MP calls for government support for Kirkcaldy 3G football pitch plans
Kirkcaldy’s MP is making the case for the UK Government to back plans for a new 3G synthetic pitch in the town and support grassroots football locally.
Melanie Ward has written to Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, following the government’s announcement of £8.6 million to revamp grassroots sports facilities across Scotland.
The Labour MP is making the case for why Denfield Park, home to the Kirkcaldy Community Football Partnership, should receive a share of the new funding for a 3G synthetic football pitch at the site.
In her letter to Ms Nandy, the local MP highlights the vital role Denfield Park plays in the local community with 18 teams relying on the pitch and it being the only community facility of its kind in the area.
Ms Ward siad: “Many of the teams that play here include young people from some of the most deprived parts of our town. Investing in a new 3G pitch would be an investment in opportunity, health and the future of grassroots football in Kirkcaldy for so many vital local teams.”
Fife Council has already committed £159,000 to the project, but with the total cost estimated at £950,000, significant additional funding is still needed.
Ms Ward said that constituencies like hers have faced years of underinvestment under both the SNP and Conservative governments.
Ms Ward added: “I know that there will be many communities across Scotland that are in a similar position to ours, but supporting this project would show real commitment to my constituents and to the future of Scottish football.
“Youth services have been cut to the bone by the SNP and a new pitch would be a welcome investment in our young people in Kirkcaldy.”
The Kirkcaldy Community Football Partnership brings together boys, girls, men and women from across the town, showcasing the power of sport to unite and uplift communities. Ms Ward is urging the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to step up and help make the new pitch a reality.
The call for funding is part of Melanie Ward’s sustained efforts to secure investment for Denfield Park. She has spoken about the issue in Parliament, met with the SPFL to discuss the wider football landscape in Kirkcaldy, and written to SFA President Mike Mulraney, with a meeting planned in the constituency in the coming weeks.