Sinn Féin Councillor Thérèse Ruane has welcomed the plan to develop Rehins Woods which will now be submitted to the Department of Agriculture for consideration under the NeighbourWoods Scheme.
Cllr Ruane, a member of Rehins Woods steering committee, said: “It is 18 months since my proposal to approach Coillte to explore the possibility of developing Raheens Woods as a public amenity for the town was unanimously backed by members of Castlebar Town Council. Great progress has been made since then. Coillte has given its full support to this project, showing continued commitment to developing woodlands as public amenities. Other woodlands owned by Coillte have been developed in many other towns and locations throughout the county such as Belleek Wood, Ballina, Brackloon Wood, Westport, Drummin Wood, Pontoon, Westport, and Moorehall.
“It is great news here in Castlebar, Raheens Woods will join this list. The county council application to the NeighbourWoods Scheme includes parking facilities, installation of multi-purpose pathways, seating, display boards, signage, gates, planting of trees and shrubs and at an estimated cost of €100,000.
“Raheens Wood is within two miles of Castlebar and is just 500 metres from the Castlebar lakes. The woods will flank the newly approved greenway linking Castlebar to the Great Western Greenway which will hopefully also link Castlebar to Turlough and the Museum of Country Life in the future. All these developments will change the face of Castlebar as a tourist destination while providing badly needed public recreational amenities for the people of the town.”
