App maps out tours of murals in Windsor and Detroit

Software company Parallel42 has created an app called MotorCityMurals.tours to help people explore street art in Windsor and Detroit.

The app allows people to take a self-guided tour of murals in the cities.

"We created this app [to] share the art in Windsor and Detroit with both communities," said Parallel42 owner Doug Sartori.

Sartori says he has catalogued 100 locations in Windsor and 50 in Detroit in the app. The murals are marked on the maps of Windsor and Detroit with icons. Once the user gives the app permission to access his or her location, the software draws a route from the user's location to whichever mural they have chosen.

Sartori says the free app contains pictures of the murals and information on their history, each piece's message and — where available — information on the artist.

The app lists murals in downtown Windsor and Detroit, as well as various other locations around Windsor such as Ford City.

"We wanted to make sure that everywhere that we're sending people, there is a good density of art to see and that you're not going to waste your time walking," said Sartori.

"Anything that brings people downtown for a unique experience that they can't get somewhere else are the things we're trying to promote," said DWBIA chair Chris MacLeod. "It's really cool it tells you something about the artist and the piece of work and when it was done. And it's a great walking tour, great opportunity to get out downtown and we hope that while you're downtown you'll spend a little bit of time in one of our shops or restaurants." 

The map is still a work in progress — Sartori hopes to add more mural locations in the future, and says he's open to having users send in suggested additions.