Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with match support from the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust and Fife Council, a £1.6 million transformation took place to return this much-loved green space to its former glory. A separate £1 million project to build a café extension on to the iconic Glen Pavilion, funded by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust, was also completed at the same time.

The project masterplan

1. Peacock Sanctuary and Picnic Area
   
   Refurbish former animal centre and develop as an indoor/ outdoor sanctuary for peacocks, refurbish adjacent toilets. Develop area south of the animal centre with wildflower meadow and picnic area.
2. Glasshouses and Glassroom
   
   Extensively refurbish glasshouses, including a part conversion for use as a community learning facility. Improve surrounding access paths.
3. Entrances and Gates Restoration
   
   Restore, paint and upgrade the Louise Carnegie, Abbey, Moodie Street, Nethertown, Coal Road and Pittencrieff Street entrances. Upgrade seating, litter bins and remove redundant features.
4. Signage and Interpretation
   
   Design and install new signs and information panels (including maps at key entrances and locations), directional signs and fingerposts. Offer a suite of accompanying leaflets including history, natural history, links with coal, walks and built heritage.
5. Lighting Improvements
   
   Improve park lighting throughout, in keeping with the heritage of the park; improve evening visits.
6. Nethertown Sculptural Benches
   
   Replant shrub beds and commission 2 benches sculpted out of tree trunks.
7. Glen Pavilion Stepped Arena Repairs
   
   Repair historic steps; replace old tarmac, step & kerb areas. Replant side areas & install picnic tables.
8. Redundant Toilet Block Demolition
   
   Demolish derelict toilet block and reinstate area with planting to encourage biodiversity.
9. Glen Pavilion Lawn.
   
   Install drainage across lawn, level surface and grass seed.
10. Woodland Bulb Planting
    
    Plant new woodland bulbs.
11. Events Lawn Improvements
    
    Improve drainage across lawn.
12. Events Shelter Refurbishment
    
    Refurbish and convert shelter to provide storage area including removal of derelict toilets. Upgrade power supply to support events and landscape surrounding area.
13. Redundant Paddling Pool Removal
    
    Remove redundant pool base and concrete surrounds. Level the site and create lawn area with seating around trees. Mark site of old well if found.
14. Laird’s Garden Improvements
    
    Replace and restore rose beds, bedding, herbaceous borders, heather beds, box hedging and the Laird’s Walk. Develop new winter garden, herb garden and accessible demonstration kitchen garden. Refurbish entrance gates and fencing.
15. Italian Garden Improvements
    
    Add signage and refurbish historic rails and chain.
16. Lily Pond Improvements
    
    Improve pond, plant lilies and other aquatics. Improve garden by adding climbers.
17. Telephone Kiosk Refurbishment
    
    Refurbish telephone kiosk and clean stonework.
18. Sandstone Rock Garden Improvements
    
    Protection of key species and removal of overgrown plants. Prepare and replant with appropriate alpine and rock garden plants.
19. Locomotive Restoration
    
    Refurbish locomotive and relocate within park.
20. Lower Glen Improvements
    
    Open up key views to Abbey, new tree and understorey planting. Replace fencing and refurbish bridges. Upgrade path to south of Louise Carnegie gates to be DDA compliant and open up views to Abbey. Remove seedling trees and ivy to protect historic structure remains at the Heugh Mills and St Catherine’s Hospice – in progress.
21. Wallace’s Well Improvements
    
    Carefully excavate to identify well, erect new protective steel cover, implement improvements to surrounding area and add information panel to site.
22. Humpback Bridge Drainage Works
    
    General drainage improvements.
23. Japanese Garden / Summer House Improvements
    
    Improvements to the landscape and replant with mix of herbaceous and shrubs to restore as Japanese Garden. Improve paths. Restore the summer house and surrounds.
24. Andrew Carnegie Statue Refurbishment
    
    Clean and repair statue and plinth. Redesign and replant beds.
25. Shrub Bed Improvements
    
    Selectively refurbish shrub beds and restore with supplementary and new planting to be welcoming and colourful but with reference to historic planting.
26. Improvements by Malcolm Canmore’s Tower
    
    Restore and refurbish planted areas. Replace fencing and upgrade path sections. Restore important views to the Abbey, to the Tower Burn and across the Glen.
27. Dovecot Refurbishment
    
    Refurbish dovecot and install heritage door.
28. Stone Steps Improvements
    
    Restore formal set of steps and remove derelict steps.
29. Double Bridge Railings Refurbishment
    
    Repair / replace / refurbish railing balustrades to the Double Tower Bridge.