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April 22, 2008

Residents offer suggestions to improve area

By Jamie Jones

Canoeing on the Conasauga River. Less traffic congestion on busy West Walnut Avenue. More sidewalks. Downtown shops that stay open past 5 p.m. More attractive “gateways” to Dalton.

They were just a sampling of the myriad of ideas — and quibbles — voiced about the future of Whitfield County during a “visioning workshop” Tuesday night at the Dalton Community Center attended by about 20 residents. The workshops are being held to glean input on the county’s comprehensive plan, which is being developed along with the cities of Dalton, Tunnel Hill and Varnell, to provide a road map for the area. Previous workshops have been held for the east Whitfield County area, Tunnel Hill and Varnell.

Representatives from Atlanta-based MACTEC directed the interactive meeting. Attendees were given different colored dots — green for positive, red for negative — and asked to place them on 10 posters displaying statements about the community. Dots remained from previous sessions. Many were clustered around the topics of the growing Hispanic population and utilizing historic sites as tourist destinations.

During small group discussions, a number of issues were discussed. Dalton resident Thomas Pinson said there is a need to revitalize the area around the community center, which could include new housing. Pinson, who also serves as the center’s director, said the area is centrally located in Dalton.

“We’re pretty much right in the middle,” Pinson said. “Everything is around us.”

Dalton resident Andrea Dobbins thinks downtown Dalton could attract young working professionals who attended college in towns with bustling central business districts.

“They like the energy of living downtown,” Dobbins said.

But there is a problem. Many shops close at 5 p.m. Dobbins experienced this recently when she went downtown to buy invitations for a bridal shower and couldn’t find an open shop. She would also like to see more parks and perhaps walking paths downtown.

Paige Hately, a senior planner with MACTEC, said she hears those complaints about downtowns in communities throughout the state.

“The stores close at 5 p.m., there aren’t enough activities,” Hately said. “I hear those same concerns everywhere I go.”

The next workshop is Thursday for the Westside area at 6 p.m. The meeting will be at Westside Elementary School at 1815 Utility Road. A wrap up meeting will be May 20 at the Dalton Community Center at 6 p.m. For information about the comprehensive plan, visit the county’s Web site at www.whitfieldcountyga.com.

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