Families learn about greener energy at leisure centre fun day

A leisure centre with a green flume coming from a red-brick tower.

  • Family fun day held to celebrate leisure centre upgrade
  • £1m project completed at Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, delivered by Salix
  • Low-carbon technologies added include heat pumps and solar panels  
  • Event included tours of the plant room and technology demonstrations

A celebration has been taking place to mark the completion of a £1 million sustainability upgrade to a leisure centre, including the chance for locals to learn about its new low carbon heating system.  

State-of-the-art low-carbon technologies including water and air source heat pumps, solar panels are among the energy efficiency measures added to Fife's Beacon Leisure Centre.  

Locals got the chance to learn about greener energy as part of the family fun day, which included demonstrations and tours of the plantroom, as well as activities like face painting and even a bouncy castle and inflatable slide.  
 
Funding for the upgrade at Beacon Leisure Centre came from a £2.4m grant - shared with St Andrews RC High School, Kirkcaldy - from Scotland's Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund, delivered by Salix on behalf of the Scottish Government.  

“This investment in green technology is helping us lower energy consumption and long-term running costs, while creating a more sustainable leisure centre for the community," said Cllr Linda Erskine, Fife Council's spokeswoman for communities and leisure.  "The fun day is a great way to celebrate these improvements," she added.   
 

Four pictures featuring a bouncy castle and inflatable slide, someone dressed as a hippo, and people taking part in events such as face painting.

A selection of pictures from the family fun day.  Pictue credit: Fife Council.

Around 150 people attended the fun day, which was organised by Fife Council, Alternative Heat and Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.  

The event included a bouncy castle and inflatable slide, food stall and a "wheel of fortune" with prizes run by the trust.  

But the event also allowed locals to get up close to the low carbon technologies that have been added to the site with hands on demonstrations of heat pumps and solar panels, tours of the plantroom and heat pump compound, and a chance to meet team members from Fife Council and Alternative Heat to learn about sustainable energy.  

A gallery of pictures of heat pumps outside the leisure centre.

Credit: Alternative Energy

'Cutting carbon emissions and improving the experience for customers'

Alternative Heat Ltd said its works now cover up to 95 percent of the building’s heating demand.  

"We’re incredibly proud to have helped organise the Beacon Leisure Centre Fun Day alongside Fife Council," said Mark Watson, operations director at Alternative Heat.  "It was fantastic to see the local community come together to celebrate this exciting project and Fife Council’s continued journey towards net zero."   

"At Alternative Heat, we’re passionate about supporting sustainable initiatives that make a real difference."  

Emma Walker, Chief Executive of Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, which runs the centre, said: “This fun day was a chance for us to celebrate an important milestone for Beacon Leisure Centre and to thank the community for their support.  The upgrades will not only help us cut carbon emissions but will also improve the experience for our customers.”  

Main picture credit: Alternative Heat

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