Cowdray Park population bigger than Gwanda, Hwange

WHILE it is a common joke in Bulawayo that Cowdray Park exists as a separate entity from the rest of Bulawayo, this may in the near future become a reality as police stations, malls, hospitals, clinics, and a special "corridor" are just some of the developments in the pipeline for the city's largest suburb.

The envisioned expansion of the suburb comes after the country's latest delimitation report designated Cowdray Park as a standalone constituency, weaning it from a previous set up where it was yoked together with Luveve. Cowdray Park is the biggest suburb in Bulawayo and has over 26 000 stands including residential, commercial, industrial, and other amenities.

According to the 2022 Population Census preliminary results, Cowdray Park (Ward 28) with 75 070 people is the second most populous urban ward in the country after Harare's Ward 43 (Budiriro) which has 89 287 people. Cowdray Park suburb's population is bigger than that of Gwanda Town which has 27 143 residents and Hwange Local Board (formerly Hwange Town) with 40 241 residents. With the rise in the population in Cowdray Park, so has the demand for social amenities, as some residents feel that certain parts of the suburb are located too far from essential services.

The exponential growth of Cowdray Park has seen some developmental proponents lobbying that the suburb is made a satellite town. Last year, a new 20-bed Cowdray Park Health Centre was completed and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment as part of the Government's efforts to improve access to health. The Cowdray Park Health Centre, the second such project after the construction and commissioning of Stoneridge Health Centre in Harare, has wards for men and women, paediatric, pre-natal, and post-natal wards, a delivery room, minor theatre, consultation rooms, environmental room, guidance, and counselling rooms, laboratory and isolation wards where patients will be treated under observation, among other facilities.

The clinic is expected to relieve pressure on Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals, which are referral hospitals for southern parts of the country. Land has also been availed for the construction of a police station, with plans also underway to set up a magistrate courts building.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) Corporate Communications Manager Mrs Nesisa Mpofu revealed to Sunday News that there were plans to develop more amenities in Cowdray Park, including commercial centres where high-end malls could be constructed.

"Cowdray Park is a complete urban system with various sub-systems which are residential, commercial, industrial, and other social amenities. The suburb has commercial centres starting from the lowest level up to the district commercial centres - which are able to accommodate large malls where higher-order goods can be purchased. There is also an industrial area within the suburb that has 288 stands and is yet to be developed. These industrial stands have been advertised through expression of interest for developers who have development finance to service these stands. Amenities like schools, clinics, police stations, hospital, churches are also adequately catered for in terms of provision of stands for these uses," she said.

Mrs Mpofu also revealed that there were plans to construct a Cowdray Park corridor, which will link the suburb to other parts of the city.

"Once fully developed the suburb will link with other sub-systems within the city through the main transportation road to the suburb, which is the Cowdray Park corridor (yet to be constructed). This will be the main link road to Cowdray Park, linking the suburb to all other parts of the city. This road will link the suburb to Siyephambili Drive which is a ring road that provides linkages with other parts of the city. Percy Ibbotson Road is the main link pending construction of Cowdray Park corridor," she said.

On the outskirts of Cowdray Park, Mrs Mpofu said other residential areas would also be taking shape.

"It should also be noted that on the outskirts of Cowdray Park we have other areas like Helenvale Block and Norwood Tracks which have residential areas that are upcoming," she said.

Cowdray Park Councillor, Kidwell Mujuru said there was a need for authorities to award the suburb a town status like what happened with Norton and Chitungwiza, which are close to Harare.

"Cowdray Park is now the hub of the city of which I believe awarding it a town status is long overdue. Once it is given that declaration there can be the construction of industries thereby creating employment and also ensuring the continued development of the nation as a whole," said Clr Mujuru.