Waterford City & County Council and Tipperary County Council have launched the first public consultation phase for the Waterford Greenway – Suir Blueway connection, potentially linking Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary to Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford.
Both councils are jointly seeking the views of the public in this regard as part of this initial, non-statutory public consultation process. The project’s web portal will open with detail on the project study area and how to make observations or submissions from Wednesday 31st August to Friday 7th October 2022.
The current feasibility study is being funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland as part of its annual support to Greenway projects nationally.
Providing a recreational trail to connect The Suir Blueway and Waterford Greenway has the potential to build on the investment in both amenities, substantially enhance the overall visitor experience, and extend dwell time in the area.
This proposed connection has the potential to deliver a differentiated, attractive, and authentic visitor experience through a varied landscape connecting to and supporting the economic development of the urban centre of Carrick-on-Suir and the rural villages of Portlaw and Kilmeadan.
Supporting the development of the rural tourism economy, this connection would leverage innovation, creativity and linkages enticing visitor flow between tourist attractions including Ormond Castle, Curraghmore House and Waterford Suir Valley Railway as well as the substantive Greenway and Blueway experiences.
Launching this initial public consultation phase Mayor of Waterford City & County, Cllr. John O’Leary said:
“I am looking forward to members of the public getting the opportunity to find out more information and to comment on what has the potential to be an extremely important and beneficial recreational project for the people of Waterford and our near neighbours in Tipperary. We have seen at first hand the transformative affect that amenities such as the Waterford Greenway can have. I am confident that this current proposed project has significant potential to add to the existing Greenway experience and to benefit the communities of Kilmeaden, Portlaw and Carrick-on-Suir, in particular.”
Also attending the launch of the public consultation phase was Cllr. David Dunne, Cathaoirleach of Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District who said:
“This is an enormous opportunity to build on the wonderful amenities provided to our citizens. It will have a major impact on the health and wellbeing of generations to come and will place Carrick-on-Suir in an enviable position at the heart of two incredible recreational and tourism offerings. We will the welcome the economic spin-off that will undoubtedly follow and we look forward to further fostering links with our neighboring communities in County Waterford embarking on this exciting joint venture."
Waterford City & County Council and Tipperary County Council have engaged a multi-disciplinary team led by Tobin Consulting Engineers to carry out the study on behalf of both local authorities.
View the study area and have your say on this exciting project by logging onto https://consultations.tipperarycoco.ie or https://www.waterfordcouncil.ie/projects/public-consultations/index.htm. Further information is available for inspection at the offices of both local authorities at Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Waterford City, Dungarvan and also Portlaw Library until 7th October 2022.
