The new cycleway at Grange south, Mullingar.

Greenway ready next month

The Mullingar to Athlone greenway route is due to open in September, two months later than expected.

Westmeath County Council, who are overseeing the project, recently received €3m for work on the 40km route linking Westmeath’s two main towns.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, council official David Hogan said that there is still significant work to be done, but once complete the route, which forms part of the Dublin to Galway Greenway, will be a “flagship project for Westmeath”.

Earlier this year, council had estimated that the project would be opened by middle of this month.

At the last meeting of the Mullingar Municipal District, Mr Hogan informed councillors that an additional €200,000 had been secured for work on the canal-side greenway linking Coolnahay Harbour to the Longford border.

The council has already spent €700,000 developing the greenway from Mullingar to Coolnahay.

Mr Hogan says that the additional funding will enable the council to improve the section from Coolnahay to the Longford border up to the standard of the other section.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Johnny Penrose called on the council to take a “leadership role” in the county for developing the tourism and employment potential that will be possible with the completion of the three greenway routes from the Meath border to Mullingar, from Mullingar to Athlone and from Mullingar to the Longford border.

Replying to Cllr Penrose’s motion on the issue, the MMD said that it “will avail of every opportunity to promote the various greenways and the tourism potential of the area”.

The MMD added that it had lodged an application for funding and that it intends to hold a workshop on July 23 to “identify viable projects”.

Speaking earlier this year, council official Barry Kehoe said that county will only fully reap the economic benefits when the entire project is completed.

“This section is going to have local and regional benefits, but the big benefits for the county will come when the full cycleway is in place because that’s when we will see it marketed nationally and internationally as an attraction,” he said.