Cape Town: Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis officially announced the opening of the major R30m upgrade to Blue Downs Athletics Stadium on Jan 27, 2026 with Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham.
Reportedly, wide-ranging upgrades have been completed, that includes a full replacement of the tartan running track, refurbishments to the grandstands, change rooms, new shade trees, and revamping of the steeple chase arena, triple and long jump sections, hammer throw cage, and javelin area.
Mayor Lewis said that he is thrilled to see how this upgrade turned out. The stadium looks beautiful and he knows that the people of Blue Downs and Mfuleni will enjoy it. They want all community facilities to be at this standard, and that’s what they’re working towards.
According to him, this will also contribute to safer communities, as youth have something healthy, physical and uplifting to do, instead of getting involved in the wrong crowd. They can’t wait for school kids and athletes from the area to hit this new track running after this major R30m upgrade.
For the residents of Blue Downs and Mfuleni, this upgrade means better opportunities for schools, communities, and most importantly, the talented young athletes to reach their full potential, completely backed by quality sports facilities.
Lewis emphasised that this is one of the several stadiums the City of Cape Town is upgrading to serve as quality recreational hubs across the city. They are looking forward to more progress ahead on these major sporting upgrades.
Refurbishment of athletics are part of a strategic citywide programme that is guided by a 2021 Athletics Study, with the goal of achieving SASREA compliance and expanding access to facilities across the Cape Town. Their objective is to secure SASREA grading that ensures safer and more accessible facilities across the city.
Considering this, Councillor Francine Higham said that the facilities like Blue Downs Stadium play a critical role in keeping young people active, safe and off the streets. She said when communities have access to quality sports infrastructure, young people gain structure, mentorship and a positive place to belong. She thanked the city officials and teams who worked to deliver and maintain this facility.
Notably, this stadium belongs to the community and residents have the full right to use it, respect it and protect it for generations to come.
The Blue Downs stadium is one of various City facilities that offers essential support to the partners, including Western Province Athletics, the Western Cape Education Department, and active communities. While the Recreation and Parks Department of the City of Cape Town has had a good working relationship with Western Province Athletics and the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in terms of coordinating and facilitating the use of athletic facilities by federations, clubs and schools.
The facility is also earmarked as a Regional Recreation Hub with further upgrades on the cards in the coming years.