Boyneside Trail receives funding allocation of €92k
is caused by a rare condition linked to Macular Degeneration and she began losing her sight when she was 28. The Newfield mother of five had 7% vision 14 years ago but this has now dwindled to just 1%. She said there were a number of small things that can be done to improve the situation around town for those who are visually impaired, including adding some yellow reflective paint or tape to many of the dark bollards and lampposts around town. ‘When you’re visually impaired you just don’t see things like those bollards because of the colour. ‘It’s the same with lampposts. They are grey, the footpaths are grey, everything is grey, you can’t distinguish between them so it makes it very hard for us because we can’t see them.’
Ann also revealed that works around the town are a nightmare for the visually impaired with holes in the footpath, wheelbarrows and blockades leaving it near impossible to negotiate. ‘Narrow West Street is particularly bad between the footpath and the road are all flat and then you have the bollards to negotiate as well. That whole area is a nightmare. It’s not major changes, they are just small things but they would make a big difference to peoples’ lives. Speaking following the the walkabout, Mayor Smith said the council engineer had explained that a survey of all trafffic crossings had been carried out before Christmas and said that while there are three or four they are concerned about, the rest are working to optimal standards.
‘ There is some concern regarding crossings at the Haymarket as this is a very busy and noisy junction, also the Bull Ring/Shop St. There is no pedestrian crossing at the bottom of Mary St or at the junction between the Cord Road and Francis St. FUNDING of €92,628.76 has been awarded to the Boyneside Trail, it has been revealed.
The funding was announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD, who confirmed funding will be delivered to Louth County Council to upgrade and improve the established trail. The maximum grant available was €100,000.
The news has been welcomed by local TD Fergus O’Dowd who said: ‘ This funding is part of the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Scheme, and is part of a €2.2 million allocation for 32 rural recreation projects nationally. This funding is a really important part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and is designed to to improve walking trails, greenways and other recreational amenities.’
‘ This is fantastic news for the local community who already make great use of the trail and will certainly improve the chances of the trail eventually growing and expanding all the way out to the East Meath Coast.’
He went on to say the government is committed to supporting locally based recreational projects that will benefit and encourage people to experience the beauty of the local environment while at the same time boosting tourism which will benefit the local economy.
‘ This is a project that I have supported and campaigned on behalf of for some time now and I would like to thank all the Boyneside Trail Committee members for their relentless work on the project.’