What is a greenway?

A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle traffic and sometimes including multiple transportation (streetcar, light rail) or retail uses.

The term greenway comes from the "green" in green belt and the "way" in parkway implying a recreational or pedestrian use rather than a typical street corridor, as well as an emphasis on introducing or maintaining vegetation, in a location where such vegetation is otherwise lacking.

Some greenways include community gardens as well as typical park-style landscaping of trees and shrubs. They also tend to have a mostly contiguous pathway, allowing urban commuting via bicycle or foot.  (Source: Wikipedia 2010). 

There are many national and international examples of greenways, including the The High Line in New York, and London's Jubilee GreenWay.

Cooks River to Iron Cove GreenWay

The Cooks River to Iron Cove GreenWay is an urban green corridor in Sydney’s Inner West, following the route of the Rozelle to Dulwich Hill freight rail corridor (currently being converted to light rail passenger service) and connecting two of Sydney’s most important waterways, the Cooks River and Iron Cove Bay, part of Sydney Harbour.

The key elements of the Cooks River to Iron Cove GreenWay are:

• The GreenWay Trail, a shared, off-road pedestrian and cycling path linking the Cooks River Cycleway at Earlwood to the Iron Cove BayRun at Haberfield.  Unfortunately, the implementaion of the GreenWay Trail as part of the Inner West Light Rail Extension has been deferred.  Councils and the community are continuing to lobby to have the funds for the shared pathway reinstated.
• Creating a north/south “bush link” or urban green corridor, including community bushcare sites which provide valuable habitat and “stepping stones” for native flora and fauna
• Community partnership:  The GreenWay has grown from a grass-roots community vision and continues to be a focus for arts and cultural activities, bushcare groups, sustainability education, festivals and events, with local Councils and the community working together
• The “GreenWay Trellis” concept aims to extend the GreenWay through a wider catchment of neighbouring parks, reserves, and private properties, with quiet "green" streets for walking and cycling, and native plantings in parks, reserves and backyards to provide habitat for native flora and fauna.

For more information about the GreenWay check out the pages on this website or download the GreenWay MasterPlan & Coordination Strategy.