Chipinge extends a begging bowl for Gaza Stadium

Ray Bande
Senior Reporter

 

CHIPINGE’S ceremonial home of football – Gaza Stadium – is in a deplorable state and the facility is now a living reflection of the stagnancy in football talent production in the area in recent years, for a place that once produced nationally acclaimed stars such as Lovemore Mapuya and Eddie Dube among many others.

The once lush green football match venue now resembles a deserted fortress with a bumpy, ant nest infested surface, derelict perimeter fence, dilapidated changing rooms and ramshackle ablution facilities.

In a refreshing development, Post Sports understands that Chipinge Town Council has now come into partnership with the sports loving community of the small farming town to work together in the renovations of Gaza Stadium.

In a letter for request for donation in cash and kinds, Chipinge Town Council wrote: “The project will see the extension of the facility, constriction of two public toilets, and renovation of the existing changing rooms. Installation of public lighting system, painting of the existing palisade fencing, installation of the main ground perimeter fence, solarisation of one of the boreholes at Gaza Hall for watering the stadium and lastly the planting of lawn in the main ground.

“Currently, Chipinge Town Council in partnership with the community have managed to move the existing palisade fence (northern side) and the removal of the terrace.

“It is therefore against this brief background that we write to you as Chipinge Town Council and on behalf of the Chipinge sports loving community to see yours support through either cash or in kind donations towards this noble cause. Your donation will go a long way in addressing the gap that has existed in Chipinge town for a very long period.”

Ideally, the renovations, if they will soon come to fruition and logical conclusion, would naturally be expected to incorporate an athletics track, adequate parking space as well as facilities for other sporting genres such as tennis, volleyball and netball courts.