Please Help! Your Submission today (July 30) can help make the Connemara Greenway become a reality!

We in the Connemara Greenway Alliance are requesting people that want to see and to enjoy what could be one of Europe's most pictureseque walking and cycling routes to make submissions before 4.30pm today (Friday July 30) to the Draft Galway County Development Plan 2022-28 in order to have it included as a priority piece of infrastructure that will help revitalise the towns and villages along the route between Galway city and Clifden.

The submission will take approximately 7 mins to complete. Please go to https://consult.galway.ie/

The Connemara Greenway Alliance, of which I am a member, has prepared a ready-made cut and paste submission which one can use and is available at:

http://connemaragreenway.ie/submissions-to-draft-galway.../

We sincerely thank all of those that have already made submissions. This is the Alliance’s final big push to get the Connemara Greenway from Galway city to Clifden included in the Development Plan and have it completed as soon as possible.

 

As well as the health, social and commuter benefits for the people of Connemara, the green tourism potential of this Greenway will bring huge economic benefits especially in the hospitality and services sectors. Dr. Pat Collins of NUI Galway undertook an economic research analysis of the potential impact of the Greenway and estimated that it would bring in €17million+ per annum to the region.

There will also be additional advantages to the city. With the construction of the planned walking/cycling bridge on top of the old railway limestone stacks in the River Corrib at Woodquay (as you know, City Hall has already secured funding from government under the Urban Regeneration Scheme), its terminus would help secure the Dyke Road as a unique blue and green hub combining a blueway along the Corrib stretching to the heart of Mayo; a forest way through the 120+ acre Terryland Forest Park; a boreen walking network to Menlo, Castlegar and Carrowbrowne; and a Greenway to Headford.

Sadly, in spite of the investment flowing in from central government, its development is extremely slow. 

Only c15km of the 76km route has been completed. This section is at the western side with no progress whatsoever being made between the city and Oughterard.

A few weeks ago, the Limerick Greenway opened to great fanfare with Greenways already operational in Waterford, Tipperary, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Longford, Monaghan, Louth...

So as an integral part of the walking/cycling, ecological corridor and Outdoor Classroom infrastructure for Galway city and country, your submission can help make the Connemara Greenway become a reality sooner rather than later!