A tender was advertised for the second phase on August 26. This phase will see the installation of an astro-turf pitch and stadium lights.
According to Waring, several meetings have been held with the community and relevant sport clubs to discuss the step-by-step progress of the facility. "They are looking forward to seeing the end result of the project," she said.
Waring explained that the completion of the various phases of the facility depends on the availability of funding. "When more funding is available the municipality will be in communication with the community and sport clubs to discuss further upgrades."
According to Knysna Municipality's Ward 1 councilor Irene Grootboom, the community is excited about the prospect of the sport field being completed, but said that their patience was being tested as the municipality awaited funding to complete the indoor sport facilities. “Here netball and other indoor sport will be played. Until the funds become available these young people have nowhere decent to play,” she concluded.
Soccer coach Mias Mani said that his three teams, which include players from as young as eight to 24 years, had to stop playing when the Smutsville field was closed. "Once we saw that the work had started, we decided to train on this little piece of ground behind the church," he said. Although the field they currently play on is a fraction of the size of a standard field, the enthusiasm of the players is not at all dampened.
Four years have passed since Knysna hosted the French and Danish soccer teams during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. For four years the greater Knysna community has been awaiting the promised upgrades to community soccer pitches. In a press statement issued on behalf of the Knysna Municipality in 2010, the then mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies was quoted, "We will supply the Danish Embassy with information regarding our plans to establish football pitches within our poorer communities. We plan on strengthening the infrastructure that will allow all our children the opportunity to experience the magic of playing soccer. The embassy will consider possible support in relation to its rules, regulations and political priorities for development aid."
In the Knysna Local Government's Annual Report 2012/13 (before noting by municipal council) it is stated: "Despite contributions made by the Danish Ambassador and French International Football Association to upgrade sport fields in Bongani, Tembelitsha and Dam-se-Bos a lot still needs be done to improve the quality of these facilities."
"The Smutsville Sports Field was not a beneficiary of the funds from the French and Danish teams," explains Waring.
While the Smutsville Multipurpose Community Centre is under construction, members of the Skatele Football Club practise their ball skills in the road outside the sport field. Photo: Fran Kirsten.
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN
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