About this demo
A proof of concept by Datopian showing what the City of Newton’s open data could look like with a faster, friendlier front door.
What this is
The City publishes 57 datasets on its ArcGIS Hub: map layers such as parcels, zoning, trash and plowing routes, trails, schools, MBTA stops and fire hydrants. This demo takes that same public data and puts it in a site built for finding and using it. It is not an official City website and the City has not reviewed it.
What it adds
One search across everything
Search names, descriptions and keywords across all 57 datasets, filter by topic or type, and go straight to the data.
Tables and maps that load instantly
Tables open in a sortable, filterable preview. Map layers are pre-cut into vector tiles, so maps draw only what is in view.
Queries in the browser
Filter, chart or write SQL against any dataset. It runs in your browser on open file formats, with no database to run.
How it works
Every dataset was read from the City’s public ArcGIS services and converted into open formats: CSV and Parquet for tables, PMTiles and GeoParquet for map layers, plus GeoJSON for download. Record counts match the source, apart from a few map rows with no location. A scheduled job can re-read ArcGIS to keep the site current; ArcGIS stays where the City manages its data, and each dataset page links back to its live ArcGIS service.
Questions or feedback?
This demo was built by Datopian, a core contributor to CKAN and the team behind PortalJS. Write to us at hello@datopian.com. For questions about the data itself, contact the City of Newton’s GIS team at gisinfo@newtonma.gov.