Barbourfields Stadium turf under threat

THE famous Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo is in great danger of losing its glamour as the grass surface is in poor state due to water shortages.

So dire is the situation that the owners of the ground - Bulawayo City Council debated the issue during a full council meeting. According to the council minutes, there no permanent solution in sight to rescue the situation that might force Highlanders to look for an alternative ground.

 Highlanders has been using BF as its home ground for decades producing some of the memorable games in the country.

"Weeding had continued at White City Stadium and lawn patching had been suspended due to shortage of water. Barboufields Stadium had continued facing serious water challenges despite efforts to supplement by water bowsers" council said.

Barbourfields Stadium is one of the cash cows for the municipality as it takes 20 percent of gate takings per match.

Council recently warned that water problems are set to worsen by the end of April as three dams which have been supplying water have run dry and will be decommissioned leaving the city to depend on only two dams.

The three dams Upper Ncema, Lower Ncema and Mzingwane have run dry. The city will now get water supplies from Inyankuni and Insiza dams. Bulawayo's supply dams, which are all located in the drought-prone Matabeleland South province, quickly dry up due to very low rainfall patterns, resulting in the local authority's introduction of a stringent water rationing exercise.