£80,000 funding restores Dollar Park dovecot to former glory

The project is one of 23 across the district that will benefit from Falkirk Council’s Community Choices fund, which will see £3 million spent on community-led projects over the next two years.

This round of funding is for large projects that need capital investment

Friends of Dollar Park is the group behind the bid to restore the dilapidated dovecot, which was built in 1834, just after the mansion, Arnotdale.

The hope is that they will be able to demolish the eyesore buildings beside the dovecot and create an attractive, landscaped seating area.

The ramshackle buildings were once the part of the small ‘pet corner’ that was a popular feature of the park but has long since fallen into disrepair – but they are originally thought to have been a piggery belonging to the house.

Les Pryde, of Friends of Dollar Park, said they were “over the moon” to get such a large sum from the Community Choices funding.

“When we applied, I thought we’d get something but I was elated to discover we got the whole amount,” he said.

And while it won’t cover all of the work, he is confident they will find the rest of the funding fairly quickly so that work can start early in the new year, once all the planning permissions are in place.

In recent years, the park has been rejuvenated with the charity Cyrenians giving new life to the walled garden as well as the house itself which now contains a cafe.

The most recent change was demolishing the old toilet block, making way for landscaping and a sheltered area, so they hope that renovating the dovecot will complement this.

And it is not the only park that will benefit from the funding.

Friends of Kinneil have also welcomed a grant of £84,000 that will allow them to install new play equipment among other improvements they want to see in Kinneil Estate.

And Friends of Inchyra Park were delighted to scoop £23,000 that will help them create the area’s first outdoor gym in Grangemouth.

Friends of Zetland Park also celebrated getting £64,000 which will allow them to get more CCTV and offer free WiFi.

The grants are part of the council’s Community Choices initiative, which is designed to give local people a say in how at least some of the council’s budget is spent.

The leader of Falkirk Council, Cecil Meiklejohn, said: “These awards will give the 23 successful organisations a substantial boost and help them to achieve their goals in local communities.

“We offer congratulations for everyone successful and offer a reminder that the second round of applications opens this autumn.”

Here is a full list of organisations that were awarded funds:

Bo’ness: Bo’ness United Community FC, £12,000; Friends of Kinneil, £84,340.78

Grangemouth: Friends of Inchyra Park, £23,000; Friends of Zetland Park, £64,000; Talbot House – Grangemouth Old Peoples Welfare, £11,400

Denny & Banknock: Denny and Dunipace Community Green Initiative, £38,116.79; Inspire Denny and Dunipace, £5,500; Denny & Dunipace YMCA, £11,000

Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst: Airth Parish Community Council, £10.900; Carronshore Heritage Forum, £5400.58

Bonnybridge & Larbert: Antonine Primary Parent Council, £24,800; Boys Brigade, £15,000

Falkirk North: Bainsford War Memorial, £10,000; Westfield Park Community Centre, £8100; Falkirk Victoria Harriers, £36,000

Falkirk South: Friends of Dollar Park, £80,000

Lower Braes: Westquarter & Redding Community School Project, £40,000; Laurieston Old Folks Welfare Association, £5000; Sir William Wallace Grand Lodge of Scotland Free Colliers, £10,000; Laurieston Bowling Club, ££17,338.16

Upper Braes: Avonbridge and Standburn Active Travel Group, £8200; Maddiston Community Council, £19,332.09; Bailliefields Community Hub SCIO, £50,000

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