With strong
community campaigns being undertaken in Connemara, Tuam and Athenry to convert
old disused railway lines into Greenways, there is now a corresponding
grassroots movement in Galway city who want to transform an almost forgotten
series of old country lanes or boreens into a network of safe walking and
sometimes cycling routes that supporters believe will bring enormous health,
educational, environmental, biodiversity, social, economic and tourist
benefits.
To increase public
awareness and use of these ancient trails, they are asking people of all ages to
join them on a ‘Walk of the Boreens’ that will start at the ‘Plots’ sport pitch
on the Woodquay end of Dyke Road at 9am on Sunday September 30th as part of
National Walking Day and ‘Loving Galway – celebrating our Green and Blue
Spaces’ festival. It is being co-organised with the ‘Healthy Ireland at your
Library’ initiative.
The route will
primarily be along laneways and riverbanks stretching from Terryland via
Coolough to Menlo.
According to spokesperson
Brendan Smith, “With the increasing urbanisation of the world as populations
move in ever-expanding numbers into cities, there is now a growing realisation
by the medical, teaching and scientific professions as well by policy makers
and local communities that humanity’s growing disconnect with the rest of
Nature is causing serious long-term damage to individuals and to societies.
“Supported by
Mayor Sadiq Khan and an umbrella movement comprising politicians of all hues, teachers,
scientists, environmentalists, businesses and communities, London has led the
way in ‘bringing the jungle’ back into the lives of city dwellers by working
towards achieving ‘National Park City’ status. Through a combination of nature
reserves, parks, woodlands, gardens, wetlands, waterways and roadside verges it
is now recognised that approximately 49.8% of the English capital can be
defined as ‘green’ and ‘blue’. With a human population of over 8 millions,
there is also an estimated 15,000 species of flora and fauna living in this
huge built metropolis.
We want Galway to
follow the lead of London and work to lay the groundwork for a ‘National Park City’ status as part of
Galway City of Culture 2020. Mayor Neil McNelis expressed broad support for our
campaign when he recently met with our delegation that included Daniel Raven
Ellison, who initiated the London proposal in 2015. Investment is of course required
from City Hall and from government if this goal is to be achieved. But the
benefits are huge at so many levels. We also have the added advantage that Galway
has one of the most traditional rural landscapes of any city in Europe,
something that most citizens are not aware off.
So we want
people of all ages to join us on Sunday September 30th as we
undertake an exciting city journey along country lanes that pass by or through the
wetlands of the River Corrib, the woods of Terryland Forest Park, the karst
limestone outcrops of Crestwood, the hedgerows of Coolough, the waterways of Menlo
and the farmlands of Castlegar.
Participants should wear suitable weather/ramblers
clothing/footware and bring along packed lunch and water
For further
information contact Brendan Smith at speediecelt@gmail.com.
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