Paint team returns to Kirkcaldy Prom to complete autumn make-over

Kirkcaldy Central councillor Alistair Cameron, Craig Hutton with members of the Community Payback Team and Louise Canny. Pic: Fife Photo Agency.

An ongoing project to brighten up Kirkcaldy Esplanade has been praised by locals

Workers from Fife Council’s Community Justice Payback by Offender Scheme have been painting the wall along the Prom to help visually enhance the area.

The work, which first saw the public toilets painted in the basin car park at the end of the Prom, began last November.

It is hoped the project, to paint both sides of the wall along the length of the popular walkway will be finished by next Spring.

The Community Payback Team have painted a third of the wall along the Prom so far.

The scheme was initially launched by Kirkcaldy West Community Council, which funded materials, and the cost of the rest of the magnolia paint has been generously met through donations from town businesswoman, Louise Canny, with profits from the weekly Artisan Market in the town and David Nicolson from Park Place Insurance Services and other traders.

Craig Hutton, project officer from the Community Payback Team, said the community council had approached the community payback team to see if it was something they would be able to do.

He added: “The project started around November 2019 and we painted the toilet block in the basin car park.

"That was phase one, but we started at the wrong time of year so we couldn’t really commit to it in the winter months, and then Covid closed us down for a few months.

Locals have been praising the paint work, noting the difference it has made to the area.

"We started back up in July, and we are painting as far along as the wall goes from end to end. We are about a third of the way through, and, overall, we will be using 600 litres of paint.

"We power-wash it first so it gets all the moss and years of dirt off and then we are painting it with magnolia paint.”

Once the wall is finished, the team will then turn its attention to the main seawall which will be power-washed.

Craig said normally they would have had a team of five working on the project, but due to Covid restrictions, they have had to limit the numbers to two.

Both sides of the wall all the way along the walkway will be painted and the main seawall will be power-washed. It is hoped the project will be finished by the Spring.

He added: "We have had excellent feedback from the public telling us what a difference it has made so far.”

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Kirkcaldy Central councillor Alistair Cameron said: “At the very start when I had the idea about painting the seawall, I went to Kirkcaldy West Community Council which donated the paint and got us started.

"The toilet block was painted first, but that took up more paint than we expected so when we ran out, I asked Louise from the Artisan Market if she wanted to get involved so she kindly gave us some money from the market towards the paint as did David Nicolson from PPI Insurance Services and other town traders.

"I am really grateful for their help.

He added: "It is a fantastic community asset which will tie in with the work we are doing on the waterfront and the new roadway system.”

Louise Canny said: “I was made aware that they had ran out of paint for the project and was more than happy to help out with proceeds from the market.

"With so many people using the Prom now this will make it a nicer place to walk.”

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