The old Kilmarnock skyline compared with the new skyline which is not dominated anymore by the Burns monument that has now sadly disappeared and been replaced by a new genealogy centre with digital images of Scottish birth, marriage, death and census returns as well as local newspapers, maps, microfilms and much more. The new building will now be called the Burns Monument Centre and should be open later in 2008 and if you are inclined you will be able to get married there to!

New Burns Monument Centre opens in Kilmarnock's Kay Park

A view inside the new courtyard

Another view from outside the courtyard leading to the main reception on the left.

Mar 13 2009 by Ian Russell, Kilmarnock Standard

The state-of-the-art complex – the first custom-built venue in Scotland designed to make it easy to trace your family tree – opens four years after fire devastated much of the Burns Monument on the same site.

The new centre has been built around the iconic WG Stevenson statue of Robert Burns and as well as the impressive family and local history research room, it houses an archive store and a spectacular conference and ceremony suite.

It will also be the new venue for Kilmarnock Registration Services, meaning civil weddings and ceremonies will be held there and the centre will also host conferences and other events.

Building began in March 2007 following the major fire three years earlier.

An extensive restoration programme of the Burns statue and ornamental lions, part of the Kay Park’s landscape for decades, has taken place as part of the project.

Council chiefs expect the new centre to provide a massive tourism boost to the area and are delighted the opening is taking place during the year of Homecoming Scotland, which of course marks the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’s birth.

Said council leader Douglas Reid: “The Burns Monument Centre will breathe new life into the Kay Park (about time!). The statue, fountain and sculptural lions are very dear to residents’ hearts ( East Ayrshire council should have thought about that before the Kay Park was neglected for years before the ultimate fire in 2004 ).

“It is really a building that locals can be proud of and puts Kilmarnock firmly on the tourism map.”

The centre is to open Monday to Thursday, from 9.15am to 4.45pm. It closes an hour earlier on Friday and is also closed at weekends.

For more information view the website at http://www.burnsmonumentcentre.com and see next week’s Standard for a closer look at the centre.