New greenway facilities at old Streamstown station almost complete

Building works on the long-awaited refurbishment project at Streamstown Railway Station, on the Old Rail Trail Greenway, are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

This was the reply given to local Fine Gael Cllr, Tom Farrell, who sought an update on the refurbishment project at the November meeting of Athlone Moate Municipal District.

Cllr Farrell welcomed the news from Westmeath County Council that there will be “substantial completion” of the building works “before the end of the year” and said the new facility will be “a regular attraction” for those using the Greenway.

“Streamstown lives halfway between Athlone and Mullingar, and in close proximity to the Hill of Uisneach, and this enhancement project is most needed and I expect it to prove an immensely popular attraction next year,” said Cllr Farrell.

As part of the refurbishment of Streamstown Station, new male and female toilet facilities and a café are to be installed, along with a purpose built unit for the charging of electric bikes and a number of electric vehicle charging points.

The May meeting of the Municipal District was told by Director of Services, Barry Kehoe, that the council had identified “some funding” to install the necessary facilities at the disused rail station, including electricity, wastewater treatment and water, and he expressed the hope that grant aid would become available to complete the small coffee shop in the station building itself.

The May meeting heard that the old ticket office at the Streamstown station was to be converted into a toilet block, and it was anticipated that the building works could get underway in July, on a 12-week contract.

“We hope to get the toilets finished by the end of the year, and with a fair wind by year’s end, we may get some grant aid under one of the various schemes open to us to finish off the little coffee shop in the station building,” Mr Kehoe told the May meeting.