Community halls and high school project to share £88,000 investment

Markinch’s 252 Memorial Hall and the Star Village Hall are both in line for renovations and improvements after a unanimous decision by members of the Glenrothes Area Committee on Wednesday.

The 252 Memorial Hall in the town’s Betson Street will be given £11,500 from the community recovery fund to replace the facility’s toilets. The existing toilets are more than 100 years old and in “very poor condition”, according to a committee report.

Likewise, the Star Village Hall is getting £13,700 to fund a new disabled access ramp and hall entry. Councillors were told that access to the ramp is “currently challenging” and the main entrance doors are damaged.

However, a once in a lifetime opportunity for Glenrothes High School pupils was given the largest portion of community recovery money on Wednesday.

Councillors unanimously agreed to invest £63,000 in the Polar Academy to give 30 young people and their families the opportunity to take part in scientific Arctic experiments commissioned by Oxford, Cambridge, and St. Andrews Universities for one year.

At the end of that year, 20 young people will participate in an Arctic Expedition, and ten will go on a Scottish Highlands expedition.

“The impact of this programme on participant families has been profound,” a committee report stated.

“Previous participants have presented the findings from their expeditions to academics at each of the three universities, with a large proportion of participants becoming peer volunteers and continuing engagement with the Academy for several years.”

The young people will be recruited to the program with help from Glenrothes High School from amongst the region’s most vulnerable young people.

“It’s a huge opportunity for some young people to look at other places in far off lands,” said committee convener Craig Walker (SNP for Glenrothes West and Kinglassie).

Councillor John Beare (SNP for Glenrothes North, Leslie and Markinch) added that it’s a “phenomenal opportunity for young people”.

The total cost of the project is more than £756,000, but the local area committee’s contribution will directly pay for five of the 30 participants on the programme.

Councillors approved each of the three investments unanimously.