Bulawayo parks an eyesore

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is struggling to maintain the city's once-vibrant parks and recreational areas due to persistent water supply challenges, a senior council official has revealed.

Speaking at the launch of the city's first indigenous forest pocket at Centenary Park, Housing and Community Services Director Dr. Khumalo said the local authority's greening efforts were being severely hampered by a lack of water and critical equipment.

The event, held in partnership with the Indigenous Tree Day Organisation, marked the start of a new environmental initiative aimed at promoting an indigenous tree ecosystem in the city.

"Despite our commitment to green the city, we are struggling to sustain these initiatives due to our reliance on a single borehole and the collapse of the reclaimed water system," Dr. Khumalo said.

He explained that Bulawayo's previous greening projects were sustained by a reclaimed water system drawing from the Thorngrove sewage treatment works. However, the system's underperformance has drastically reduced the availability of reclaimed water, leaving council with few options to water parks and other public greenspaces.

As a result, many of the city's parks have deteriorated. Once lush and vibrant, they have now become overgrown and neglected  -  some even misused by vagrants and touts as makeshift toilets or sleeping spots. Reports of crime and loitering have increased in these areas, further diminishing their role as safe public spaces.

Khumalo said the situation has been compounded by a shortage of equipment such as water bowsers and tractors, which are essential for park maintenance.

"Council needs bowsers and tractors to effectively maintain the city's greenspaces, but these are currently lacking," he said. "We hope the current year's budget will allow us to acquire these tools and improve service delivery."

Despite the setbacks, the council is optimistic about the future. Dr. Khumalo highlighted the importance of diversifying water sources and expressed BCC's willingness to collaborate with environmental stakeholders to improve the state of the city's green infrastructure.

"Council is open to engaging with stakeholders to identify special areas that can be adopted to accelerate the afforestation strategy," he said. "By working together, we hope to overcome these challenges and create a greener, more sustainable city for our residents."

The launch of the indigenous forest pocket is part of BCC's broader plan to increase tree cover and enhance urban biodiversity. The initiative aims to not only improve the city's aesthetics but also contribute to climate resilience and environmental education.

Environmental groups welcomed the council's willingness to work in partnership, urging more support from government and corporate entities to revive Bulawayo's declining recreational spaces.