Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
THE Mayor of Bulawayo, David Coltart, has said renovating Barbourfields Stadium remains their priority after they were instructed by the Government to allocate seven percent of their budget towards the rehabilitation of sports facilities.
Coltart was speaking to Zimpapers Sports Hub on Thursday after the conclusion of the Zimbabwe men’s national Under-20’s win over the Queensland Outback Barbarians from Australia at Hartsfield Rugby Grounds.
He said as they work to rehabilitate sporting venues, the home of football in the city remains the top priority.
He said they will also be looking at rehabilitating Hartsfield.
“The City this year has been asked by the Government to allocate seven percent of our budget towards the rehabilitation of our sports venues. The priority is Barbourfields, to get it to top condition, but we also need to get this international stadium back to proper condition,” said Coltart.
In 2023, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) announced that they tabled an over $1,5 billion budget that will be directed to the renovation of the City of Kings and Queens ceremonial home of football, Barbourfields Stadium.
According to the council minutes that were gleaned by this publication at the time, the upgrading involves among other works, the closing of four corners.
The upgrading and closing of the first corner will cost ZiG360 million while the renovation and closing of the second corner will cost ZiG140 million.
The upgrading and closing of the third and fourth corner will cost ZiG885 million and ZiG160 million, respectively.
The development is likely to see Barbourfields Stadium, which was built in the 1950s, increasing its carrying capacity.
BCC has said Barbourfields Stadium’s capacity is just under 23 000 football fans. The council’s corporate communications officer, Nesisa Mpofu, told this publication in May last year that the swimming pool end, popularly known as Soweto’s capacity is 5 750 fans, Empakweni 6 470, Mpilo End 5 750, reserved side 1 688, VVIP side 233, VVIP Centre 104 and the wings can take 3 000 fans.
On the rehabilitation of Hartsfield, Coltart said most of the work that needs to be done is on the field of play, which needs water.
“But, we also need to rehabilitate this ground and get it up to international standards. Having been here, there is not a lot of work that needs to be done, the stadium is still in good condition, and the fences are in good condition.
“The main work that needs to be done is on the field itself, we may need to look at water and the field fertilisation and replanting of grass. But, that is not a lot of expense,” said Coltart. — @brandon_malvin
Sidumisile Mabena