SPRINGFIELD, NJ — Aidan Lafazan, a Jonathan Dayton High School junior and baseball player, has won second place in the High School Category at the 36th annual NJDEP GIS Mapping Contest. His map, “Baseball Fields in Union County,” was presented on Wednesday, May 1, at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in Trenton.
Lafazan’s love of maps and geography information systems and his passion for baseball inspired him to create an interactive descriptive map of all the baseball fields in Union County. His map contains descriptive data such as the name of the park, its ownership, field size, type of field surface, whether there are bleachers and bathrooms, type of dugouts and the parking information.
“I created this map because no other data like this exists. I’ve always been fascinated by maps and geography, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to combine that with my love of baseball. I hope my map helps others find information about baseball fields when looking to play or be a spectator in Union County,” Lafazan said.
Lafazan’s map is now available to view online and can be accessed by visiting https://tinyurl.com/UCBaseballFields. The map is also available on Google Maps, allowing anyone to add it as a layer to their own maps. The NJDEP GIS Mapping Contest is an annual competition that challenges GIS users around the state to display and present their work.
Photos Courtesy of Bonnie Lafazan