Opening date announced for first segment of South-East Greenway in Kilkenny
On your bikes!
The first segment of the South-East Greenway is to be officially opened by Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Jack Chambers, on July 25 at 11am.
This segment is the 6km Rosbercon to Glenmore stretch and the public will be able to access it through its entrance gates from early afternoon.
The greenway section includes notable landmarks such as the Pink Rock area and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge.
Cllr Fidelis Doherty has welcomed the opening announcement, stating that 'the pieces of the jigsaw are finally coming together' in relation to the entire greenway project.
"We have a bit of a journey to go yet to get the entire greenway project completed but this stretch will provide a great and safe amenity for locals and visitors alike," she said.
"The local community are very excited about this opening and about the future opportunities that the greenway will provide across South Kilkenny.
"Greenway links to Glenmore and Slieverue are in the detailed design stage at the moment and they will be great boost to local community once the public have their say in the consultation phase.
"The community in Glenmore are excited at how the impact of the greenway can be harnessed to the benefit of the village and there are some exciting projects being talked about."
In other greenway news, the 5km stretch from Ferrybank to Curraghmore is hoped to commence construction in August and the contract duration is expected to be twelve months.
The Belmont Link Road project will incorporate the car park access to the greenway at Ferrybank.
Design and planning is ongoing, with construction expected to commence in late 2024.
It is anticipated to take twelve to fourteen months to complete construction.
Fáilte Ireland will be working on the heritage aspects of the greenway and working on an interpretation plan in the coming weeks.
Cllr Tomás Breathnach told Kilkenny Live that he is hoping that the county's railway heritage will be represented in the interpretation signage.
He is also hoping that signage will be added along the greenway route to inform users of the townlands that they are passing through.