THE green light has been given for £90,000 of funding for a new cycling facility in Pittencrieff Park.

The plans are set to bring memories back for West Fifers of a certain age of the bicycle park in the Glen that was a favoured childhood memory for many before it disappeared in the 1980s.

The fresh initiative will see parts of the old animal centre refurbished to accommodate a multi-purpose cycling facility which will involve a range of organisations including Dunfermline Cycling Club, Fife Council Active Communities, Sustrans and Talking Tandems.

It will provide a new base for the cycling club and is likely to host biking activities for all ages.

Members of the City of Dunfermline area committee agreed to approve to allocate the cash, which will cover refurbishment costs, while the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust has already given a commitment to pay for equipment.

In his report to the committee, community manager Joe McGuinness said the project would build on significant investment over the last five years to develop a network of cycle ways to connect green spaces in the Dunfermline area.

"The old animal centre has lain in a state of disrepair for many years and whilst serving as a general storage area for the wider parks operation, it has the potential to once again add to the mix of experiences that people come to expect from a town centre park," he said.

"There are many good cycling initiatives developing or being considered across the area and the local cycle clubs have been very proactive in promoting the activity to a wider demographic."

It is hoped the development will also enhance the park's existing facilities.

"The number of problems police have with young people getting involved in anti-social, negative behaviour," added Mr McGuinness.

"If we can get the park busier for longer periods of time, it has a knock-on effect."

Although welcoming the project, Dunfermline Central councillor Jean Hall Muir said it was important to ensure the park's peahen population would not be affected.

"Any future plans would include provision for the peacocks and for the community council to have more consultation," she said.

Harry Dunn, who is chairman of the Friends of Pittencrieff Park group, is also keen to get further details and ensure the park's peacock population is considered as plans progress.

"We were anxious about the welfare of the peafowl and all the activity that is going to be in the area," he said.

"We have been working quite hard to encourage a better environment for the peacock.

"We are keen to improve things and aren't here to stop things happening – it is a good initiative but it hasn't been clearly thought through and there hasn't been enough consultation."

Dunfermline Cycling Club's vice-chairperson, Neil Daly, told the Press that the proposals would see them get a permanent home and see a range of cycling activities develop over future years.

"The club have been looking for a home or a base for the last two years," he said.

"We run different events during the year and we tend to have to borrow and steal locations to run them from.

"Essentially, it will bring the buildings back to life and it is somewhere we can hold training sessions and have meetings. There will be initiatives such as Talking Tandems and Cycle without Age.

"We are just one of the partners involved and they will also be looking at things like tag bikes for parents and children to hire out as well as maybe balance bikes and bikeability sessions."