Long-established Kirkcaldy gym set to move as work starts on £15m new hub

Fife Council’s £15m blueprint for a new community hub in Templehall means the long-established facility has to move.

The local authority has lodged a formal planning application for a change of use of the community centre in Templehall Avenue in order to give it a new home. The request will be considered by councillors in due course.

To enable Templehall Gym to continue to operate independently and be truly community led, it is not moving to the new Community Hub. Instead, it is working alongside Fife Voluntary Action to strengthen its governance, and it will hopefully be able to lease the newly refurbished space, within the former learning centre, from Fife Council.

The proposed operational hours of the gym will be Monday to Friday 8.30am to 8.30pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 6pm.

Councillor Ian Cameron said: "The gym in Templehall is an institution. We are delighted to be able to support the group with this move to make it possible for them to continue to offer a community led facility in the area."

It’s the latest piece of the jigsaw to be unveiled as work starts on the hub hailed by Cabinet Committee councillors as “one of the most ambitious” community initiatives ever realised in the region.

The aim of the long-anticipated redevelopment is to merge the existing “disparate rundown local facilities” into a single, modern space on the site of the existing Argos Centre. Preparatory ground work has already been done for drainage connections, starting in Appin Crescent - the five phases of work were scheduled between September and December.

The innovative one-stop-shop will eventually house the local office; the current Argos Centre facilities; Templehall Library, which will be operated by Fife Cultural Trust; a computer room; a café area with outside seating; as well as the main hall and various spaces for fitness and leisure activities and a new multi use games area outside.