A SURVEY has been doing the rounds across Calala, calling on residents to speak up about a possible new thoroughfare from the suburb to the city.
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Tamworth resident David McKinnon created the flyer and contracted Australia Post to drop close to 1200 of them to Calala homes last week.
The survey highlights two possible routes that Mr McKinnon believes could become a new access road from the Tamworth CBD to Calala, as Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) works to develop what it calls the 'Calala Corridor Strategy'.
The first option on Mr McKinnon's flyer connects Calala Lane to Scott Road, while the second option connects Calala to Armidale Road, crossing over iconic tourist drive King George V Avenue and the Peel River.
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Mr McKinnon said he had the pamphlets printed and dropped off to what he hoped would be "everyone in Calala".
"I'm making sure that I've got all the comments coming back from the Calala people and then they will be presented to council," Mr McKinnon told the Leader on Thursday.
"We've had about 50 responses so far, which is not that big yet but it is an indication of what those people who are interested want."
Mr McKinnon said the calls he had been fielding and the incoming survey answers had been "overwhelmingly" in favour of the route to Scott Road.
When the Leader asked council if the Scott Road to Calala Lane route was being considered in its development of the Calala Corridor Strategy, it would not be drawn on the routes under consideration.
A statement from TRC's manager of project management and engineering services, Graeme McKenzie, said the plan would "aim to address road access issues related to future expected residential growth of Calala".
"The strategy is expected to be finalised in the first half of 2021 when the community will be informed about the findings and proposed plans for future road access and improving traffic flows," he said.
Mr McKinnon said his proposed route to cut across from Calala Lane to Scott Road was "a third of the distance" and "probably at least a third of the cost" than the second route he had highlighted.
He said the Scott Road connection was an issue that had been put to council several times over the years.
"We have presented this multiple times and never got feedback," he said.
"If council is getting close to presenting something, it's time to involve people in what they want."
King George V Avenue and its heritage-listed trees are linked to the five roads that council voted to adopt recently.
Four of the unsealed roads shoot off toward Calala, while the last runs from the avenue toward Armidale Road.
Mr McKinnon said one of the roads to Calala has gum trees that are important to "the heritage of this town" and are home to native wildlife.
He said the option he believes council is considering would see those gum trees flattened, which is another significant reason he's against it.