Kildare County Council has officially opened Phase 1 of the Grand Canal Greenway in Sallins, County Kildare.

The official opening marks the completion of an 11 kilometre section of the Grand Canal Greenway extending from Sallins to Alymers Bridge, as well as a new pedestrian bridge in Sallins.

Construction and associated works were carried out by John Craddock Ltd, and Fehily Timoney as Consulting Engineers following a competitive tender process.

The Greenway provides an opportunity for users to experience the communities and their histories throughout the route. Opening this section of the Greenway creates a viable commuting route from Sallins and onwards towards Celbridge and Dublin, contributing towards local authorities target of achieving a reduction in commutes to work by car.

The project is a result of a collaborative effort between Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland and is funded by TII and the Department of Transport. Phase 1 of the Grand Canal Greenway is one of a number of initiatives being progressed by Kildare County Council as part of the local authority's Active Travel Scheme. Phase 2 of the Grand Canal Greenway is currently at detailed design stage, with a Part 8 for the Sallins tie in, linking Phase 1 and 2 to be published later this month.

Minister Eamon Ryan said: "The opening of this 11km stretch represents another section completed on the Grand Canal Greenway. The Grand Canal Greenway represents a significant priority for my department with approximately €10 million invested in it since 2020.

"Work is continuing to ensure a continuous, almost entirely fully segregated route along the 130km canal stretching from Dublin to the River Shannon, which should be completed in 2025. Here in Sallins and along the entire stretch which runs through Kildare, this means that locals and visitors alike will be able to enjoy the tranquility, history and biodiversity of the canal as a great walking and cycling amenity."

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Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Councillor Daragh Fitzpatrick said: "The Grand Canal Greenway is a significant infrastructure and sustainable development project for County Kildare. We’re delighted to welcome Minister Ryan to Sallins for the official opening of Phase 1 of the Greenway and thank his department for their continued support and funding for this project. We look forward to seeing locals and visitors alike enjoy the route."

Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council said: "Greenways and the associated walking and cycle routes and facilities represent significant economic and wellbeing benefits, and we look forward to seeing these here in Sallins and across the entire county. Not just for tourists and tourism, projects such as this demonstrate our commitment to expanding our Active Travel and sustainable goals for the benefit of the people of Kildare, linking communities, friends, families along the route."

John McDonagh, Chief Executive, Waterways Ireland added: "Waterways Ireland welcomes the completion of this additional 11km of Greenway along the Grand Canal as part of the longer-term project to create a Greenway along the entire 131km length from Grand Canal Dock in Dublin to the River Shannon at Shannon Harbour. We look forward to working with our partners along the Grand Canal in the development of the tourism and recreational experience to make it a must visit destination on our waterway network."

Peter Walsh Chief Executive, Transport Infrastructure Ireland stated: "TII along with our Local Authority partners are committed to creating sustainable transportation options throughout the country. The Aylmer Bridge to Sallins section of the Grand Canal Greenway is a fine example of how we are delivering on this commitment."

John Cradock, Managing Director, John Cradock Ltd stated: "The greenway shall serve as a significant civic amenity to both the local residents of Kildare and visitors alike and shall no doubt further advance the active amenity offering in the locality."

Beren De Hora, Director, Fehily Timoney and Co. said: "Fehily Timoney and Company are delighted to have provided consultancy services for the detailed design and construction stages of the Grand Canal Greenway Phase 1. The natural canal environment, local wildlife, and quiet nature of the Grand Canal lends itself to creating a calming, peaceful and highly attractive amenity for cyclists and pedestrians. Through collaboration with Kildare County Council and Waterways Ireland the preservation and protection of the local environment has been given a high priority throughout this project.

"Soft engineering approaches were employed on the project which we think have resulted in a fair and equitable balance between preserving the environment and providing high quality greenway infrastructure. In time the natural vegetation and additional planting along the route will establish and further integrate the new greenway into the local landscape. We look forward to continuing to support development of the plans for the Grand Canal Phase 2 which will unlock the huge potential of the full Grand Canal Greenway route by vastly increasing the number of links to local towns and key tourism attractions in the area."