A major upgrade to the public realm along the Grand Canal at Wilton Terrace, on the northern towpath, between Leeson and Baggot Street bridges, opened to the public on 1st August 2025.
Visitors to this revitalised stretch of the Grand Canal will enjoy a wider pathway replacing two narrower paths and featuring spurs extending outwards towards the canal. Public seating has been increased and reorientated to maximise views of the water, with newly commissioned contemporary seating installed alongside recently restored, original cast-iron benches. The iconic Patrick Kavanagh was conserved in-situ throughout the works and now sits on a new granite base.
The public realm upgrade is a public-private partnership, co-funded by Waterways Ireland and IPUT Real Estate Dublin.
This transformational project has delivered an urban space designed to celebrate the canal, its rich cultural heritage and biodiversity. The project delivers on the shared ambition of both organisations to emphasise the strong sense of place and create an outdoor space in the city to facilitate a number of uses. This stretch of canal is a unique area in Dublin city, boasting one of the widest urban canal towpaths and a number of Dublin city’s finest tree specimens. It is located within a Georgian Conservation area and is strongly associated with literary Dublin.
Landscaping works were undertaken with particular care for the unique biodiversity of the area. A primarily native planting scheme was introduced alongside the new hoggin (self-binding gravel) path, which will support the root health of the fine mature trees along the route allowing them to thrive for the enjoyment of generations to come. Additional biodiversity measures have been incorporated to protect and enhance habitats for urban wildlife such as otters and bats.
Pedestrian counters record some of the highest footfall in the city in this area, which will increase further when nearby office developments open, with up to 5,000 new workers in the area.
Designed by Dublin-based Bernard Seymour Landscape Architects and delivered by award-winning international firm Maylim, the works commenced in January 2025, having been in preparation since 2021.
Waterways Ireland’s 10-Year Plan and 2025 Business Plan call out Greater Dublin as its most transformative opportunity to deliver for the public good: to reimagine how locals and visitors experience and traverse the city and surrounding areas; to make a climate positive impact through traffic reduction by hosting more journeys on the Grand Canal and Royal Canal Greenways.
Recent research shows that 26% of people across Ireland visited the Grand Canal or Grand Canal Dock in the past year. Visitors cite walking (50%), tourism (21%), and mental well-being (16%) among their main reasons. 81% of visitors agree that spending time at a waterway significantly contributes to their overall well-being and mental health.*
*Source: Usage & Attitudes Study, October 2024, W5