Centenary Park Rehabilitation: Recovering the lost pride of Bulawayo

The parks are Bulawayo’s monuments and lungs, where weddings, birthday parties and almost all entertainment events are held. Bulawayo’s paparazzis and freelance photographers  earn their living from Centenary Park through lying in waiting for events which are always held in the garden every weekend.

Recovering the lost pride of Bulawayo, in 2011, ZDDT organised cleaning a series of campaigns which saw beginning of the restoration of the city, which was once cleanest in the southern Africa. After having realised that the local council was in financial dire straits, ZDDT also lobbied for resources from well-wishers, who responded positively resulting in the purchasing of grass cutters and other equipment for the Parks Department and the Cleansing Section.

Liberty and Innocent, who are some of the many photographers, who operate from the Centenary Park, took turns to praise ZDDT, and their partners, for the revival of the two parks, which they said was their workplace.

“We are grateful and would like to thank your organisation for the rebirth of our workplace which was abandoned due to what we thought was water shortage. The fountain is now

functioning and we now have more clients coming to take photos here.” Said the two freelance photographers cheerfully.

The ZDDT National Development Officer, Mr Simon Spooner told this correspondent, why they would find it tough to live without the two parks, Centenary and Central.

“They are at the centre of the City and they are also centres for attraction, for both residents and visitors.

Therefore, the success or failure of all these valuable community facilities reflects on status of the city.” explained Mr Spooner.

He also concluded that it is encouraging that the revival of these two parks was due to a partnership between the City Council and various stakeholders.

ZDDT has been campaigning extensively for the spirit of self-reliance and development. The Organisation’s mission is to build a self-motivated community that does not depend on other people, but instead rises and shines through its own hard work.