COWDENBEATH Area Committee is to plunge over £60,000 into improvements of facilities at Lochgelly High School community use.

Wednesday’s meeting of the committee heard that although there are extensive outdoor playingfields at the school these suffer from major drainage problems while the two astro-turf courts at the rear of the facility are unsafe for use.

Sara Drury, head of community use in the Cowdenbeath area, said that there needed to be redevelopment of several areas of the community use department.

Indeed, there were currently only viable indoor areas that can be utilised to provide pupils and customers with an enjoyable and engaging experience.

Ms Drury explained that the astro area regularly flooded and the carpet was at times extremely slippery and dangerous and it was rarely used.

She went on, “The dance studio/gym area provides good space for activities to take place but it is restricted due to the poor state of fitness equipment and lack of designated space.

“The dance studio could benefit from being separated so that two clear areas are established and the community cafe, which is used as a spill over classroom during the school day and a social area in the evening is a great space, and there is potential for it to be developed.” The head of community use went on, “The health and wellbeing of the population of Lochgelly and its surrounding areas is a cause for concern and intervention is required at a local level to change behaviour and encourage people to lead a more active and healthier lifestyle.” And she proposed upgrading the astro areas, the replacement and enhancement of all fitness suite equipment and the insertion of a partition between the dance studio and fitness suite to create designated areas, along with changing the use of the cafe to become a flexible learning space with cafe facilities.

The total cost of the project is £202,198 with £66,258.58 being sought from the Local Community Planning Budget.

Ms Drury concluded, “Investment in the facilities will enhance the ability of Lochgelly High School Community Use to be a community sports hub and will attract clubs back into the area resulting in more opportunities for activity to take place and a network of staff and volunteers to be developed further.

“A succesful funding application would demonstrate to the local community that they have not been forgotten, that they are valued and provide them with something to be proud of.” Lochgelly and Cardenden Councillor, Mark Hood, said that he felt that the proposals were badly needed to enhance a facility which was ‘getting tired’.

He added, “This would see excellent progress made to make things much more attractive to users of the Community Use section and I would back the plans.” The committee unanimously agreed to back the request for £66,258 of funding as part of the project.