The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fife community centre shut by solitary mouse
PEST CONTROL: Events cancelled due to sighting of rogue rodent in Rosyth
A single mouse has led to the temporary closure of a popular Fife community hub.
The pest controllers have been brought in to Parkgate Centre in the heart of Rosyth following the sighting of the rogue rodent.
A raft of community events had to be cancelled and the recently refurbished centre may be closed for a week to allow an investigation to be carried out. Local MP Douglas Chapman is demanding answers from Fife Council to ensure the problem is resolved quickly and groups are not further disrupted.
Having contacted groups to apologise for the closure, the council’s community resources team manager Gary Daniell said: “We hope to have the centre open to the public as soon as possible.”
A possible infestation of mice has forced a busy Fife community centre to close.
Organisers of many events due to be held in Parkgate Community Centre found the doors shut and a notice posted warning of a “health and safety issue”.
Fife Council said the pest control officers were called in as a precaution after a single mouse was spotted in the centre.
MP Douglas Chapman is demanding answers from the local authority’s leader to ensure the issue was resolved quickly.
Community resources team manager Gary Daniell said: “After a mouse was spotted at the Parkgate Centre in Rosyth, the pest control officers were called as a precaution.
“As this building is used by a variety of groups, we took the decision to close the centre while an investigation was carried out and we’ve contacted groups to apologise for the disruption.
“We hope to have the centre open to the public as soon as possible.”
A notice posted on Monday evening suggested the centre, home to groups catering for everyone from tiny tots to the older generation, may have to be closed for a week.
However, it is hoped the doors to the extensively refurbished community hub, will be able to open sooner.
That would come as good news for a popular market due to take place this weekend.
Mr Chapman said: “Parkgate Community Centre is one of the busiest centres in west Fife and a brilliant community hub for Rosyth residents.
“It was recently refurbished so any potential issues that may have led to this closure should’ve been found during the refurbishment programme.
“The Rosyth community market is a hugely popular event which I hope does not have to be cancelled this weekend.”
He said he would be writing to the leader of Fife Council to demand answers and to ensure this issue was resolved quickly so the many community groups in Rosyth are not inconvenienced further.
Rosyth Community Council said it understood the work was necessary and “has the backing of the community council to ensure that future safety is the number one priority”.
Parkgate Community Centre is one of the busiest centres in west Fife and a brilliant community hub. DOUGLAS CHAPMAN