Guest Speaker Dawn Livingstone (CEO Waterways Ireland) and her husband Robert with President of Lisnaskea Chamber of Commerce Maisie McElwaine and her husband John
THE chief executive of Waterways Ireland, Dawn Latimer, the guest of Lisnaskea Chamber of Commerce at last week’s annual dinner, told the members they were ‘very fortunate’ to be near one of the most attractive and scenic parts of the inland navigations, Upper Lough Erne.
Ms Latimer was the Share Centre’s first employee in 1981 before moving in 2002 to work in Waterways Ireland.
But, she told the guests that the challenge for Waterways Ireland was to spread the use of the lake outside the 15 mile corridor either side of Enniskillen so as to increase use at Belleek and the Upper Lake.
She added: “Waterways Ireland will be working with the businesses established on the upper lake to see how we can support them to flourish, eg the new jetty at Crom.”
She congratulated the chamber for the Upper Lough Erne Tourism initiative and, likewise, Barry (Flanagan) and the committee for the excellent work and events planned over the last year, adding, ‘there are lots of opportunities we haven’t touched yet’.
Boat numbers on the Erne have grown from just over 3,000 boats in 2004 to almost 5,900 boats last year, an increase of over 90%.
“Here in Fermanagh, we have an excellent partnership with Fermanagh District Council, who long before any other council, were developing the tourist potential of this country.”
She said the council look after the land side of the 54 amenity sites on the Erne, and Waterways Ireland look after the jetties and moorings.
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