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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
BARBOURFIELDS, Luveve and White City stadiums will receive massive facelifts ahead of the African Union Region Five Under-20 Games that are slated for Bulawayo in December next year.
The Government has set aside a budget of $46 million for the Games.
Bulawayo’s ceremonial home of football, Barbourfields Stadium, will see its sitting capacity rise from the present 26 000 spectators to between 30 000 and 35 000 while two more changing rooms will be built to bring the total complement to four.
The VIP stand will also be renovated to meet international standards while at Luveve Stadium, the present dressing rooms will be changed into public toilets that will accommodate close to 60 people at any given time.
New modern dressing rooms with lockers and bathing facilities will be built on the western side which is also where the VIP stand will be located. The VIP enclosure will also have a shed.
This was revealed yesterday by the Games’ local organising committee’s chief executive officer Henry Manzungu during a tour of the facilities by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa.
Minister Langa was accompanied by his Permanent Secretary Thokozile Chitepo, acting Sport and Recreation Commission director-general Patience Kabanda, Bulawayo’s housing and community services director Isaiah Magagula and the Games’ general manager responsible for administration Ronnie Dube.
Manzungu said the spaces between the stands at Barbourfields would be joined by more terracing so that there are no open gaps in between. This will see the facility assume an oval shape.
“Once we are through with the construction, the stadium should be able to take between 30 000 and 35 000 spectators,” said Magagula.
Barbourfields will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as finals for girls’ and boys’ soccer.
At Luveve Stadium, Manzungu told the touring delegation that recommendations from the technical committee were that the dressing rooms ought to be moved to the northern end.
“Besides that we will also spruce up the outside grounds here so that they are used for training by the teams. We expect Bulawayo to benefit immensely from these Games,” said Manzungu.
From Luveve Stadium the delegation went to White City Stadium where it was revealed that the cycling track would be demolished so that the athletics track has eight lanes as per international standards.
“We are planning to have a tartan track here. At the netball courts we hope to have a sitting capacity of 5 000 as well as construct ablution facilities,” said Manzungu.
Terraces at the stadium were condemned by the city’s engineers and will be demolished and new ones built.
The delegation was also told that a new warm-up track for the athletes would be built outside the stadium.
Speaking at the end of the tour, Minister Langa said President Mugabe and Cabinet were fully behind the Games and reiterated Government’s commitment to staging successful Games.
“We have a budget of $46 million with $36 million set to go towards infrastructural development and the remainder going towards administration,” said Minister Langa.
He said the Games would leave a lasting legacy in Bulawayo.
Meanwhile, four sports ministers and a deputy minister arrived at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport yesterday afternoon ahead of the African Union Council of Ministers’ meeting that starts this morning at a city hotel.
The ministers from Lesotho, Angola, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia were met at the airport by the Sport, Arts and Culture deputy minister Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga and Chitepo.
After going through immigration formalities, the ministers had a moment’s rest at the VIP lounge before being whisked away to their hotel where Minister Langa welcomed them.
Online Reporter