DUNFERMLINE is set to celebrate its first Freedom of the City award with a civic reception this summer in the Glen Pavilion.
Councillors have also agreed to start the process for a new coat of arms.
Currently, Dunfermline does not have its own heraldic emblem, as the previous one was transferred to the community council after the dissolution of Dunfermline District Council.
The civic reception on Wednesday August 28 will honour Dunfermline’s peacocks with the freedom of the city - a status many thought they already had but it turned out there was nothing official to say so.
Cllr James Calder, convener of the City of Dunfermline area committee, said: “It's exciting to see both the award of the freedom of the city and our new city coat of arms taking place on the back of our gaining city status.
"The civic reception on August 28 will be a great celebration for Dunfermline - marking the significance of the peacocks and unveiling the city’s new coat of arms.”
It was long thought that the peacocks already enjoyed the freedom of the city, but there was nothing official to say they do. That's set to be rectified. (Image: Newsquest)
The Office of the Lord Lyon suggested using the old burgh shield as a starting point for the new coat of arms, with modifications to make it unique to Dunfermline.
READ MORE: Peacocks officially given Freedom of City of Dunfermline
This includes crowning the two lions within the shield and adding a lion and unicorn as supports, linking it to Fife.
The area committee have approved commissioning the new coat of arms design and funding the associated costs.
The old Royal Burgh of Dunfermline coat of arms. Now the city is to get a new one. (Image: Fife Council)
The peacocks were first introduced to Dunfermline by Henry Beveridge in 1905 following a trip to India.
One of the first members of the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust, he brought them to the park which had been gifted to the town by Andrew Carnegie only three years earlier.
Suzi Ross, who leads the volunteers in the Peacocks in Pittencrieff Park group, has been fighting for the freedom of the city accolade for more than seven years.
She previously told the Press: "Everyone kept saying the birds have got the freedom of Dunfermline but I wasn't sure and so we spent hours and hours in the library going through all these council papers.
"We're ecstatic that they'll get freedom of the city as the birds are iconic to Dunfermline and this gives them their rightful recognition.
"They have such a massive historical importance to Dunfermline and have drawn the community together and we are so very grateful for the support and love the birds and the volunteers have received."
More information on the civic reception will follow in the next few weeks.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here