What? 

John Willoughby has been an Armidale resident since moving with family here in 1962.  He commenced a business in 1976 as the first business in Acacia Park, an Armidale Council-initiated industrial park.  
John and wife Bev designed and constructed their current residence at Gungurru, on an allotment with frontage to Castledoyle Road in about the year 1995.
They have seen the continual increase of traffic volume on Castledoyle Road, initially from the increase of lifestyle acreage blocks, then increased weekend traffic to The Blue Hole  (Oxley Wild Rivers National Park), and more recently the development of two businesses employing over eighty people with access via Castledoyle Road. 
They have also witnessed the weekend use of Castledoyle Road as a pleasant exercise bicycle route, and to a lesser extent, walking, from Mann St to Gungurru. 
Road safety has now become a major issue. The existing section from Round Road to Mays Road is especially not fit-for-purpose for cycle use, shared with vehicular traffic along a dangerous stretch of road with narrow shoulders.   
John’s  personal objectives for a purpose-built cycleway are ranked in this order:

1. Road Safety: We must avoid any accidents. Non negotiable. 

2. Business activity. More inland tourism, more rural B&Bs, more motel accommodation, more café traffic, more bike hire,  more retail. 

3. Community health. John is keen to get people of all ages walking, bike riding and socialising, and get youth off screens and exercising.

John is a passionate booster of small business  and sees the development of cycling assets as a tourism driver.  He thinks inland tourism is one of our only prospects for growth. Visit Orange and Mudgee and see what can be done.  
He says that Armidale needs the economic  boost of the Wild Waters Cycleway, Imbota Mountain Bike Trail and Gungurru Gaitway  projects. 
 

From 2001 to 2023, Peter Sniekers was the Business / Agribusiness Development Manager for the New England region with Dept Regional NSW, working across a variety of business sectors and communities with the objective of increasing regional NSW’s contribution to State GDP  (ie. attracting new investment / expanding existing businesses and creating jobs / enhancing economic-enabling infrastructure). His strengths were in the establishment of local networks and assisting local stakeholders access government assistance grants across a range of activities (new market access, export-ready assistance, infrastructure grants, business expansion, bushfire / drought and flood recovery assistance etc).

Peter has qualifications in Agricultural Economics (UNE), a Graduate Diploma in Business Management (UNE Northern Rivers), Registered Representative qualifications on the Sydney Futures Exchange (SFE), and a Certificate of Export Procedures and Documentation from the Australian Institute of Export / Export Council of Australia.

Peter is married to Cathy, lives in the Castledoyle Road area and together have three adult children and six grandchildren. He  enjoys bushwalking, cycling, gardening, travelling and surfing.

Jane is a local mum of two teenagers and a dedicated outdoor enthusiast with a passion for community improvement.
Campaigning for the cycleway and walkway is a mission that aligns with Jane's values and aspirations. She has a genuine desire to share the enjoyment of walking and cycling in and around beautiful Armidale with others.

These activities contribute to improved physical and mental health, reduced stress and a deeper connection and sense of pride to our surroundings.

She firmly believes that when we create safe and accessible pathways for everyone, we open the door to a more vibrant and united community, and a place of welcome for visitors.

Almost everyone in Armidale will be familiar with Grant. If you needed a car, or a car service, 50% chance you would have dealt with Grants multiple franchises and a car yard.

Recently, Grant stepped back from active business, and exited his automotive business interests. This has allowed Grant and his wife Linda to travel and get involved in community work.

Grant brings to the Castledoyle Road Cycleway committee years of marketing and “getting stuff done” experience.

Grant is firmly wedded to his ICE cars, but fellow committee members are doing their best to get Grant interested in cycling and electric vehicle options. No doubt, in future, you will soon see Grant and Linda in a Tesla …but not too soon. Electric bike whizzing out to the Blue Hole is a firm possible eventuality.