Next time you are on the Cross Kirkland Corridor, keep your eyes peeled for the image of this little red kite along your way.  With support from Google and the City, the Kirkland Parks Foundation has created an interactive educational experience for anyone traveling along the corridor with a smart phone.  If you left your phone at home and are taking deep breaths and looking up at the sky and trees, then that's pretty awesome.  But let's face it, we live in a connected world. 

As people walk, bike or run the trail, information highlighting points of interest about the CKC Master Plan is available via the “New&Now” app. The app uses geo-fencing to deliver information to users and is available for iOS and Android. The signs along the corridor show where these “beacons” are located - they stretch along the trail from 108th Ave NE to 132nd Ave NE .

This is the first phase of the beacons.  The Kirkland Parks Foundation is looking for input from the community and partners to shape the next phase. The possibilities are endless, from historical information, or facts about local wildlife (including bird calls!), or setting up STEM-related games for kids, or working with a trainer to set up a series of exercise stations along the pathway.  What do you want to see?  Help shape the direction of the project by giving your feedback.

"We want the section of the CKC near Google to be a great place for neighbors and the community at large”, said Darcy Nothnagle, Western Region Head of External Affairs for Google. "This project with the Kirkland Parks Foundation has the potential to give our neighbors new ways to explore this vibrant corridor".