Ye Olde Kingdom of Fife might just be the Oregon of Scotland. As I’m sure your aware Fife is home to a fist full of concrete parks (as well as tons of steel). They may not be as legendary as Livi, or as big as Perth but thanks to a handful of dedicated skaters in Fife, things are going to get a little sweeter. After a meeting with the KSBI (kirkcaldy skate and bike iniative) and John McVicar (community services), I can inform you that four skateparks have funds for extensions and improvements. There are also two new parks in the pipeline.
Kirkcaldy skatepark (located in Beveridge Park) has been allocated £22,000 big ones for lighting and £70,000 for an extension to the existing skatepark. KSBI is the group behind the building and development of the Kirkcaldy park (www.ksbi.net). The KSBI have organized an exhibit of plans on Sunday 12th Febuary at DB Boardstore (315 High Street Kirkcaldy). Everyone is welcome to drop in, put their ideas across and discuss any concerns they may have with the skaters behind the KSBI. DB Boardstore will also be premiering the new Jart DVD along with the latest offering from Death Skateboards. Tea, biscuits & tonic wine provided.
After speaking to Dean from Leven regarding details, I’m happy to tell all you mesh cap hashers that £70,000 is going to be spent on a twin bowl set-up. Design is out to tender. This will give Leven the transistions it’s been missing. Good work Dean, did you really design the bowl on the back of a fag packet?? That’s a true Fifer.
I skipped work a couple of days ago to session Dunfermline skatepark, while I was through there I dropped into Black Mark’s skate shop, who informed me that they have £10,000 to use as they please. I suggested a long holiday in Marseilles but Mark spoke about using it to repair small flaws and add some new obstacles.
I don’t have a contact in Cupar as such, but John McVicar told me that they also have £10,000 and plan on spending it on a tarmac extension beside the bowl. For those who have still to visit Cupar skatepark, you may like to know that they have moved the old half-pipe beside the skatepark. Not only that but they have also reconditioned it to its former glory.
As for new offerings, Burntisland may become happy teenage parents of a healthy new concrete skatepark. Although I haven’t spoken to Morbid in a while, who is involved in BASS (??), from what I hear from Gibby they have £98,000 and designs drawn by Simon Skipp. There have been concerns over the location of the future park, an area called “the twilight zone”. From what I hear through the grapevine it is home to Burberry monsters that originated from the sea, but came in land to feast on tonic wine. They leave broken shards of green glass to show their terrority. Freaky.
Kirkcaldy may also be giving birth to another skatepark, this time up Dunniker estate. A community group has secured £90,000 and are talking about a “bowl”. I’m still not sure if they realize that the skaters up there don’t like garden bowling, but hopefully things will be finalised and come up a gid an. I will keep all informed on its progress.
Macedonia (Glenrothes area) is home to a new 5ft half pipe built from good ole’ concrete and Cardenden (5mins out from Kirkcaldy) might just have a wee skatepark on its way, and from what I’ve heard it’ll be concrete as well. Rocking!
WOW!! Is it just me or is the whole Fife scene heating up a bit, hopefully the weather will do the same soon. Summer is on its way which means one thing, comps, comps and mare comps. Braw.
Well, Fife is on its way up, not only are their plenty of parks with improvements on their way, but we also have two of the finest skater owned/skater run shops in the country.