Perth Voice Interactive

Voice photographer Matthew Dwyer snapped this pic of a curiously 3D-seeming bus in the alley behind La Cholita. The perspective mural is the work of local artist Drew Straker, who’s been drawing on walls for about 15 years.

ADORABLE hounds prowled the CBD streets this week sniffing out change for Guide Dogs WA. They have 48 working dogs at the moment and 42 more puppies in training, and with local companies giving up their employees to shake tins they’re hoping to pull in $30,000 for the program.

PARADES. Sometimes they’re too big and make too much sense. Two artists are putting an end to that with Tiny Parades, “a call to action, a noisy protest, a mournful march and a joyous celebration”. Why? Because parade. Across May and June artists Renae Coles and Anna Dunnill will march fortnightly to “champion human-sized struggles and joys”. The first is this Saturday May 2 at noon at Stirling Gardens and every fortnight after that, keep up with the Facebook page Tiny Parades.

BAYSWATER city council has allocated $40,000 for a tribute to former mayor John D’Orazio, who died unexpectedly during surgery in 2011 at the age of 55. During his 17-year reign, Bayswater introduced WA’s first security watch, Morley Galleria was redeveloped and green bin recycling introduced.

A FRENCHMAN apparently trying to re-enact the 1910 great flood of Paris has caused $400,000 water damage to a St Georges Terrace building. The 19-year-old French national has been charged with unlawful damage after allegedly turning on a sixth floor fire hydrant. Water flooded the stairwell, escalators and wall cavities to lower floors, the power supply was tripped and part of the ground floor ceiling collapsed. He’s due in Perth magistrates May 27 and if convicted may be looking at some time in the Perth bastille.

FORMER Bayswater mayor Terry Kenyon has described as “silly” the decision to spend $37,000 developing a long-term parking strategy for the Maylands town centre. He says the study will swallow half the $80,000 the council has amassed from parking-in-lieu fees.

BAYSWATER city council has voted to take no legal action against the Barnett government in order to recoup the $1.2 million it spent preparing for council amalgamations. Legal advice suggested chances of success were slim.

THE Maylands Business Association has lost its management rights for the Maylands Street Festival. Bayswater city council has awarded the $12,500 contract to Local Arts and Community Events. The MBA used to run the event but a cock-up over last year’s resulted in others being invited to bid for the contract. Community Connect was awarded $15,000 to hold the Noranda Christmas Street Festival.

THE Mount Hawthorn Streets and Laneways festival kicks off this Sunday May 3 with 20,000 people expected to pour down. The streets transform into a village-like market atmosphere with Flinders Street north becoming Ladybird Lane (with ladies offerings), Axford Park becoming Eats and Beats Central and Fairfield Street showing off the “green” businesses around Vincent. It’s on noon to 7pm, so there’s still time to watch the Pacquiao v Mayweather fight beforehand if you like to see blood. Maps and event details are at http://www.mthawthornhub.com.au