BENARTY community activists Brian Menzies and Willie Clarke have been intrigued by a document that they have come across and it has given them increased belief that a mining heritage site can be achieved at Lochore Meadows Country Park.

Brian explained that he came home one day last week to a document in an envelope pushed through his letter box about a 'Lochore Meadows Development Plan', dated November 2008.

The Fife Council initiated document was described as 'a development plan for the park for the period 2008 to 2018'.

Brian explained: "I found the document in an envelope pushed through my letter box and there was no cover letter saying who it came from.

"What it did though was explain how there were various funding paths that can be explored to develop heritage facilities in a variety of settings.

"We have been keen on seeing a mining heritage facility sited at the Meedies and of course Cowdenbeath man Ian Chalmers is continuing his efforts to make this happen.

"What the document underlined though is that there are many funding channels that can be examined to make this happen."

The document outlined several routes that could be followed including Awards for All, but the one that really struck Brian and Willie was an item in the document on Your Heritage. It stated: "To meet the aims of this programme the project should make sure that everyone can learn about their own and other people's heritage. Projects must also help more people to take active part in and make decisions about heritage and or conserve the UK's diverse heritage. To develop information/display/ interpretation of Lochore Meadows, the park's heritage and mining past, including listed buildings and landscape." In 2008 grants upwards of £50,000 were available.

Added Brian: "The Mary Pit head at the Meedies fits right into this area and clearly this could something that could be pursued.

"The country park can be the perfect site for a heritage project as it was built on pit spoil."

Willie Clarke went on: "It is very interesting this document and it kind of follows on from what we were told almost 25 years ago that the park would be the home of a mining heritage centre.

"Nothing has happened but clearly there are funding routes that can be gone down and that gives us a lot of hope that we can get what is needed at our lovely country park."

The duo are to to contact Ian Chalmers to discuss their discovery.