€200,000 awarded for Kilmainhamwood village to Whitewood Lake footpath
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John Keogan of the Whitewood Lake Boardwalk Committee with Cllr Eugene Cassidy at Whitewood Lake.Image 2 of 2
Cllr Eugene Cassidy and John Keogan of the Whitewood Lake Boardwalk Commitee look out on the lake where ambitious plans are being worked on to develop a boardwalk linking up with the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway.Funding of €200,000 has been awarded for the construction of a footpath between Kilmainhamwood village and Whitewood Lake which will provide a safe access to the amenity for locals.
The funding has been allocated under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) and local councillor Eugene Cassidy said as well as constructing a footpath from the village to the lake, the existing path to the lake would be tarmacked and seating areas and an information board would also be provided.
"I am delighted to get this money for the footpath which means that Kilmainhamwood will have a safe access for use of the beautiful Whitewood Lake. We are continuing to work on the possibility of a boardwalk which would link in with the greenway, if it is found to be feasible. Reports are currently being worked on which will determine this. If it is found to be suitable, we then need the consent of the four landowners involved to proceed to a planning application."
John Keogan of the Lake Boardwalk Committee also welcomed the funding for the footpath saying: "This is brilliant news for Kilmainhamwood. It will enhance the safety for those walking to the lake from the village and through time in the next phases we look forward to hopefully linking up with the greenway by building a boardwalk across the lake."
Ambitious plans are currently being worked on that could eventually see a 460m boardwalk across the lake, similar to the boardwalk on the popular Acres Lake in Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim. The boardwalk would link the existing car park to the former railway track that is currently being developed as a greenway on the old Navan to Kingscourt line and would form part of a looped walk/cycle linking Kilmainhamwood village with the greenway.
Work recently commenced on the 11km section of the greenway between Nobber and Kingscourt. The first stretch between Nobber and Kilmainhamwood, which passes Whitewood Lake, is expected to be completed by March or April of next year.