'Pokemon Go' fans flock to Schaumburg parks
How many times have you walked by a statue in a Schaumburg Park District park and never noticed it?
Now, it's a Pokestop. And people are flocking to district parks while playing the latest craze in video games.
In the name of "Pokemon Go" research, two staff members and a tech-savvy intern spent a few hours to determine just how many Pokestops, gyms and Pokemon are around the Schaumburg Park District.
"My favorite part of the day was being out and about in the parks hunting for Pokemon," said Communications Intern Caitlin Riedy. "There's this element of surprise and anticipation."
The "Pokemon Go" video game phone app is encouraging people to interact with nature as they find creatures popping up behind bushes, on benches, in ball fields and other landmarks. Game rewards are based on distances covered, which also promotes physical fitness. All Pokestops are at outdoor public locations.
"You get so much exercise because you don't realize how much you're walking," said District Communications Coordinator Justin Sienkiewicz. "You're playing the game and exploring areas of the parks you didn't even know existed, just to get the next Pokemon."
A fun spot to search for Pokemon is Volkening Lake, 900 W. Schaumburg Road, where Conant High School Social Studies Teacher Samantha Serrano recently was using "Pokemon Go" to teach students about the use of GPS.
"As someone who teaches geography, this is a hard app to pass up," Serrano said. "This is an actual example of how to use geography in real life. It doesn't get better than this."
Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, is home to dozens of Pokestops, where players find treasures such as Pokeballs, Pokemon eggs and other virtual goodies.
Annalisa Kaderabek and her friends Tatiana and Kuva Jovancic were at the Nature Center looking for bugs, rodents and other Pokemon critters.
"Do you think there's some up there?" Kaderabek, 12, of Schaumburg, asked, pointing to the silo viewing tower outside the Nature Center.
For older players, "Pokemon Go" offers a feeling of nostalgia.
"There's tons of Pidgies out here," said Nestor Ascenci, 20, of Streamwood, who was using the app before soccer practice at Olympic Park.
"It's pretty cool seeing so many people who have the app. We've noticed that many of the parks are Pokestops."
To Tatiama and Kuva's mom, Kasia Jovancic, the app can be a healthy tool as long as children watch where they're going.
"It brings them together," she said. "It's much better than being home sitting in front of the computer."
For more information, visit www.parkfun.com.
Schaumburg locations
"Pokemon Go" locations at the Schaumburg Park District include:
• Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road: Pokestops, 30; Gyms, 3
• Volkening Lake, 900 W. Schaumburg Road: Pokestops, 2; Gyms, 2
• Olympic Park, 1675 Old Schaumburg Road: Pokestops, 3; Gyms, 1
• Meineke Park, 220 E. Weathersfield Way: Pokestops, 6
• Community Recreation Center, 505 N. Springinsguth Road: Pokestops, 2
• The Sport Center, 1141 W. Irving Park Road: Pokestops, 1