ROCK climbing group, Rockgelly, has had hopes of establishing a top class rock climbing centre in Lochgelly boosted by a £150,000 investment in the St. Andrew’s Church project.

The cash injection could see the disused building, off Bank Street, given a new role which would see a project developed which would bring people to the town.

The funding was approved at Thursday’s Fife Council budget meeting and could breathe new life into the building which was a major part of the churches community in the town throughout the 20th century.

Local councillor, Mark Hood, who is also Fife Council’s Executive member for Sport and Physical Activity, said, “Rockgelly is a great project that will see the old St. Andrew’s Church brought back into use and will provide a facility for young people to get involved in a sport that many will have not had the chance to try before. As a recognised centre of excellence for rock climbing in Scotland, the new facility will also attract visitors to the town boosting the local economy.” The latest announcement follows funding granted by the Scottish Government to make the old church, on Bank Street, wind and water tight ready for a new use. The funding granted through the Labour administration’s budget will pay for an extension to the building on the site of the old church halls at the rear of the main facility.

Mr Hood continued, “The investment will fund an extension to the existing church that will allow a competition climbing wall to be include in the facility.

“As a local councillor I am delighted that this funding is coming to a local project, and as Fife Councillor responsible for Sport and Physical Activity in Fife, I am excited that the Kingdom will see a new rock climbing facility established here for Fifers.” This is good news for the town as there were concerns that the St Andrew’s Church building may fall into disrepair with a lack of use. It has been mothballed for almost a decade since the union of the St Andrew’s and Macainsh congregations to form the new St Serf’s Churches in Benarty and Lochgelly, but this new project will certainly breathe new life into this important building in the town.