Perth Voice Interactive

SILENT discos, foreign film festivals and street art are just some of the things councillor Stephanie Coates reckons can kickstart a civic renaissance in Bayswater.

She says the area in and around King William Street is tired-looking and in need of some council love.

“When we asked the community who would like to host a street festival, no-one from Bayswater city centre applied,” she says. “This is the oldest and most historic hub in Bayswater, yet it has fallen away and needs some tszuj-ing to bring it up to the likes of Eighth Avenue and Bulwer Street.

“There are a lot of creative people living in the area who could contribute to a make-over, including former WAAPA graduates and students who can’t afford to live in Mt Lawley.”

Cr Coates’ ambition includes a mix of improvements to streetscapes, road infrastructure, and encouraging the creation of more businesses and community-led events.

“When I was 18 and into nightclubbing I was scared to walk through the Perth Cultural Centre, but look at the difference now,” she says. “We should aim to make the same transformation.”

The council set $40,000 aside to develop a plan for structural upgrades in next year’s budget and, in the meantime, council will start engaging the community to find out what it would like “tszujed”.

Council CEO Francesca Lefante says the last major streetscape improvement in the area was around 15 years ago.

Former mayor Terry Kenyon says the council previously held “very successful” street festivals in the area. Meanwhile, Cr Michelle Sutherland received support to form a committee that will decide how the $80,000 public art budget is spent.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK