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Fresh plan

to avoid airport car

parkrow
Hans Hietbrink
a

THE MAYORS of eight

proposal, he is

regional councils will

I

Armidale Airport and so avoid the need for

paid parking.

today be asked to'chip in' to pay for an additional cai park at

also offering
tion.

another soluDumares q's

"Armidale

argument

is

I
I
)

plan to the mayors when they meet in

Guyra this morning.

Guyra mayor Hans Hietbrink will put the

that the idea is to relieve con-

gestion, so if
that's the case then I propose

The move comes in response to Armidale

It's envisaged that a community garden will be a feature oJ the proposed cultural and sustainability

that we all chip in and build

bigger car park," he said. was obviously a need for a

Cr Hietbrink said there

precinct

Dumaresq Council's (ADC) plan for a boomgate system

at the airport, incorporating a fee of about $14 a day.

Have your say on local point

INTERESTED community members are invited to the first public planning meeting towards the establish-

Free parking would be available for pick-up and

drop-off.
But the proposal has met

long-term car park, given that many'people travel to Sydney for up to three or
four days at a time. "So let's build a gravel car

park, presuming there

Adam Blakester, who is

working with Armidale

commence work using the

exciting and could, if

realised, reinvigorate this currently neglected area of
the Moran Reserve area.

internal area of the old ten:

nis courts.

ment of a cultural

sustainability precinct off

New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) and the Aboriginal Cultural Centre
and Keeping Place. "Over the last few months there has been a lot of activity on the site, with regeneration of Black Gully, expansion of the bush tuckKentucky St on Saturday. The site ecornpasses the

and

Dumaresq Council (ADC) to facilitate the project. "The potential has been

"The success of this kind

recognised to consolidate and integrate these efforts

of endeavour will very much

depend on how strongly

into a larger master planning process, working with the

support is garnered lrom throughout the Armidale could evolve as an ideal

encouraged to come along, listen and contribute as the project planning progressMembers of the public are invited to attend a community forum, from 2pm to 5, on Saturday (meet below the NERAM carpark or in the Mazda room if weather is inclement). To find out more, call
es."

"The community

is

with strong opposition shouldn't cost too much from residents of neigh- and would relieve any conbouring regional centres, gestion," he said. At today's meeting - at who believe they will be l0am in Guyra - the mayors disadvantaged. of the region - Guyra, Cr Hietbrink said people
from outlying towns using
the airport would be forced

land available,

is

which

to pay more when

they

community,

Dumaresq Council, and

Crown Lands, who own the site, to move towards the

Armidale

and New England community," Mr Blakester said. He believed the precinct

place for all parts of the com-

needed to leave their vehicles at the airport car park. Coming on top of already

Walcha, Uralla, Walcha, Inverell, Glen Innes and Tenterfield - will discuss the issue with Armidale Dumaresq mayor, Peter
Ducat.

having to pay'exorbitant

Cr Ducat has rejected

a

establishment of a signifi-

cant cultural and sustainability precinct."

A community food garden

gardens lor the grounds and reinvigoration of outdoor spaces such as the amphitheatre," said

er trail,

is one of the proposed Iea-

tures of the precinct, and Down to Earth has applied Ior a temporary licence to

munity to meet and interact, using the area as a community garden or a park. However, the scope may extend much further. Council general manager Shane Burns: "This project that has been put forward is

air fares', this was 'just too much'. "l think it's a slap in the face lor the rural communities, the outlying areas," he
said.

suggestions of since January.

lack of con-

sultation, saying the issue had been on the agenda "Maybe we could have done more but I'm not sure
really make sure that everycrirl

Adam Blakester on

or email
2501
play.net.

6775-

0419 808-900, or
adam@paradigm-

option but to park at the

airport."
i-a an Al-l/+n rlrnn iho Iao

"We would have no

it's our responsibility to

that's put out there," he
body picks up everything

While Cr Hietbrink is call-