It's 2018 and Glenrothes is about to celebrate it's 70th birthday. This cache has been placed as my contribution to the Platinum Anniversary celebrations later this year.
A Short(ish) History
Scotland's new towns were developed after the second world war with the intention of providing homes for families displaced by slum clearance in Glasgow and to bring workers to areas where economic growth was forecast. The Fife location was targeted because there were plans to expand existing coal mines in the area and open up a new 'superpit' at Thornton which was to be named Rothes Colliery. The mine was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, however, flooding and geological problems resulted in its eventual closure in 1965.
The mine's closure almost halted further development of Glenrothes, however shortly afterwards the town was made a focal point for new development as part of a Regional Plan for economic growth. Financial incentives were used to attract a plethora of light industries and modern electronics factories to the town and Glenrothes was established as a major industrial hub in Scotland's "Silicon Glen". Around the start of the 21st century, a decline in major electronics manufacturing in Scotland impacted on the town's economy and as a result the industrial base of the town was forced to diversify for the second time in its short history.
During the middle of the 1970s, the town became the headquarters of Fife Regional Council, making it the administrative centre of Fife, taking over the role from Cupar. This, and the excellent commuter links to Dundee and Edinburgh, meant an ever growing population which needed investment in schools, colleges, homes, and many other services. The focus of the town today is the Kingdom Centre. The first phase of this appeared in 1960 and a series of extensions have taken place over the decades to produce one of Fife's the largest indoor shopping centres. The centre is currently enjoying rejuvination with the building of new shops and restaurants on the surrounding land. The town also has two golf courses, major parks, a theatre and regional sports and leisure centre.
Asthetics were important in the creation of the new town and there are abundant green spaces and small parks throughout. Housing areas were designed to avoid through traffic and named after the farms that previously occupied the land. One housing estate built in the 1970s had its design changed to accommodate the 6,000 year old Balfarg Henge ritual site, which now serves as a fascinating focus for the estate. Also on the western side of the town is the Balbirnie Stonce Circle, dating back to around 2000BC. The town has won multiple horticultural awards in the "Beautiful Scotland" and "Britain in Bloom" contests for the quality of its parks and landscaping. Glenrothes also takes great pride in its art and has one of the UK’s biggest and best collections of public art, several of which have been listed by historic Scotland. There are numerous quirky and cool pieces such as giant hands, televisions, flying saucers, the town’s own dinosaur, and the infamous hippos scattered throughout.
Glenrothes place and importance in the history and development of Scotland has been enshrined in the Great Tapestry of Scotland, which was unveiled in 2013 in the Scottish Parliament. The Glenrothes panel shows various pieces of the town's public artworks, along with visual references to its industrial heritage associated originally with coal mining and later as a major centre for "Silicon Glen" industries.
The Good Samaritan
Thirty years ago, in 1988, the statue "The Good Samaritan" was unveiled in Riverside Park by Prince Charles to mark the town's 40th year. The sculpture was designed by Ronald Rae and is based on a fireman carrying a victim to safety, inpired after the King's Cross tube disaster in 1987. It is said to represent the community spirit of the town.
The cache is placed in an area close to the sculpture. Keep a lookout for one of the town's famous hippos nearby too.
CAUTION : this is a busy park so be on the lookout for muggles. Please replace the cache so that it looks as natural as possible and can't be seen easily from the path or accidentally cleared away by the people keeping the area free of litter.
Congratulations to Ruddensloot, Mushroom09 and Minniemo18 on their joint FTF.
New cache hidden 7/6/18 at updated coordinates as the first was muggled and disappeared.