A NEW walkway around the perimeter of St Mary’s GAA club and the Beda pitch in Ballineen and Enniskeane will provide a safe off-road walking facility for the local community.
St Mary’s GAA and Beda collaborated to form a sub committee to spearhead the construction of the walkway from the main pitch to the station house, and onto the Beda grounds.
Last week, contracts for the project were signed after they received funding from the West Cork Leader Lag (Local Action Group) in conjunction with Avondhu Blackwater Partnership.
During the past two years of Covid, the pitches became a ‘de facto’ walkway as locals found comfort in walking there during rolling lockdowns.
Speaking to The Southern Star, Jason Collins, chairman of St
Marys GAA, said they are really looking forward to starting work on the project, which will promote health and fitness in the community.
‘We have received 75% of funding and we will have to come up with the other 25% through local fundraising and already the local ladies club is holding a fashion show on March 25th to help raise money for the project,’ said Jason.
‘The main thing is getting people back out in the community after Covid and now hopefully people will have a hard solid surface to walk on, and it’s off the road, which makes it safer too.’
Jason added that they are also planning to install lighting at a later stage and the walkway forms part of a three-year plan that the committee has in place which also includes installing astroturf around the hurling wall.
Works on the project are expected to take place in April with self-binding gravel to be installed, which will help people of all abilities and ages to access the space.
