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Historic Fincastle getting QR Codes for town visitors

Eric Park, Marni Jones, Alex Kosnett, Chris Piott,and Greg LeMieux at HFI office

Eric Park, Marni Jones, Alex Kosnett, Chris Piott,and Greg LeMieux at HFI office

Fincastle Herald, February 22, 2012:
Historic Fincastle getting QR Codes for town visitors

Historic Fincastle, Inc. (HFI) and a group of Virginia Tech (VT) students are working on a joint project making new technology available to town visitors through an Urban Planning Seminar course. Quick Response (QR) Codes will be developed by the students along with an expanded web site to give visitors immediate access to a tour map with suggested routes. Also, historical information about Fincastle and the historic buildings in town will be accessible.

The student group of four is composed of; Alex Kosnett from Dunn Loring, VA a double major in Environmental Policy & Planning and Biochemistry; Chris Piott from Lynchburg, VA majoring in Environmental Policy & Planning; Eric Park from Richmond, VA majoring in Public & Urban Affairs; and Greg LeMieux from Clinton, IN majoring in Public & Urban Affairs and Geography. These students are supervised by Dr. Diane Zahm in this seminar course. Student groups have the freedom to design a capstone project during their final year at VT. Their choices are based on their interests and identified needs in urban planning. The students design the project, develop benchmark deadlines, and assign tasks and duties among the group.

Plans for the project include a Google map of the Town of Fincastle with markers for areas of interest. Visitors to town could access the information via the internet or by use of smart phone technology by scanning a QR Code. The codes will be strategically located in town for convenience to visitors. An audio component is also being explored for buildings built prior to 1800. HFI officers, Carol Brenner and Marni Jones, have met with the students and are very excited about their energy and technology knowledge. More information about this project will be available in the next few weeks.