DESPITE not having a marketing budget the Glencraig based Fife Cycle Park has had more than 11,000 visitors in its first year of operation.

Cowdenbeath Area Committee was told that the Council Community Use team had used a number of mechanisms to advertise the facilities available at the new £2m+ plus facility developed between Lochgelly High School and Lochore Meadows Country Park.

Sarah Roxburgh, Community Use team manager, advised councillors that the Cycle Park facilities had been used for a variety of other things apart from cycling.

She said: "Fife Cycle Park has no revenue or staff budget, operations are enabled by utilising resource from other parts of the Community Use area team and relies on partnerships.

"It is Scotland's first purpose built outdoor cycle facility that allows for a full range of cycling activities to take place in a traffic free environment all the year round and is available for daytime, evening and weekend use.

"The facility provides opportunities for all ages and abilities to be physically active on a bike through to top level coaching and training opportunities and is part of the regional infrastructure for cycling.

"In addition the on-site clubhouse has been a focal point for wider community activity."

Ms Roxburgh revealed that the cycle park had 11,500 visitors in its first year, 7,000 of these being club use and private events; 3,500 pay and pedal drop in sessions, 1,030 from family days and 200 from instructor led sessions.

The team leader went on: "As this is Scotland's first outdoor cycling facility we have had nothing to compare stats with but we have seen the track and clubhouse well used for a variety of activities.

"We are working at how we get the word out there about what we have at the Fife Cycle Park and we are continuing to use social media channels and hope to develop that.

"However, we will be looking at how we can spread the word more widely."

Councillor Darren Watt commented: "It has to be difficult working without a marketing budget but the staff look to be doing a good job ."

Councillor Rosemary Liewald observed: "I would like to commend the staff at the Cycle Park for providing a very welcoming atmosphere and sending out the right message to help attract people along to use the facility."

Ms Roxburgh concluded by saying: "Fife Cycle Park has a key role to play in delivering and supporting healthy and resilient communities and for the coming year we already have a number of bookings in the diary."