The Bulawayo Barometer          - 4/2/2014      <--Prev : Next-->


The Hillside Dams has always been Bulawayo's Happiness Barometer. If the dam is empty, we are empty, if the dam is full, we are happy, and if the dam is overflowing, we are ecstatic.

The whole Bulawayo community must have been seen paddling at the Hillside Dams over the past couple of weeks. Our rain has been bountiful, and our hearts have been full too.

Rumour has it that the Lower Dam has a leak but that did not stop it from overflowing into the carpark outside the Bean There Restaurant !! I heard that people had to wade to the restaurant in order to enjoy their fine dining and delicious cups of coffee!!

But the water has subsided in the car park now, the Upper Dam looks fabulous and the water is literally cascading in a waterfall, almost down rapids, to the Lower Dam.

Another gathering place for Happy Bulawegians during rainstorms, is along the banks of the Matesheumhlope. Good vantage points are the three bridges, the one across Twelfth Avenue, The one outside the Threatre across Leopold Takawira, and the one outside the Mac Club across Fourth Avenue. I had heard that some of our more adventurous youngsters needed an adrenalin kick and went kayaking down the dear old Matsheumhlope!!

Now the position at our supply dams is looking a lot better too and the papers today said that the City Fathers have lifted the water shedding for the city.

The Upper Ncema is looking particularly splendid, and kayakers have been busy there too I believe. It's definitely worth a trip this weekend to see this beautiful dam. How well I remember that series I undertook on ZTV in 1993 called 'Bulawayo Must Live'. A visit to Upper Ncema with my cameraman Reuben, was particularly distressing, the dam was the lowest it has ever been in history.

Mother Nature - thank you indeed for your timeous intervention, we are indeed a happy City today!!

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