€125,000 project is a step forward in a greener environment
LOUTH County Council has taken another step forward in its ambition to get people off the roads and onto the county’s walkways and greenways with the completion of the Ramparts-Blackwater river walk in Dundalk.
As a result of the €125,000 project, the former unofficial pathway along the Blackwater River has been upgraded to include a combined footpath and cycleway, pedestrian crossing and safety railings at Long Avenue, as well as landscaping, seating, and lighting. The manhole covers along the route, which provide access for river culvert maintenance, have also been covered under the scheme. The project received funding of €100,000 from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Irish Government under the Outdoor Recreation Scheme, with match funding from Louth County Council.
Commenting, chief executive of Louth County Council, Joan Martin said: ‘ This pathway has long been important to the residents of Dundalk, as it is used as a shortcut between the two main shopping streets in the centre of the town, and has a DkIT student residence adjacent – so it is brilliant to be able to realise its full potential with these upgrade works.
‘ This project links in with a number of the Council’s aims: to promote healthy living, to value and sustain our natural and built heritage, and to develop smarter travel options This river walk will provide a fantastic amenity for the people of Dundalk, connecting them with nature in an urban setting: the water course; the green river banks and the weeping willow trees, and we encourage everyone to get out and enjoy it.’