Three more worthwhile projects have been boosted by the Levenmouth Reconnected Programme (LRP) to the tune of more than £670,000.
Around £360,000 will go towards the creation of a new conservation building at the Fife Heritage Railway site at Kirkland, while £252,000 has been secured for a brand new Leven Skatepark on the site of the existing facility on Leven Promenade.
A further £58,365 has been awarded to the Levenmouth Discovery Landmarks project, which will see a series of interpretation boards, signs and displays installed around the Levenmouth area to both inform and entertain locals and visitors alike.
The LRP was set up to maximise the economic and social opportunities presented by the recently reopened Levenmouth Rail Link, with a £10 million fund – managed by Fife Council – made available by the council and the Scottish Government to support local initiatives.
Up until now, seven projects have received large grant funding through the LRP, and the LRP Oversight Group recommended that these three new applications should go forward to the Levenmouth Area Committee for formal approval.
The Heritage Railway project will see the installation of a new steel framed and clad building on the Heritage Rail site for public display and access to trains, train restoration and storage.
It is part of the wider vision for Fife Heritage Railway, including the use of the former Network Rail offices to bring other partners into the area, and the new building will not only enhance visitor facilities and the quality of the destination but will also provide opportunities for local volunteering, tackling skills gaps, developing young people, and providing opportunities for all ages and abilities for leisure and social interaction.
Councillor Colin Davidson, convener of the Levenmouth Area Committee, said: “What we’re keen to do is up the community involvement in that particular project and this is going to allow us to build a facility that’s going to allow volunteers to work under cover, work on restoring the old engines and bring young people in to learn skills.
“Alongside the plans to create a community hub at the Fife Heritage Railway site, this is another natural piece of the jigsaw.”
Meanwhile, the Leven Skatepark project has been in the offing for some time and has been driven by the local community and the Leven Skate Board group.
Designed and laid out by current users (see artist's impression below), the new accessible state-of-the-art skatepark will be created on the site of the original park, with street lighting also being provided, all with the aim of encouraging use by more local people and visitors.
Cllr Davidson continued: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for people to enhance their health and wellbeing and it’s at the heart of everything we’re trying to do with the Promenade.
“The skatepark has been a fixture in Leven for a lot of years and it really needed an upgrade, so the LRP has meant we can give something back to young people and it’s going to be a centrepiece for a whole range of activities.
“We expect people will be coming from all over east central Scotland to use the facility when it’s up and running, as well as local people.”
As for the Levenmouth Discovery Landmarks initiative, new signs will link in with the current Fife Council signage strategy and would act as landmarks around the area.
Adding to the upcoming Discovery Trails, the boards will include information about nature, heritage, society, and feature digital interaction, while they will also be designed, built, installed, and maintained by local training and education centre the Community Trade Hub - a local social enterprise which has a proven record of helping people into employment.
The project will be managed and owned by the Levenmouth Tourism Association in partnership with local stakeholders and community groups.
Cllr Davidson explained: “The interpretation board project aims to drive people to specific areas related to the local culture and heritage of the area, and some of the key assets that we have in Levenmouth.
“Lots of people across Scotland perhaps don’t know about some of the attractions we have here on our doorstep so these boards will help visitors and residents understand a bit more about this wonderful area.”
A video highlighting the Leven Skatepark project is available to view on the Levenmouth Reconnected YouTube channel here.
Notes:
The process to approve grant awards from the £10m Levenmouth Reconnected Programme (LRP) fund was approved by the Policy & Coordination Committee on 13 May 2021 (2021 PC78 para. 296 refers).
The committee agreed that Large Grant applications, seeking over £5,000 (up to a maximum of £5m), would be assessed by the Levenmouth Reconnected Working Group panel with a recommendation made to the Levenmouth Reconnected Oversight Group for approval. The final decision on grant awards is then made by the Levenmouth Area Committee.
Details of the previous large grant awards are available via: https://levenmouthreconnected.fife.scot
In round four of the Large Grant funding programme, applications were received from 20 projects. These were assessed by the LRP Working Group panel who scored them on the criteria set out in the Levenmouth Reconnected Programme funding strategy and guidance.
The total estimated costs of the three projects supported by the Levenmouth Area Committee on Wednesday, August 21, are:
Fife Heritage Railway Conservation Building - £480,000
Leven Skatepark - £335,000
Levenmouth Discovery Landmarks - £77,820
