Plans for Bonnybridge and District Heritage Park move step closer

The Greenhill Historical Society plans to illustrate the village’s proud past by securing funding for what members expect to be a £15,000 project, built on land between the community centre and library.

After receiving a large number of positive reactions to the proposals, the group has now applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund to cover the costs of mounting wall panels detailing the prehistoric, economic and social heritage of the area.

Displaying information on Bonnybridge’s Roman occupation and its world-renowned brickworks and iron foundries, the panels would be the finishing touch to a small 
heritage park centred on the site of a former burial ground.

The land currently features a stone monument dedicated to those laid to rest there and a mural reflecting more than a century of steelwork history.

Greenhill Historical Society members say the panels would also contain illustrations and smartphone camera-readable codes which, when scanned, would play videos of older members of the community sharing memories with local schoolchildren.

There would even be a light-hearted take on the UFOs allegedly sighted in the area in recent decades.

Paul Cortopassi, of Greenhill Historical Society, insisted the backing the idea received helped to convince the organisation to push for the funding.

He said: “It’s clear that the community is behind the project.

“Bonnybridge has a fantastic history. The earliest item found was a 3000-year-old gold bracelet. Then we’ve got the Romans with Rough Castle and you’ve also got the foundries which, at the height of their time, were world 
famous.

“It’s reminding people about their history.

“We will be putting together school packs for youngsters too.”

Mr Cortopassi added: “The timing we’re looking at is starting this July and hopefully seeing an end date in August next year.”