Ramparts shortcut develompent most welcome
There was welcome news last week that Louth County Council have uncovered a 100 years old ‘wayleave’ that allows them develop a walk along the Ramparts, stretching from the rear of the former Crossan’s garage on the Dublin Road to the Avenue Road.
For years the area has been a blight on the landscape of that area, overgrown, rat infested and a frequent location for the dumping of all kinds of rubbish.
At times the banks of the river, the
Ramparts has been so overgrown that it was virtually impossible to see the water.
Houses along Hill street back onto the area, and the pathway which runs along the river bank is virtually unnavigable during winter because it is often littered with potholes filled with water.
Yet the pathway remains a popular shortcut for many, especially students who reside in the nearby accommodation apartments. They ignore the potholes and the safety concerns as the pathway is unlighted.
Many believed that unless and until development took place on the vacant side on the town side of theb former garage, and indeed on the vacant garage site itself, that the walkway would never be developed and the area cleaned up.
Now thanks to the discovery that the Council has a ‘wayleave’ on the land that stretches back almost 100 years they which allows them develop a riverside walk along the Ramparts which will connect the Long Avenue with the Dublin Road.
Better still a grant of €100,000 has become available to complete the work and hopefully it can be completed before the Spring.
The walk way will emerge on the Avenue Road close to where new traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing were recently erected and presumably they will come into use when the walk way is complete.
It is to be hoped that this work to upgrade the area will be incentive an for the owners of land in the area and the former Crossan’s garage to develop the area which has been an eyesore for much too long which is rather surprising considering the location so close to the town.
A start will now be made by the Council’s initiative and must be continued.