THE new Benarty Community Centre is playing an important role in the life of people living in the four villages it serves and initiatives being developed can make it an even busier place.

Chairman of the Centre management committee, Willie Clarke, told the Centre annual general meeting, that the community facility was now three years old and people of all age groups were enjoying the facilities.

“There is everything from the Kids Come First group through to the ladies circle, with many other activities going using the facilities,” he said.

“Benarty Bumbles is a new group which started only in January and caters for babies and pre-schoolers which has gained in popularity week by week.

“The Centre is a real community hub and of course when the new skatepark facility is built within the next few months that will bring another fine facility to Benarty.

“The Skatepark and MUGA facility will bring superb facilities and this has had the youth of the area behind it at every stage with young people playing a vital role in every way, including in getting the grants needed to make it a reality.

“The combined facility will further enhance what we have to offer the people of Benarty here and I look forward to when it opens.” Mr Clarke urged all people in Glencraig, Crosshill, Lochore and Ballingry to use the facilities in what is a real community hub with the Benarty Events and Fundraisers groups playing their part in ensuring that the community enjoys a lot of great activities.

Community worker Mike Payne said that the community centre had a whole raft of groups operating successfully including Tai Chi in Benarty under Jake Arnott, the Feel Good Friday Group, Taekwondo, the junior youth club, Benarty History Preservation Group, carpet bowls, pilates, a sewing class, karate for kids and it also providing a base for the Community Forum.

“It is tremendous to see so many different age groups enjoying themselves at the Centre, but we can always welcome more,” he said.

The guest speaker was Times journalist over four decades, Jim Stark, who recalled that when he started in November 1973, Lochore Meadows Country Park was just being completed.

He felt that it was important that the fact that the Benarty area was built on coal should never be forgotten and he was delighted that a former miner had been going to the community’s two primary schools to tell the children about the Mary and Glencraig collieries and how these had played a huge part in the development of the four villages.

Jim also recalled how he had worked for 16 years with former Times editor Jack Dougary and some of the amusing stories about the man who doubled up being a journalist and a professional comedian. “Jack was the most amazing guy, he just had to walk into a room and people started laughing,” he said.

He felt that the Meadows country park could yet be a major source of jobs coming to the Benarty area if plans to expand facilities there come to fruition.

“I know that the Cowdenbeath Area Committee are determined to see a lot of expansion at the park and if the councillors get their way, it could become the biggest tourist attraction in central Scotland,” he said.