30 years of Kinghorn Community Centre, and an invite to attend celebrations

Kinghorn Community Centre turns 30, and it is marking the milestone with a special gathering for past and present staff, volunteers and committee members to get together for coffee/tea and cake on Sunday February 22, between 2:00pm and 4:00pm.

The invite is open to anyone who has been part of its journey across the last three decades, and is the first of several events planned this year. The diary includes the reveal of a winning logo to mark the anniversary which will feature on banners around the town, while Kinghorn in Bloom is organising a flower display to mark the occasion.

An open day is planned for May 22 which will showcase the activities in the centre such as pickleball, Highland Dancing and yoga with more details to follow.

A spokesperson said: “After a turbulent time last year when funds were low, the tide has started to change and income is beginning to build that will enable the doors to stay open, due to public support, fundraising events and changes within the services provided. It means we can truly make 2026 a year to celebrate and build on the three decades of the centre being at the heart of the community.”

The centre opened in 1996, but its roots go back to 1989 when the then Kirkcaldy District Council called a public meeting to discuss the role of the community in a project to develop the town’s former primary school into a community facility. It proposed acquiring the former school from Fife Regional Council with a plan to convert it for three specific uses – a library, an office and a community centre.

A local voluntary group to fundraise and manage the centre was assembled - and it quickly got into its stride. It staged everything from social events to car boot sales, while one major event saw a concert by The Band of the Royal Marines, Scotland, at the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy. with proceeds going to the Kinghorn centre.

Funds were also generated for a sports hall big enough to cater for activities such as seven-a-side football, basketball, tennis and various social events.

Following the opening of the community centre, a new management committee was formed, comprising several of the voluntary group and some new members, and while routine maintenance was handled by Fife Council, funds were also raised locally to carry out various improvements, from new kitchen equipment, to the installation of a new floor and a division curtain in the sports hall.

The centre has proved to be a great asset to Kinghorn and has hosted many, many local groups. Its Black Rock Café provides a meeting place where members of the community can also get together.

Much of that is down to the staff and volunteers who have worked hard to ensure the doors stay open.

> To join the anniversary party, if you have been involved in the Community Centre anytime during the last 30 years, please RSVP by email to [email protected], or drop in to the centre … or turn up on the day to help celebrate this special occasion.