Funding of €500k announced for upgrade of trail network at Lough Boora
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, has today (Tuesday) announced funding of €500,000 for Lough Boora Discovery Park.
The funding is for an upgrade of the trail network around the Discovery Park’s core visitor hub area to make it safe and fully accessible.
It's part of €16.1 million investment announced today for outdoor recreation projects right across the country.
On the impact of today’s funding announcement, Minister Humphreys stated: “This investment from my Department brings the overall allocation under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) to over €129 million since the Scheme was first launched in 2016.
“The times of lockdowns are thankfully behind us but those times gave us all an appreciation of what our stunning outdoors had to offer us for our mental and physical wellbeing.
“It gives me great satisfaction to see the work my Department does to ensure that our rural communities can benefit even more from what nature has to offer."
Offaly councillor John Clendennen warmly welcomed the announcement, describing it as “another step forward in the right direction in maximizing the potential of Lough Boora Discovery Park as one of the top tourism destinations" in Offaly and the Midlands region.
“I have been critical of Bord Na Mona’s commitment to Offaly tourism in the past, but having waived car park charges in recent months, this is another step forward in maximising the true potential of the Lough Boora facility, but it is important Bord Na Móna forge a stronger relationship with Offaly County Council into the future,” continued Cllr Clendennen.
“I want to acknowledge the support of Minister Humphreys and her Department in providing the necessary funding for a number of projects across Offaly in recent years.
"A lot of work has been done to develop the tourism offering in Offaly and today is another milestone in creating further economic opportunity in the local area. I wish Bord Na Móna well in their implementation of the project,” concluded Cllr Clendennen.
Also welcoming the investment, Ferbane-based Fianna Fáil local election candidate Barbara Daly expressed the hope that with this injection of public funds, Bord na Móna would show a renewed commitment to the maintenance and development of Lough Boora Discovery Park as a valued amenity for local communities and visitors alike.
She said: "It's time for Bord na Móna to show the communities in West Offaly what the plan for the Discovery Park is. What is its future?
"The people who live and work here have a right to be fully informed and consulted. We need to know that large scale investment by Government delivers for local people in terms of accessibility and affordability of the amenities.
Ms Daly explained: "We also need to know what the overall tourism Plan for West Offaly is. Huge investment of public monies in Greenways, Cycleways, Bog Trails is meaningless without a strategic approach that interlinks these amenities with each other and with our towns and villages. We need at this point to see the maps and plans that clearly show this to be the case.
"I’m calling on Bord na Mona and Fáilte Ireland to engage with the people. This is an opportunity that should not be let slip for that engagement with local communities to begin in earnest."