Greenway ‘under promoted’ – cllrs

A claim that the greenway in Mullingar is both “under promoted and underutilised” has been made by a local councillor, while a second councillor has revealed that many people don’t know how to get on to the greenway.

“It’s time to get serious about this,” said Cllr Ken Glynn at the September monthly meeting of the Mullingar/Kinnegad Municipal District (MKMD), where he had a motion on the agenda calling to have bins, toilet facilities, water bases, puncture repair stops and poop disposal facilities provided on the selection of Old Rail Trail within the MKMD district.

He was supported by Cllr Emily Wallace, who said that even despite the installation of the pedestrian crossing at Clonmore, there were people were not aware that this was the way on to the greenway.

The official response to Cllr Glynn’s motion stated that as part of ongoing work to enhance facilities along the greenways, funding applications were lodged under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme last July, for toilet facilities at Streamstown on the Old Rail Trail and other ancillary infrastructure along the greenways, including signage and repair stations.

“It is hoped that successful confirmation of this funding will be issued shortly,” the response continued, before going on to point out that play areas and water fountains were provided at Castletown Geoghegan and Ballinea using funds successfully secured last year.

Addressing the issue of promotion, the response stated that brochures are being distributed and the greenways are being featured in both national and international publications. Online promotion methods are also being used through the Visit Westmeath website and social media.

“We are also working closely with Fáilte Ireland and Waterways Ireland on promotional initiatives and have featured the Old Rail Trail in a number of recent Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands campaigns and the International Buyers Guide for Ireland’s Ancient East,” the response concluded.

Cllr Glynn welcomed the response but said he believed more needs to be done.

“I ran my own form of public consultation there a couple of months ago and got a lot of good conversation going,” he stated, remarking that Cllr Emily Wallace too had regularly championed the case.

“I’ve always felt it’s under-promoted and probably under–utilised,” he said.

While he welcomed moves to provide toilets at Streamstown, this was “quite a stretch,” from Mullingar he said, suggesting that the council create another hub, perhaps closer to Ballinea.

Cllr Glynn remarked that the response made no mention of bins: “I’m blue in the face walking the greenway and seeing poop bags all over the place,” he stated.

Cllr Wallace, supporting Cllr Glynn, was also adamant that greater promotion was needed.

“It’s a sin, that’s the way I look at it,” she said, referring to the numbers who did not know where the greenway was located.

“We have been so lucky to have had this infrastructure put in place, and now it is the little details that are letting us down,” she said.

Responding, director of services, Martin Murray, said he agreed there was more that needed to be done and he took on board the members’ points.