Ballingry () is a small town, in Fife, close to the border with Perth and Kinross, north of Lochgelly. It has an estimated population (2004) of 5,740 [1]. The once separate villages of Ballingry, Lochore, Crosshill, and Glencraig are now somewhat joined together as the part of the Benarty area. Ballingry, along with its neighbour Lochgelly, is one of Fife's 'Regeneration areas' and is classed as in need of regeneration economically and socially.
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It has a large primary school, Benarty Primary School, as well as a smaller Roman Catholic primary school, St Kenneth's,[1] one of seven feeder schools to St. Columba's R.C. High School in Dunfermline.
Facilities in Ballingry (not including Lochore, Crosshill or Glencraig) include Fife Council Offices and a police station, as well as Benarty Community Centre, which is to be demolished and replaced with a newer one in another part of Ballingry. It is also located very close to Lochore Meadows Country Park which includes the loch itself, as well as a large park for children(which has recently been renovated) and a canoe club.[2].The village also has its own junior football team, Ballingry Rovers FC, which currently play as part of the East Region Junior League.[3]
Stagecoach operates the 19, 19A, 19B services between Ballingry and Rosyth which run through Lochore, Crosshill, Glencraig, Lochgelly, Lumphinans, Cowdenbeath, Hill of Beath, Crossgates, Halbeath and Dunfermline, operating at up to every ten minutes on week days and Saturdays. The 34/34A service runs between Ballingry and Kirkcaldy[4] and there is also the 20/20A which travels through the smaller streets between Ballingry and Lochgelly.[5] The 81 service operates hourly between Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline and Glenrothes, with stops in between in Cowdenbeath and Ballingry.[6]
The nearest railway station is Lochgelly, with services to Edinburgh, Kinghorn, Burntisland, Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy. [7]
Singer-songwriter and film-maker Richard Jobson, footballer Doug Rougvie and actor Michael Nardone are from the town.