MONDAY 9TH JANUARY 2023

Auldcathie Park makes history as Scotland’s biggest ever inaugural Parkrun

Winchburgh’s first Parkrun at Auldcathie District Park has set two new records – one for the highest attendance ever recorded at a Scottish inaugural Parkrun and the other for being the busiest in Scotland.

An incredible 601 people took part in the first event which saw Winchburgh Developments Limited providing the main sponsorship and further contributions from most of the other key housebuilders in Winchburgh, including ourselves, to bring this initiative forward for the community to enjoy. We are very proud to have shown our support for this regular community event from its early concept stage and we are equally delighted with the success of its launch, whose 601 runners included a senior member of our team.

Parkrun is a volunteer-led, 5km challenge that takes place every weekend at locations all over the world with 68 across Scotland alone. The Saturday morning runs are designed to bring together people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds to participate for free as walkers, runners, or volunteers.

Cutting the ribbon on the start line, Bo’ness based Paralympian and world record holding wheelchair racer, Ben Rowlings, said: “It’s amazing to have Parkrun come to Winchburgh and just incredible to see this level of turnout. The events are a great way to get people up and active and having the first Winchburgh park run at the start of the year sets an active tone for the rest of the year. The new winchburgh course makes the Parkrun event even more inclusive."

"The smooth surface opens the event to users with a variety of disabilities ranging from wheelchair users, race running frames and visually impaired runners with guides. Parkrun is about bringing a community together and getting active regardless of times, speed or disability. Winchburgh Park Run has the ability to do this within our local area, which is brilliant.”

Winchburgh’s Auldcathie District Park has been designed with Parkrun in mind after the community raised the idea during initial consultations in 2018. It provides a stunning backdrop to the 5km challenge of award-winning greenspaces on the Union Canal flanked by dense woodland and with fully tarmacked cycle and walking routes throughout, providing full access for everyone including wheelchair users.

Kirsty McGill, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland adds: “Having the new Auldcathie District Park on the doorstep of our development at Auldcathie View in Winchburgh is a fantastic feature for homeowners – and we know it’s already a popular spot which includes the Winchburgh Growers community garden, incredible play areas for children to enjoy and the miles of paths for people to cycle, run and walk along. The convenience of a Parkrun each Saturday morning in the park itself will undoubtedly prove popular for homeowners and we are delighted to see aspects of the placemaking masterplan for Winchburgh village coming to life in this way.”