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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council will soon appoint a sports administrator whose duties will include looking after and maintaining sporting venues and equipment that was used during the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games.According to the latest council minutes, the sports administrator will also be in charge of the council’s newly established football club that will be playing in the Zifa Southern Region Division One League after gaining promotion from Division Two.

There have been reports that Highlanders Football Club treasurer Jerry Sibanda will be recalled to lead the newly promoted football side.

“The technical officer is also expected to liaise with the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, other sports associations as well as creating different sporting disciplines at relevant venues with a bias towards sport codes that were part of the Region 5 Games’ sporting disciplines,” read the council minutes.

Meanwhile, the council has expressed gratitude towards President Mugabe and the government for affording the city an opportunity and honour to play host to the sixth edition of the Games last December as well as funding the relevant infrastructure developments and improvements.

The council also took an undertaking to continue maintaining the improved facilities as well as complete improvements to those venues that were not completed during the preparation for the Games.

Some of the improvements that need to be undertaken, noted the council, include the Bulawayo Athletics Club’s drainage system.

The council will also provide, at a later stage, a canopy at the Luveve Stadium VIP Lounge while at Barbourfields Stadium attention still needs to be paid to leaks at some ablution facilities as well as leaking roof in new change rooms.

The report said work is still going on at swimming pools in terms of reticulation of water to both pools with by-passes to be created as calorifiers couldn’t be made to work on time.

A calorifier is an industry term for a storage vessel that has the capacity to generate heat within a mass of stored water.

A tartan track at the warm up pitch still needs to be laid down. The council will provide permanent borehole and reclaimed water solution at the venue.

“The Council also resolves to strengthen the administration of sport and make Bulawayo a hub for developing youth in all sporting disciplines. Bulawayo is already very attractive in developing art and culture among the youth clubs and providing them with youth leaders or facilitators,” read the council minutes.