Heart of Midlothian and the Foundation of Hearts have announced plans for a Maroon Mile that will run from the Haymarket War Memorial to Tynecastle Park, creating a "memorable and enduring legacy" and celebrating the club and community.

Aided by a six-figure grant National Lottery Heritage Fund, the ambitious project comes in a memorable year for the club as they celebrate their 150th anniversary with events having already started.

The Maroon Mile has been a long-standing plan and it will not only honour HMFC but the local area of Gorgie and Dalry. The £207,339 funding will, according to a release, aim to "highlight, capture and share the history of this diversely rich and vibrant working-class area and explore and mark the role the club has played in the lives of multiple generations. It will promote and reflect the enduring community pride which characterises the area, instilling a greater sense of belonging and celebration of place".

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Hearts chairwoman Ann Budge said: “We are immensely grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their generous support of our Maroon Mile initiative. It is fitting that funding has come through collaboration between the Foundation of Hearts without whom, Heart of Midlothian could never have reached the milestone of 150 years and our own Heritage Department.

"Their joint vision and the passion of all those involved will create a memorable and enduring legacy for the communities of Gorgie and Dalry and for generations of Hearts supporters now and in the future.”

Hearts Heritage, assisted by local community groups and schools, will be at the forefront of capturing the history of Hearts and the local area in the mile-long trail with work already underway on a project that is set to take 18 months to complete with a completion date of October 2025.

“Heart of Midlothian is a club born out of this community 150 years ago, deeply rooted in Gorgie/Dalry and saved from oblivion by its supporters," Foundation of Hearts chairman Gerry Mallon said. "We’re incredibly proud of the role the club and the community have played in supporting each other for a century and a half - and the Maroon Mile is a fantastic and appropriate celebration of that enduring relationship.”

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The trail will be brought to life by 'Voices of the Mile' which, through songs, chats, stories and soundscapes, record the intangible history of the area. There will be a focus on the social, economic and sporting history of Gorgie and Dalry as well as untold stories and a look into the history of Scottish women's football, pre and post ban, with Tynecastle Park playing a significant role.

Key to the Maroon Mile is the War Memorial at Haymarket, the starting point. One of the most important monuments in not only the local area but also Edinburgh and Scotland, dedicated to those who served in the Battalions, including the Hearts players who enlisted for McCrae’s Battalion.

Through the project, the club want to restore the monument's dignity after years of changes to the road infrastructure around it. 

The Maroon Mile will conclude at the Hearts Museum "where new multimedia equipment will be deployed to share a rich array of assets highlighting the history and heritage of the club and the area since 1874".

Along the way, there will be physical signage and interpretation as well as an audio walking tour.