Cherokee Tribune
3/22/2009
Ashley Fuller

Improvements to public transportation and greenspace are among the ways Cherokee County needs to improve over the next 50 years, according to residents.

The Civic League for Regional Atlanta is sponsoring a series of neighborhood forums in metro Atlanta in support of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Fifty Forward initiative.

The initiative explores how the region should look 50 years from now, and what changes should be made now to ensure future livability and sustainability.

The forum for Cherokee County was conducted at the Woodstock Community Center by the civic league, which was formed in 2005 to address issues of regional significance by developing the knowledge, involvement, voice and power of citizens in the region.

Participants at the forum in Woodstock were asked if a picture were taken in the year 2058 showing the Atlanta region had become a great place to live, work and socialize, what would be in that picture?

The results of it and other forums to be conducted later this year will be shared with the ARC to include in the development of the Fifty Forward plan.

“More public transportation is the key,” said Carin Mahoney of Canton, who suggested road lanes be dedicated solely for mass transportation to improve congestion and reduce wear on other lanes to save on repairs. “It will motivate people to use it because they know it is going to be quick.”

Greg Michael of Holly Springs said he has to think twice about going to an Atlanta Braves game these days because of the traffic.

“If I could jump on some sort of public transportation, I would go to more games,” he said. “But we are cut off from that up here.”

Residents also called for more functional greenspace. Gavin Shook of Sutallee said he wants to see more trails that take people to a destination.

“You could go from your home to shopping areas or restaurants,” he said. “Some may be able to use them for their commute to work.”

He said the Towne Lake area would be a good area to put in these kind of trails. Some residents mentioned a fondness for the model in Peachtree City, which created golf cart trails around the city. Shook said that could be another use for trails locally.

Michael said greenspace trails, especially in the county, need to be multi-use and more functional.

“You could get your exercise and get to work,” he said.

Jeff Wood, a member of the Woodstock Planning Commission, said more job centers are needed in the suburbs.

“We don’t need all the job centers in downtown Atlanta,” he said. “Why not have a job center up here? It is all retail.”