Cincinnati Parks Roll Out QR Code Promo For Ault Park

The next time you take a stroll in Ault Park in Cincinnati, you might quite suddenly find yourself face to face with small black and white codes placed in some strategic locations…those are QR Codes. QR Codes are special barcodes that smartphone users can scan with their phone’s app called a QR Code reader. The QR Code readers can be downloaded completely free of charge regardless of whether you are using the iOS or Android platform. The QR Codes found in the park act as links to information placed on the internet and people can use it to get others to load up web pages, videos, promotion pages, online social networking accounts, etc; in essence, QR Codes have been called the bridge between your online and offline world…simply because they act as physical links (as opposed to links you usually find on web pages or blogs) that leads others to online content.

In Ault Park’s case, the authorities in Cincinnati Parks, are trying to get people to learn more about what they are experiencing when they visit the park. It was reported that it is part of a rather large pilot project launched by Cincinnati Parks. Accordingly, the QR Code will bring a virtual tour guide to mobile phone users which gives out information about the trees and flora in the park. Jennifer Harten, who is Cincinnati Park’s Regional Manager, said that the QR Codes will give park visitors an enhanced experience.

If the reports were anything to go by, when the QR Codes are scanned, it will load up a thirty minute online clip about the park. Half an hour is a long clip, we have to say, and I do question how viable this is going to be for park visitors. How many people are going to be patient enough to watch the whole clip while strolling in the park? If park visitors were impatient, they can most definitely save and bookmark the video for later viewing – I guess that would make more sense.

We are guessing that Cincinnati Parks is going to be doing pretty much the same thing for all the other parks under its care which includes seventy neighborhood parks and thirty four other nature preserves. In fact, Cincinnati Parks also manages other nature centers, arboretums and public plant conservatories, which makes up for more than ten percent of city land.

Have a quick watch of the following video for more information.