A DEVELOPING Lochore Meadows Country Park could be a key element in a growing local economy.

Councillors were told by Ian McCrory, Fife Council’s lead officer Business and Employability, that the potential of the park was huge.

Mr McCrory made his statement during a presentation to Cowdenbeath Area Committee on the economy under the committee’s umbrella.

He pointed out that the area had a population of some 40,000 people and the country park, in the latest figures available, had attracted 581,000 visitors over a 12 month period.

Added Mr McCrory, “This makes the Meadows one of the key visitor attractions in Fife and the potential is there for this to be further developed.

“The facilities available at the park are very good but I know that there have been further ideas put forward which could attract even more people annually to it and the area in general.

“The more people that come into the area the better for the economy and I am sure that the committee will be keeping an eye on the various developments that come forward.” Councillors pointed out that there were other attractions pending in the district which could also have a bearing on a strengthening economy.

Lochs councillor Ann Bain said, “It really is good news about how the Meadows is one of the biggest visitor attractions in Scotland, but it should not be forgotten that the St Ninian’s Opencast site, near Kelty, is earmarked to become a major attraction also, or at least that was the plan before Scottish Coal got into financial troubles, and I hope that this continues to be the case.” Mr McCrory said that there had been problems in different parts of the country with certain opencast sites not being properly restored but he said that in Fife things were heading in a very positive direction.

“We are certainly in a much better position than other areas and as far as St Ninian’s is concerned we have Hargreaves involved in completing coaling and restoring the site and the Land Art Project off the M90 Junction 4, is geared to being a major attraction,” he said.

Cowdenbeath member, Councillor Alistair Bain, said that it was clear that the two opencast sites, at St Ninian’s and Muir Dean, near Crossgates, seemed to be going well now and he hoped that a report could be brought to the committee in the summer about the progress being made.

His Cowdenbeath colleague, Councillor Peter Lockhart, said that bringing people to the area was clearly a major boost to the economy and he wondered if more could be done to make the four local golf courses more attractive.

“Fife is well known for golf and we have three public courses in the shape of the Dora, Auchterderran and Lochore Meadows, and I wonder if more can be done to promote these,” he said.

Lochgelly and Cardenden member, Councillor Mark Hood, said, “I have had a meeting with the Fife Golf Trust and there are plans to continue to improve and promote our local courses.” Committee chairman, Councillor Willie Clarke, stressed that he still felt that the Meadows Country Park was undersold by Fife Council.

“The Meadows is one of the greatest attractions in Scotland and I would question if there are many other places with the same beauty and facilities,” he said, “I just wonder if we cannot better advertise our park, because it is a fact that some of the visitors come across it by accident.

“It is something we have to look at for we could up that visitor number significantly.”