Craigtoun Park

Wed, Oct 24th 2018 at 12:50 pm - 2:00 pm

Kyffin Roberts, Chairman of Friends of Craigtoun Ltd updated on future plans

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Kyffin Roberts, who chairs the Friends of Craigtoun Country Park, talked to the Club about what the Friends have achieved and their plans for the future. For long a popular, local destination, the Park and its facilities had nevertheless deteriorated to the point that Fife Council contemplated putting the 47 acres up for sale in 2010. That was the trigger for the creation of the Friends, who, after a successful feasibility study, agreed to lease the Park from the Council for 5 years and are now negotiating an extension to that lease. What they have accomplished in those few years is truly remarkable, from the renovation of such much-loved attractions as the ‘Rio Grande’ light railway and the tractor-trailer fondly known as ‘Puffin’ Billy’ to new activities like the Saturday Park Run and its mid-week offshoot ‘Mums on the Run’. Kyffin acknowledged the invaluable help that had been given by generous benefactors, especially Cairnsmill Caravan Park, by numerous volunteers and by prisoners nearing the end of their sentence at Huntly Castle, which has been the source of some excellent tradesmen. Such success brings new challenges, including the cost of ongoing maintenance and the number of people needed to service all the many attractions. A Development Plan is close to completion and it was evident from Kyffin’s answers to questions that the Friends are always open to suggestions, besides having plenty of new ideas themselves. In her vote of thanks, Sylvia Donaldson, who has spent many happy hours in the Park, expressed her gratitude to the Friends for saving such an important amenity.