Made-in-Ontario beach finder app for smartphones takes off in California, Florida
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Brett Abrams, FitzGibbon Media: 516-841-1105: brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com
Allie Kosela, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper: 416-861-1237 news@waterkeeper.ca
MADE-IN-ONTARIO BEACH FINDER APP FOR SMARTPHONES TAKES OFF IN CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA
Waterkeeper Swim Guide App Helps Beach-Goers Find Closest, Cleanest Beach
Toronto, ONTARIO – Hard work and a passion for clean beaches on the part of Ontario environmentalists is about to make summer better for millions of people. Finding and enjoying that perfect stretch of sand and water has just become a whole lot easier for beach-goers, swimmers, and surfers in California, Florida, and here at home on the Great Lakes.
This week, members of Waterkeeper Alliance are launching the Waterkeeper Swim Guide, a free smartphone app (available from App Store, Google Play, or www.theswimguide.org). The Swim Guide helps users locate the closest, cleanest beach, get directions, view photos, and determine if the water is safe for swimming. The Swim Guide also allows users to share the whole adventure with their friends and family in their social networks.
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper started developing Swim Guide in an effort to answer the question, “Can I swim on Lake Ontario?” Seven years, 1,700 beaches, and 130,000 points of data later, the public finally has an answer.
“It’s incredibly inspiring to see something we built here in Toronto spread like wildfire to beach communities in other countries. It feels like we are creating one giant celebration of beaches across the United States and Canada!” says Mark Mattson, the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.
The Swim Guide utilizes water quality monitoring data from government authorities to determine the water quality at 1,700 beaches and is updated as frequently as the water quality information becomes available.
“Every year, millions of people get sick from coming into contact with polluted water at their local beaches,” said Pete Nichols, Western Director for Waterkeeper Alliance. “By introducing Swim Guide to new communities, we will help protect public health and raise awareness about water quality issues,” he continued.
Swim Guide includes descriptions and photographs of 1,700 beaches in Alberta, British Columbia, California, Florida, the Great Lakes, and the Ottawa River region. Swim Guide will continue to expand until it covers beaches in every major beach community in North America.
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is a member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance, a network of 200 water protection groups working for watersheds where you can swim, drink, and fish.
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Get Swim Guide for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: http://bit.ly/SwimGuideApp
Get Swim Guide for Android: http://bit.ly/mplWDr
More information: www.theswimguide.org
Resources for media, including screenshots and beach photos: http://www.theswimguide.org/blog/category/brand-resources/