How to Find Your Precise Location for a Problem Report

If you want to report a problem in a park or conservation area, it may be helpful for you to pinpoint your precise location.  You can do this using the Google Maps app on your smartphone.  Here’s what to do.

• Open the Google Maps app.  In a moment, a blue dot should appear marking your location.

If you don’t see the blue dot in the center of the screen, tap the compass icon (circled in red in the image above) and the map should move so that the blue dot appears.

• Next, press and hold the blue dot to “Drop a pin”.  A “Dropped pin” panel will appear, with a red pin:

If Google recognizes the name of your location, the name will appear near the bottom of the screen.  In the image above, we’re on the Sudbury Aqueduct.  If Google can’t name the location, the words “Dropped pin” will appear.

• Tap the “Share” button at the lower right.  You may need to drag the row of buttons towards the left in order to see Share button, which is the right-most one. Your screen should look something like this:

 You can now share the location by email.

For Conservation Commission land, write to conservation@newtonma.gov For parks, write to parks@newtonma.gov

In the body of the email, paste the location that you copied to your clipboard.