Plans to tar rural path criticised by Coalisland residents

A MEETING is set to be held in the Craic Theatre, Coalisland, tonight (Monday) where Mid Ulster Council are expected to outline final plans to widen and tarmac a path on the Coalisland Canal Walkway between the Moor Bridge and the Reenaderry Road.

However the plans to upgrade the area have been subject to recent controversy, with many concerned residents claiming that a survey carried out by the council wasn’t clear in regards to its objective.

An online survey showed that 50 per-cent of those polled did not want tar to be used, although 47 per-cent did want an upgraded path that can be used by all.

Should the upgrade go ahead, it is believed that the rural path will be widened by two metres, and tar-macked in order to allow access to traffic.

One concerned resident, Anne Walsh, said that residents ‘feel they are being walked over’.

“The council have stated that they have engaged rigorously with the public with openness and transparency, when, clearly, they have not,” she said.

“They, apparently, contacted the landowners and farmers to attend meetings, but we ourselves have contacted a considerable number who have never been contacted by the council for said meetings.”

Ms Walsh highlighted that the part of the path in question is a ‘completely rural’ setting that farmers use to access their land.

“Walkers and photographers come daily to observe the abundance of wildlife,” she explained.

“And people from all walks of life use it daily, such as dog walkers, families, runners, cyclists and everyone else in between.”

Cllr Malachy Quinn said he hopes that the council will take the public’s views on board.

He explained, “The council have been pushing this project in the area for quite a while with money from DfI to carry out tarmacking.

“The path is six miles long, with half of it already done. The council are looking at this as the ‘final stretch’, in order to bring it up to the same standard as the rest of the path.

“However, this final section of the path is in a particularly rural area, and a lot of people want it kept the way it is…”

It is understood that following tonight’s meeting, the public can have another say before plans go to a vote at a forthcoming council meeting.