Terryland Water Plant set to be transformed into a water sports amenity
By Kiani Hildebrandt
The Terryland Water Plant is to be transformed into a new water sports amenity under the City’s new Blueway plan.
Through this project, Galway City Council aims for more recreational water sports and walking trails along the Corrib River.
The Blueway trail will be from Nimmo’s Pier to Lough Corrib and would increase tourism in Galway.
A Blueway is a recreational area near a body of water. Created in 1867, the water plant would provide history but it would also act as a great location to launch the water sports from.
The idea of the Blueway itself would allow for more water sports and recreational activities to partake on or near River Corrib. This includes kayaking, paddle boarding, cycling, and other water sports.
Fianna Fáil City Councillor, John Connolly, said “While the facility will provide a further attraction to tourists visiting the city, it will also provide an amenity for local clubs who promote freshwater activity sports and the people who participate in them. Some existing water sports clubs are without formal club facilities and there is a need for these facilities to be provided,” he said.
As the water plant no longer helps to provide water provision for Galway, Cllr Connolly believes this is the perfect use for the building to help the Galway community.
And as water sports, like kayaking, continues to gain notice and popularity, more people would come to enjoy River Corrib.
“Kayaking and canoeing are popular water sports and I believe they could be more popular if the correct infrastructure is in place. There is a need for such publicly accessible facilities that facilitate participation in these water sports. This facility would make water sport activities more accessible to the public,” he said.
Galway City Council Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath, said, “The Corrib river and the lake are a most wonderful natural asset for the entire western region and I have no doubt that this project has fantastic potential in terms of enhancing the tourism pulling power of the city and its environs,” he said.
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