The Sunday News
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is constructing a new swimming pool at a cost of $2,5 million as it gears up for the African Union Region V Under 20 Youth Games which will be held in the city in December among some other infrastructural developments and facelifts, Sunday News has learnt.
Council confirmed the development saying the pool was a warm-up facility for the upcoming games and was being constructed at the Bulawayo Pool popularly known as Barrow along Samuel Parirenyatwa Street.
“It is true that we are constructing a new pool at Bulawayo Pool and it is a warm-up pool ahead of the African Union Games which will be held in the city in December,” said BCC public relations officer Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya.
The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Cde Andrew Langa said the funds for the construction of the pool were sourced from the private sector.
The pool is expected to be complete by the end of September after which it will be handed over to the region’s organising committee.
Bulawayo so far has six pools, three of which are functional. The pools that are functioning are Barham Green, Bulawayo Pools and Northend swimming pools while the other three Mpopoma, Luveve and Barbourfields are not functional.
Asked whether it was cost effective to construct a new pool or renovate existing ones Miss Ngwenya did not give much clarity.
“As you may already be aware, the City of Bulawayo will be hosting the African Union Games and one of the requirements is the construction of a new warm-up pool. Several renovations will be carried out at the pool and also at other sporting venues that will be used during the duration of the games,” she said.
Other facilities that will be used for the African Union Youth Games include the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), Barbourfields Stadium, Luveve Stadium, White City Stadium, Hillside Teachers’ College and the Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC).
Work at the BAC was also in progress while a new block at Hillside Teachers’ College was being constructed and some refurbishment and rehabilitation of the existing accommodation facilities was under way.
The Government secured $34 million for the construction of three hostels at NUST which will house 622 athletes each and would help alleviate accommodation problems at the institution after the games.
The Sports, Arts and Culture ministry said the budget had been set at $46 million with $36 million going towards infrastructure and $10 million for operational costs. The budget was reduced to $16 million after the organisers shelved plans to construct a new games village.
The Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) chairperson Mr Winos Dube said they welcomed the move of renovating facilities.
He, however, said the association wanted the city to refurbish the other three pools that were not functioning.
“The city fathers must also see to it that the remaining three pools are refurbished so that even when the games are over people can make use of them,” he added.
Mr Dube applauded the city council for the work being carried out at cemeteries where he said there was a great improvement. “We as residents are impressed at the state of West Park cemetery, the grass is being cut and one can see from a distance that it is indeed a cemetery.
We abhor a situation where there seems to be reluctance on the part of the city fathers in ensuring that the city is presentable and neat. It also shows they have respect for the deceased,” said Mr Dube.
