property to be Pokestops and gyms. Now, with this being said, I understand about Police Stations, Fire Stations/Departments, and other areas in which we could possibly an issue as civilians. We could be in the way of them doing their jobs and lives are at stake. Cool. That's a reasonable thing to say. But the city has began to speak on requesting more than 134 areas be taken off the game. This inludes Parks, trails, historical landmarks and many other things. These things are accessible to the public so why can't they be accessible in the game! With that being said let's look at the pros and cons of the game.

Pros
1) Excercise - We have been known as nation in itself to be quite lazy. We all know this. This game alone has gotten more people outside within two weeks of its release than I have seen in the 3-4 years of my living in Rocky Mount.

2) Mental Health - For some people this does not apply, as not all people suffer from these issues. People have used Pokemon GO as an essential key to helping them cope with many mental health disabilities. I personally suffer from severe depression and anxiety and this has been a great way for me to handle the anxiety and make quite a bit of new friends.

3)Social Interaction with a common interest - What better way to strike a conversation than it be something of a common interest! So many people have asked me about the game since I've started playing it's honestly amazing how comfortable people are becoming. I have walked around the City Lake path with friendly strangers ranging from parents and their kids to the elderly to teenagers. Everyone is usually friendly and no one ever says a bad thing to anyone. It's definitely bringing our community together!

Cons
1) Loitering and Trespassing - There are unfortunately people who like to break the rules and this makes for more work for our officers who could be elsewhere doing their job. A cop should not have to run a Pokemon GO player off of property after hours if the hours are posted. (See Con #2)

2) Idiots - I find it necessary to use the word idiots in this petition as a con for the simple fact that it is what it is. People should be smart enough with the game even reminding them on the loading screen Driving and playing Pokemon GO is the equivalent of driving and texting. It hurts people and we do not need that happening

In conclusion, I simply petition the City Of Rocky Mount Public Affairs office, the City Of Rocky Mount, Tameeka Keenan-Norman, and Rocky Mount Parks and Recreations to allow us to keep Pokemon GO in our parks and historical sights. I ask that you work with the community and keep this a fun and engaging activity for our citizens!

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