EXAMINING URBAN AUTHORITIES’ SPORT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES. A CASE STUDY OF MARONDERA TOWN IN ZIMBABWE
Abstract
The Marondera town obtained its town status in 1974, and since then it constructed and authorized some sports and recreation centers for its urban communities. Unfortunately, only two sports and recreation centers are in operation to date. The dilapidation of these facilities has left the urban communities of Marondera with no option but to turn those sports centers and active open spaces into garbage dumping sites that have increased land and air pollutions in the town and residential suburbs. Environment Management Authorities have often been dragging the municipality of Marondera to court for failing to combat environmental pollution in the town of Marondera and this has motivated this study to find cheaper ways to control environmental pollution and one of these ways being of harnessing the power of sport and recreation. The study objectives were to examine the existing sport development initiatives by Marondera town council and come up with sport-environmental strategies that could strengthen and sustain urban environments through the power of sport and recreational activities. The study adopted a qualitative paradigm and the data were analyzed using transcription and thematic analysis processes to solicit data from town councilors, town planners, environmentalist officials, and residents who were stratified into business community, sport participants and ordinary residents. The design deemed appropriate was the case study. Data revealed that the philosophy ‘going green’ is not popularized among the urban people, that is, why environmental pollution is rampant and difficult to control. Therefore, the study concludes that it is possible for municipalities to harness the power of sport and recreation to enhance protection of urban environments. It is further recommended that urban authorities should partner with national sports associations and the local communities of diverse background to spearhead sport-environment-friendly initiatives.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v0i0.318
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