DERRY JOURNAL Editorial : Build more greenways and they will come

While every effort must be made to mitigate and safeguard against any adverse impacts for local traders, the direction of travel is clear - a gear shift towards laying the foundations for a more environmentally friendly, less polluted, healthier region much less reliant upon motorised vehicles.

The pandemic has led to a mini revolution on how we get about. More people have been lacing up their trainers, climbing on bikes and heading out to explore their areas. There are hugely beneficial side effects in all of this: people are getting the chance to slow down, take in our beautiful cities, towns and rural areas across Counties Derry, Donegal and Tyrone, while also getting exercise and fresh air. We are rediscovering our world, taking in the sights and sounds of nature which have come back to the fore as the din of traffic and the bustle of every day life faded away. And there are also great benefits in all of this for our mental health.

Even before the pandemic, the interest in healthier lifestyles and the amount of people using the north west’s network of greenways has exploded over recent years. You only have to take a dander out the Bay Road or along the quay to see how successful the greenways project has been. It is also breathing life into the heart of cities, towns and villages. Running and cycling clubs have mushroomed while the number of people joining gyms, exercise classes and taking on personal training sessions has also increased dramatically.

It is now timely and imperative that more work goes in to extending and building upon all that. The long awaited Strathfoyle Greenway project must be expedited, along with the huge investment earmarked for cross-border greenways from Derry to Inishowen and Strabane to Lifford. The popularity of the current greenways, our parks and recreation spaces demonstrates that if you build it, they will come.