Fife will be home to Scotland’s only outdoor dedicated cycling circuit thanks to a £1 million commitment as part of the council’s capital plan.
A closed loop cycle circuit will be built on council land between Lochgelly High School and Lochore Meadows, ensuring clubs, groups and events have a top class facility to develop riders and run activities.
It will be a multi-use facility which will allow the council to deliver a wide range of cycle activities from toddlers on balance bikes to older people returning to cycling, cycle skills and confidence builders.
The circuit will also be suitable for running and cyclocross with the space for further developments.
Building on the commitment in last year’s budget, further investment will be made to renew and develop synthetic pitches in communities across Fife.
The synthetic turf pitch at Woodmill High School in Dunfermline will be first to benefit from the new £2.25m programme.
This investment at Woodmill will see the refurbishment of an existing pitch into a state of the art national league hockey surface. It will also accommodate community based football and other school related sporting activities but creates a “hockey hub” for west Fife.
Councillor Mark Hood is keen to ensure cycling is developed over the next few years.
He said: “Fife already has a vibrant cycling community with an ambitious vision for the future.
“There’s been a big increase in demand for all aspects of cycling and I’m proud to say that Fife is now leading the way in developing new, innovate and cost effective initiatives to get more people on bikes and help those on bikes to go further.
“It’s important to focus on the long-term wins of investing in sport at a time when the council is facing increasingly tough budget pressures.
“The more we can do now to encourage people to get and stay active, the less the health spend in the future.
“Studies show that for every £1 invested in sport and physical activity, it saves around £3.20 in future health costs. That’s on top of the many other advantages it can bring people and communities.
“Taking part in sport gives young people the chance to flourish to develop routine, discipline, confidence and be a good team player.
“Investments like these contribute towards making it easier for all Fifers to everyone to be fitter and healthier.
“We can’t underestimate the positive impact this can have on people’s lives.”
The investment news comes on the back of councillors agreeing at the budget meeting to continue to fund the free summer swims and Quid A Kid programmes at Fife Sports and Lesiure Trust centres.
An award of £300,000 was approved to safeguard them for the next three years.