Kinghorn community rallies to raise over £100k for playpark fund

The people of the Royal Burgh have generously given to many fundraising efforts to help raise the cash to help refurbish two of the town’s playparks.

And their generosity has helped the Kinghorn Playparks Group, set up last autumn by Kinghorn Community Council, to reach a target of over £100,000 to refurbish the first park at the Nethergate.

The huge milestone was reached through recent donations from runners of the Black Rock Race, including Calum McLaren and Colin Currie, employees from the town’s Co-op, who donated their sponsorship to the cause. Alongside other donations it has taken the community effort to almost £4000.

These have included collection tins in local shops which provide a steady stream of money; a generous donation of almost £1000 from the family of Kinghorn man Ian Chrisp who sadly passed away earlier this year; £500 from the Black Rock 5 race; £430 from the Kinghorn Co-op; £300 from the Rotary Club of Burntisland and Kinghorn and numerous individual donations from local people who have held fundraising events or taken part in sponsored events.

The fund has been boosted by £42,500 from a section 75 planning agreement contribution from Lovell Homes, which is currently building at the lochside; £50,000 from the Fife Environment Trust and two pending applications of £10,000. from Fife Council’s capital fund through the parks improve and remove scheme and £10,000 from the Kinghorn Common Good Fund.

Roy Mackie, chairman of the playparks group, said: “I would like to thank everyone who has helped us to raise this fantastic amount which will be put to good use to refurbish the Nethergate playpark for the use of local children. We hope to start work within the next few months.

“While we have surpassed our local fundraising target for the Nethergate Park, we will continue to raise money as we have ambitions to also renew the Eastgate Park at a later date.

“We have more fundraising events planned in the near future including a boules tournament and family fun day next month and we hope the residents and businesses Kinghorn will continue to offer their support so we can work towards the refurbishment of Eastgate as soon as possible.”