GreenWay

Linking the Cooks River with Iron Cove

The GreenWay is a vision to link the Cooks River and Iron Cove with a revegetated, alternative and active transport corridor. The proposed route passes through Leichhardt, Ashfield, Marrickville and Canterbury local government areas (LGAs) along the route of the Dulwich Hill to Rozelle freight line.

The project was recently awarded $1.83 million by the NSW Environmental Trust Urban Sustainability Program. The Grant Project will focus on the development of a best practice model for sustainable management of a public asset.

The draft Coordination Strategy for the Cooks River to Iron Cove GreenWay corridor is currently on public exhibition at Marrickville, Leichhardt and Ashfield Councils until 29 May 2009.

GreenWay concepts:

The current GreenWay proposal includes the following concepts:

• a GreenWay Trail shared multi-user off-road trail from the Cooks River pathway at Earlwood to the Bay Run at Iron Cove. It would follow or use the freight rail corridor and Hawthorne Canal and link to the existing pathway network north of Summer Hill;
• a new cycle and pedestrian link under Parramatta Road at Battle Bridge to connect the existing pathways north and south;
• a 'greenstreet' network of quiet cycling and pedestrian-friendly streets progressively implemented to complement and link to the GreenWay Trail ‘spine’ and any light rail service extending from Lilyfield;
• an off-road grade-separated cycling-priority shared pathway to link the GreenWay Trail to the Anzac Bridge Cycleway and Balmain. The pathway should ideally be routed within the disused Lilyfield rail tunnel and underneath Victoria Rd bridge;
• a ‘GreenWay Transit Corridor’ whereby light rail services are extended along the Rozelle freight corridor from Lilyfield to Summer Hill and possibly Dulwich Hill, in parallel with the GreenWay Trail and link to Anzac Bridge;
• creating a Bush Link corridor that enhances biodiversity and provides habitat and protection for the long-nosed bandicoot;
• develop a strategy and implement a biodiversity in backyards program to expand the effectiveness of the bush link corridor;
• promote the development of a cultural corridor for local artists - an ‘artlink’ trail with both commissioned and community artworks and sculptures;
• foster the formation of three cultural precincts along the corridor;
• expand on existing initiatives for improving water quality, including development of demonstration sites and in conjunction with the ‘trellis’ greenstreets concept; and 
• in discrete locations, naturalising the shorelines/stream bank of Hawthorne Canal and Cooks River in conjunction with bushcare sites and interpretive/cultural sites.

What do you think?

The draft Strategy can be viewed at Council’s Administrative Centre, at library branches in Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Stanmore and St Peters/Sydenham and online at Council’s website until 29 May 2009. There will also be a two community forums and a walking tour during the public exhibition period.

To find out more or to comment, visit the GreenWay consultation page in the Get Involved section of this website.

The draft Strategy has been developed by the GreenWay Working Group, which includes representatives from the NSW Government; Marrickville, Leichhardt, Ashfield and Canterbury councils, and community group Friends of the GreenWay. Development has been jointly funded by the councils and the NSW Government through its Metropolitan Greenspace program.

Find out more

The GreenWay is a diverse project that incorporates many disciplines.

Want to find out more about the GreenWay Strategy?

Contact Marrickville Council Transport Planner
Ph 9335 2179
email: trans@marrickville.nsw.gov.au

Want to join Friends of the GreenWay?

Contact the Friends Secretary
email: friends@greenway.org.au
website: www.greenway.org.au

Want to get involved in Bushcare in the Inner West?

Contact the Inner West Environment Group (IWEG)
email: info@iweg.org.au
website: www.iweg.org.au