New floor to be laid at Kirkcaldy leisure centre

A contractor has been appointed and work will start within the next few weeks on replacing and enhancing the sports hall flooring which was beginning to deteriorate less than five years after it was put down.

The replacement flooring will be suitable for a wide range of core sports including football, badminton, basketball, netball and volleyball. It will also be able to accommodate roller hockey, a popular sport around Fife, and will be marked up so that futsal can be played on the surface too.

The Press reported back in March how Fife Sports and Leisure Trust had been forced to close the facility on a number of occasions while emergency repairs were carried out.

At the time council officials blamed roller hockey players, who use the facility regularly, for the damage to the floor, but admitted that they had allowed this to happen.

It was then discovered that an inferior standard of floor, only suitable for core sports, had been put down when the facility was built, against councillors wishes.

And local roller hockey clubs hit back saying they had been told the flooring was suitable for their sport.

Cllr Judy Hamilton, convener of the community and housing services committee, said: “There were concerns earlier this year over whether the replacement flooring for the sports hall would be able to accommodate roller hockey or not.

“I’m pleased that a solution has been reached to keep roller hockey training in the town alongside core sports. I look forward to the new surface being able to offer an improved experience for the facility’s customers.”

Fife Sports and Leisure Trust operates Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre for Fife Council. The sports hall will be closed for around six weeks while a contractor carries out the work. This is expected to begin in mid-November.

Paul Hossack, area leisure manager for Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, said: “The new sports hall surface will be a great enhancement to the facilities already on offer at the centre, and, we are very pleased that we will be able to accommodate a wide range of users to the hall.

“All clubs and regular users are being contacted with details of the works and they are being informed of alternative facilities to access during the closure.

“The trust will update its website and social media pages to keep customers informed of the progress of works.”