Media Release The incredibly popular Greenway – the six-kilometre active recreation corridor linking the Cooks River to the Bay Run – has been named this year’s Local Project of the Year at the 2026 Sydney Awards.
While the project is now universally loved by Sydneysiders, it took more than 25 years for the concept first dreamed up by community advocates to take shape.
Darcy Byrne, Mayor of the Inner West Council: “From the very start, the GreenWay was a vision that came from the community.”
“It was local people who identified the potential for a continuous active transport link running along the length of the light rail, and local people who kept advocating for the project across several years, many changes of government and a number of different challenges.”
“It’s being used not only by Inner West residents, but by Sydneysiders more broadly as a recreational destination and active transport corridor.”
Nick Chapman, community advocate and former GreenWay Place Manager at Inner West Council: “I used to walk my children across the canal to their school in Leichhardt and I thought there’s surely more we can do with this space. I wasn’t alone in thinking that.”
“The vision from the beginning was to transform this sleepy old canal corridor into an urban biodiversity link that connected the Cooks River to the Parramatta River.”
“Now, that dream has become a reality and so much more. The GreenWay isn’t just a three-metre wide bike path. It’s a place where people can meet friends, exercise, connect with nature, art, heritage and active recreation, right on their doorstep.”
More than just an active transport corridor, the GreenWay also has 15 bushcare sites, established and looked after by volunteers, to help improve the biodiversity of the corridor.
Monica Gibson, Deputy Secretary, NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure: “The GreenWay has shown us just how popular active recreation spaces and connections are. Its success is a great motivation to continue building networks of green and blue spaces right across Sydney so that more people have access to it.”
The Committee for Sydney’s Local Project of the Year Award, supported by Lime, celebrates those working in the community to make Sydney a little better every day.
Eamon Waterford, CEO of the Committee for Sydney, said: “People absolutely love the GreenWay. On any given day, you will see thousands of people making their way along the route and immersing themselves in nature. It’s a testament to how much a path can shape a community.”
“As Sydney grows and more people live in medium and high-density housing, having access to urban greenways becomes increasingly important.”
Professor Leonie Tickle, Executive Dean of Macquarie Business School, said: “The GreenWay is a fantastic example of a project that has been enormously popular amongst the local community and is now being used as the blueprint for a city of greenways.”
Will Peters, Lime’s Asia-Pacific Head, said: “Congratulations to everyone behind this project. Initiatives like this are helping to build Sydney’s future and deserve to be celebrated at every level, from the community to government. It’s wonderful to see this project not only recognised, but embraced and used every day by the community.”
Designed to celebrate people whose efforts make Sydney the greatest city in the world, there are six categories: Sydneysider of the Year, Young Sydneysider of the Year, Project of the Year, Local Project of the Year, Unsung Hero and the People’s Choice.
The judging panel for the awards included:
- The Hon. Prue Car MP, Deputy Premier of NSW
- Kellie Sloane MP, Leader of the Opposition
- Zac McLean, Head of News, The Daily Telegraph
- Prof. Leonie Tickle, Executive Dean, Macquarie Business School
- Susan Wheeldon, Country Manager, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, Airbnb
- Kerry Robinson OAM, CEO, Blacktown City Council
- Shaun Christie-David, Founder & CEO, Plate it Forward
- Karen Bevan, CEO, Full Stop Australia.
The Sydney Awards are supported by major partner Macquarie Business School, media partner The Daily Telegraph, and event sponsors Aqualand, Architectus, EY, Sydney Airport and Lime.