Kildare County Council (KCC) request input from Boaters to their Masterplan for the Naas Canal Quarter
by Tuesday Sep 3 2024
KCC’s Masterplan is for the North-West Quadrant; the Naas Canal Quarter section includes the areas surrounding the Naas Canal, Naas Harbour and the Corbally Canal.
The IWAI Kildare Naas Canal Festival held in October, attracts boats every year but there are very few who travel the Naas & Corbally Canal throughout the year. KCC would now like to explore changes that would encourage boaters to visit Naas on a more regular basis.
KCC’s Survey is asking Touring, Recreational and Residential Boaters to provide KCC with their views on developing a vision for the Naas Canal Quarter. Your answers will help inform KCC on what amenities need to be developed in and around Naas Harbour – moorings, services, commercial leasing arrangements, recreational areas etc.
Boating amenities would also encourage boaters to consider basing their boats in a Heritage Canal Town. A Canal Town that has a rich history and canal infrastructure around transportation of goods and people to Naas, the Curragh, Corbally Harbour, Athgarvan, Kilcullen and Newbridge. Today that same infrastructure, can be used to provide locals and tourists of all ages and abilities with a place to live, visit and play.
The development of Naas Harbour as a cruising destination and boating centre would be helped enormously by extending the cruising range of the Corbally Canal to Corbally Harbour. Corbally Harbour has the potential to be a destination with amenities for visiting boats, cyclists, and walkers. There appears to be a short window of opportunity to enable the reopening of the Corbally Canal as the green field area near the R445, has been designated for commercial development. Will this prevent the removal of the culvert? The reopening of the full extent of the Corbally Canal, through the installation of a new bridge (fixed or swing/lift) on the R445 is crucial to the development of Naas Harbour as a cruising destination, by significantly extending the cruising range.
Here is your opportunity to influence KCC’s Masterplan and turn Naas Harbour and both Canals into a vibrant centre for local and visiting boaters, cyclists and walkers of all ages and abilities.
Note: This Map is a Draft, taken from Naas LAP Page 143, showing the area and some possibilities