SEVERAL companies and individuals have reportedly approached the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) seeking to service and maintain the city’s two social amenities, the Centenary and Central parks.
The facilities, located just after Samuel Parirenyatwa along the Bulawayo Gwanda Road, had of late deteriorated due to failure by authorities to maintain them despite having attracted residents for functions such as weddings for photo sessions.
According to latest council minutes on the proposed Friends of the Parks Group, housing and community services director Dictor Khumalo reported that the department has been inundated with calls from individuals and companies seeking to assist them.
“However, most of the enquiries were conditional to land alienation requests. Such assistance had always fallen off as land alienation policy did not allow such unsolicited assistance. However, there are individuals and companies willing to assist unconditionally,” partly read the minutes.
“It was these groups that the department wished to request for authority to engage formally and create Friends of the Park organised group.”
Centenary and Central Parks cover an area of approximately 7,2 hectares encompassing the Caravan Park in the south from Park Road to Matsheumhlope River in the west. It also includes the Natural History Museum in the east and Fourth Avenue extension in the north.
“They were unique and spectacular parks. They were a place where people relax and regenerate through intimacy with nature. Indeed it was a place to find peace for the soul.
“The park covered a diverse range of soil type and topographical features which gave rise to an incredible diversity of flora and fauna. Above all, the parks were a precious area that needed to be conserved at all cost by its people for the people. A Friends of the Park Group was the first step in improving Central and Centenary parks.”
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BCC said the group would consist of a committee that would help maintain order, provide leadership and services to help communities realise their dreams for neighbourhood parks that supported healthy people and a healthy environment.
In the minutes, council said it would focus on best practices for organisations and individuals who were united by a common desire to improve parks and strengthen communities.
“The healing power of parks, however, goes beyond personal health. We also expect parks to heal and strengthen the urban environment by managing storm water, flooding, cooling and filter the air and also provide natural habitat.
“A strong park system has the capacity to fulfil all these roles, creating resilient urban ecosystems while offering the personal health and community benefits we seek,” council said.
BCC also recommended that the Friends of the Park Group be run by an independent committee to avoid bureaucracy and other organisational processes which might hinder developmental ideas and progress.
