Explore Kane County's GIS Technology at Open House and New Data Portal

​Kane County will host a GIS Day open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 18, at the Kane County Government Center, Building A Auditorium. The event will introduce the public and County Staff to the Kane County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technologies Department, and showcase use of GIS Technology and a new online portal that makes geographic data more accessible to the public.

Q: What is GIS Day?

A: GIS Day is worldwide celebration dedicated to sharing, teaching and inspiring others with GIS.  There are an estimated 1,500 plus GIS Day events Globally and over 150 in the United States.  We are one of 3 registered events in Illinois. This is an opportunity for the public and County Staff to learn about Geographic Information Systems, explore how the technology works and discover how Kane County departments use mapping and geographic data to provide services and solve problems.

Q: What is GIS?

A: GIS is a technology that allows users to create, analyze and map geographic data. It helps turn complex information into visual maps and applications and other tools that support planning, decision-making and public communication.

Q: How does Kane County use GIS?

A: Kane County has used GIS since 1985. Today, numerous departments rely on the technology to analyze information, share data, communicate with the public and address complex challenges. Departments using GIS include the County Board, County Clerk, Development Department, Emergency Management, Forest Preserve District, Information Technologies, Kane Comm, Sheriff's Office, Supervisor of Assessments, Transportation, Treasurer and Water Resources, among others.

Q: What is new with Kane County's GIS technology?

A: Kane County recently launched a new GIS Open Data and Application Portal, giving the public free access to many geographic datasets. Following a policy approved by the Kane County Board earlier this year, the portal eliminates the need for data-sharing agreements and manual data preparation for information made available through the portal. This saves staff time and resources while making geographic information more accessible. Additional datasets will be added over time.

Q: How can residents access the new portal?

A: Residents can explore the GIS Open Data and Application Portal at https://kanegisdata-kanegis.hub.arcgis.com/.