Donegal County Council has been asked to review plans for the next phases of the LK Green Connect scheme, with a special focus on sustainability and maintenance.
The LK Green Connect walking and cycling paths aim to transform unused land between Pearse Road, Port Road and Neil T Blaney Road.
The cost and practicalities of the first phase were called into question by Independent Councillor Michael McBride at this month’s meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District.
The €1.1m Linear Park, opened in June 2023, fell into an untidy state over the last year when no maintenance funding was provided to Donegal County Council.
The park was tidied up in October following a number of calls from local representatives.
“Council staff did a great job tidying the grass but it look a long time for them to do it, if we are going to run that through the whole town we need to revise the type of design we are going to deliver,” Cllr McBride said.
He also questioned why so many sheets of steel were installed in the park without coating.
May 2023: Construction of the Letterkenny Linear Park, as seen here from the Joe Bonnar Road
“A woman with children was there and one of her children got their clothes destroyed by learning up against it – it was covered in rust,” Cllr McBride said.
“There could be upwards of 60 sheets of steel and I would ask the cost of that, and how practical it is.”
Cllr McBride was given an update on Phase 2 of the scheme, which will take the greenway up to the Pearse Road. The Regeneration Team have begin early design work and will consider options around form, function and materiality. The council said the planning will include considerations around ongoing maintenance and sustainability and that elected members will be invited to a workshop to engage with the team.
“I think we are heading in the right direction if we are going to review the design of it,” concluded Cllr McBride.
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