The greenway has proven very popular with cyclists but a section has been destroyed by fire. Arson is suspected.
A section of the popular Boyne cycling and walking trail has been destroyed in a suspected arson attack.
Photos and video of the site show the damage is extensive. The entire wooden structure along a section by the River Boyne has been destroyed.
The damaged stretch is near Oldbridge in Drogheda, Co Louth, and is close to the Battle of the Boyne site.
Already a GoFundMe page has been set up to raise the money for repairs following the fire two days ago.
A target of €5,000 had been set. But after it was reached within 24 hours the target was doubled to €10,000 to ensure the best job possible is done.
Furthermore, any surplus will be retained by a group of local volunteers. In the meantime, cyclists and walkers who use the greenway will be forced out onto the adjacent road.
Advertisement
The damaged section is a boardwalk put in place as part of the wider Greenway Initiative seven years ago.
Senator Ged Nash, who lives locally, said he was “completely sickened by the act of naked, wanton vandalism that has destroyed our beloved boardwalk at Oldbridge”.
He added anyone with information on who was responsible should contact gardai.
Related News
Unbelievable scene of the burnt/ vandalised greenway, Drogheda side of the Oldbridge Sealock - Lock 1 of the Boyne Navigation!! Walkers, cyclist, etc will be back to the old status quo, fighting for space on the road with motorists. We witnessed such when restorating Lock 1. https://t.co/dJ2BTi9Hm6
— Boyne Nav. I.W.A.I. (@boynenavigation) July 27, 2018
The GoFundMe page reads: “On Thursday, July 26th, an enormous fire damaged part of Drogheda's popular boardwalk, the Boyneside Trail.
“It’s devastating to see the images of the fire-damaged structure circulating across social media.
“As sad as it is to see one of the town's most prized assets destroyed, let's turn this negative into a positive.
“In order to repair and reinstate the boardwalk, the damaged structure will have to be removed and new stilts have to be driven into the riverbed.
“Then a new supporting structure, deck, and handrail need to be constructed. The repair costs are likely to be substantial.
“But our aim in this GoFundMe campaign is to raise funds to show how much the community cares about the trail and want to see it restored.
“Think of your donation as a community contribution to a much bigger job. All donations received will go to the Boyneside Trail Committee.
“(These volunteers) will direct the funds into the work needed to repair the boardwalk.”
Topics
