Petition calls for upgrade of Strabane river walkway

A PETITION with hundreds of signatures calling for the repair and upgrade of the riverside walk in Strabane has been delivered to Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC).

Launched last year by local man, Mark Diver, the call for action urges council to commit to revitalising the pathway which runs along the banks of the River Mourne adjacent to Meetinghouse Street and up Townsend Street.

The pathway first fell into a state of disrepair following flash floods in February 2018, but remedial work to the damaged section has yet to be undertaken and local people are becoming increasingly frustrated.

"I hope that the petition will now see some work being carried out on the walkway," Mark told the Strabane Weekly News.

"It's in use on a daily basis for walkers and local anglers.

"There has been too many empty promises from local politicians when running for elections and the only one that has kept their word and helped push this has been Raymond (Barr) who even took the time to come along and help with the clean up."

Access to the walk, a unique and popular facility along the River Mourne which had facilitated casual walkers, keep-fit enthusiasts and anglers, has been hampered due to the overall deterioration of the area.

A section of the pathway partially collapsed into the water during the 2018 flooding and while a specialist Integrated Consultant Team (ICT) was instructed by council to carry out a "detailed scoping exercise", none of the various solutions and costings have been brought forward.

Mark, who  initiated a clean-up of the area last year alongside a small and dedicated team of volunteers in an effort to make it more accessible, says the walkway in its current form should be retained and upgraded.

He and members of the Strabane Lifford Anglers Association, who have also been central to improving infrastructure along the river banks, attended the council offices on Derry Road on Thursday alongside independent councillor, Raymond Barr, to handover the petition.

Titled 'Save Our River Walkway', Mark went door-to-door in the Head of the Town/Springhill areas with the petition, with a copy also circulated in local shops and bars.

The petition collected approximately 600 signatures, while an online version was also available and garnered support.

The existing walk also holds a memorial to Mark's late brother Sean (Smurf) and Patrick (Pluck) McGrath who were both keen anglers.

He hopes to see work programmed shortly to retain an important amenity for the town.

"This town deserves a proper walkway on their doorsteps and we have one here," he said. "It needs sorting now, not another nine years from now.

"Next year marks the 10th anniversary of when Smurf went into the river and it would be great to see work completed by then or at least started.

"We need more council reps to get behind this project and get it completed ASAP."

An on-site meeting between council officers and elected representatives was held in October with a view to revisiting the issue.

It's understood options for the repair and reinstatement of the riverside walk, including the installation of gabions and the realignment of a section of the path, are being considered, but as yet, funding has not been identified for any capital expenditure.

Councillor Barr said the call for action cannot be ignored, adding that "frustration is again growing at DCSDC's lack of commitment to reinstating" the walkway.

"In 2020 a paper was presented to council with five remedial options but was never acted on," he continued.

"Fast forward to March this year and I was told some progress had been made in relation to design but since that silence.

"This issue has just become a case of kicking the can down the road.

"I presented a petition to council on behalf of the Riverside Walkway Cleanup group and Strabane anglers who have worked tirelessly at their own expense to keep the walkway functional.

"It's ironic that hundreds of anglers from far afield gather at this spot annually for fly casting demonstrations as part of the prestigious Strabane Angling Fair.

"God knows what impression they take away with them when they see at firsthand the neglect of this famous river which we are so lucky to have flowing through our town.

"I said it before; the stretch of the Mourne which runs through Strabane should be included in the DCSDC Environment and Regeneration directorate and developed and enhanced."

He added: "Enough is enough.

“Residents have signed this petition and demand that council stop dragging their feet on this issue."

A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed the petition had been received.

She added: "Council advises that while a detailed scoping exercise was carried out and an options paper outlining various solutions and costings to alleviate this issue was presented to the Environment and Regeneration committee, and the project remains on the capital list, it is not currently a fully funded project.”