Updates to the Imagery Basemap
Six Canadian communities contributed their imagery to improving the imagery basemap on ArcGIS Online. This post takes a brief look at each community, complete with samples of imagery contributions and facts related to each community ranging from Canadian Prime Minister birthplaces to farm animal festivals.
ArcGIS Online's imagery basemap was recently updated with a number of Canadian contributions. Here's a quick tour of what's new:
Cornwall, ON, located on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, contributed 10 cm imagery dating from 2012. You may not know this, but Cornwall is the birthplace of many notable people including actor Ryan Gosling, gospel singer George Beverly Shea and Ontario's first premier, John Sandfield Macdonald.
Figure 1: The docks at Cornwall, ON, waiting for the warmer weather to arrive
Woodstock, ON, population 38,000 and self-proclaimed dairy capital of Canada, is located in south-western Ontario and provided 10 cm resolution imagery. The image above focuses on Southside Park, home of the city's annual Cowapalooza festival. Going by the absence of cows, it appears that the festival was not on when this imagery was taken in 2012.
Figure 2: Southside Park in Woodstock, ON waiting for those crazy dairy farmers
Next stop is another farming community, this one in Alberta. Camrose, AB, nicknamed the “Rose City,” is home to 17,000 people. Camrose contributed 15 cm imagery dating from 2012.
Figure 3: University of Alberta campus in Camrose, AB
Further to the south is another imagery contributor - Airdrie, a fast growing community just outside of Calgary. The image hosted in the imagery basemap for Airdrie also dates from 2012 and has a 10 cm resolution.
Figure 4: At this rate of construction, another set of imagery for Airdrie will be needed soon
Our three remaining communities are from British Columbia. In the south, Rossland sits at an elevation of 1,023 m in the Monashee Mountains in the province's interior. The 15 cm imagery of Rossland dates from 2008. Look for former Prime Minister John Turner’s childhood home here.
Figure 5: Rossland, BC, home of budding major league baseball players
Further to the north in the province is Kamloops, another imagery contributor (10 cm from 2012). The city's name means “meeting of the waters” - appropriate considering that the city sits at the confluence of two branches of the Thompson River.
Figure 6: Two shades of water in Kamloops, BC
Lastly and still further to the north in BC is Dawson Creek. The city sits at the southern end of the Alaska Highway and contributed 25 cm imagery from 2009.
Figure 7: You can fly to Dawson Creek, BC if you don't have the time to drive
All imagery contributions are dispalyed at 1:1,128 to 1:36,112.