Three projects in Waterford have been allocated funding under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme as part of €3.5 million in funding to support 189 outdoor projects across the country, announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys.
The scheme is designed to support the enhancement of dozens of recreational amenities such as our mountain trails, forest walks, beaches, rivers, lakes, blueways and greenways.
Projects across every county have been chosen for investment of up to €20,000 under Measure 1 of the scheme, which is being delivered in partnership with Fáilte Ireland.
Funding for larger projects under Measure 2 and 3 of the scheme will be announced by Minister Humphreys in the coming weeks.
The Waterford projects are improvement works to a section of the Ramp Boreen Walk in Tallow which has been allocated €20,000; Cleireach’s Boithrín
(Cleary’s Boreen) Walk Project, in Portlaw, €20,000.00; and the development of promotional resources for Waterford Trails which was allocated €17,370.00.
Minister of State for Mental Health & Older People and Fianna Fáil TD for Waterford, Mary Butler, welcomed the funding:
"Covid-19 has given us a newfound appreciation for our great outdoors and we are now seeing an unprecedented level of investment in our outdoor amenities, underpinned by the most ambitious Government policy for rural Ireland, ‘Our Rural Future’.
"I’m delighted to see so many worthy Waterford projects supported under this funding with €20,000 allocated to carry out improvement works to the Ramp Boreen Walk in Tallow and over €17,000 earmarked for the development of promotional resources for Waterford Trails, to highlight the fantastic walks and trails we have in Waterford.
"Over the past two years we have seen increased usage of the great outdoors for recreational purposes by both visitors and local communities and I am particularly delighted to receive confirmation that €20,000 will be allocated under this scheme for improvement works to a section of Clearys Boreen in Portlaw. This is a fantastic amenity for the locality and I very much look forward to the next phase of development, '' concluded Minister Butler.
