A RALLY has been organised against the $4.6 million mall redevelopment.
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Save Armidale Mall committee members Michelle Wheatley and Rod Carr said they want the possibility of a road taken off the agenda.
“One of the main things Armidale Regional Council claim is that they want to get a lot of public opinion,” Mr Carr said.
“We thought it would be a good idea to get a lot of people out here showing the public opinion.”
Both members are long-term shop owners in the mall.
A petition against a road has more than 1200 signatures at Carr’s Newsagency alone.
Online there are more than 500 pledges.
Claims that the mall is dead are a farce, Ms Wheatley said.
“I’ve had visitors say the reason they come here is because we’re different,” she said.
“Councillors have been democratically elected to represent the community.
“The petition and feedback to Have Your Say is all information they want to listen to.
It’s a total sales pitch, it’s not a consultation.
- Rod Carr.
“And, be aware there are thousands of signatures on that petition.”
A decision on the $3.3 million funding application will be announced in February.
A Community Connect engagement centre has been set up in the mall. But, Rod Carr is not convinced the plans can be changed significantly. “It’s a total sales pitch, it’s not a consultation,” he said. Armidale Regional Council mayor Simon Murray said he supports the community having a rally.
“The only question I’d have would be what is the issue?” Cr Murray said.
“If the majority don’t want a road in the mall we won’t have it. “If they’re jumping up and down about the traffic in the mall well that won’t happen.” More than 80 per cent of respondents to council’s survey said they did not want traffic in the mall.
Cr Murray said council would revise the plans based on community feedback.
“Let’s move forward and come up with a unified plan everyone is happy with,” he said. The rally will take place on February 3 from 11am at the Armidale central mall.