Drained

REFERRING to the letter in the Perth Voice, August 5, 2021 from former City of Perth councillor and City of Vincent resident Reece Harley (“Speedy response”).

It seems all you have to be is in the ‘purple circle’ and within 24 hours some non-offensive graffiti is removed and Mr Reece hands out compliments.

Yet for us common, unloved residents it took three complaints to the City of Vincent to get a blocked drain cleaned out in North Perth. 

My personal dealings with the administration and councillors at the City of Vincent is that they do not act on complaints unless you send multiple emails or direct complaints.

They are out there at the opening of an event or ribbon-cutting ceremony to take all the positives and get publicity, but they then seem to disappear and common residents’ complaints are not followed up.  

You only hear from the mayor and councillors by a flyer in your letterbox or, if you are lucky, a knock on the door at election time.

I wonder how many other residents have had these frustrating experiences.

What we want is not a purple circle but an administration, mayor and councillors who are for the good of the community, not there to enhance their political or professional careers and it might do them good to realise that the common residents pay the rates that pay their salaries and allowances.

Ray Stevenson JP 
Emmerson St, North Perth

We need our open space

THANK you for your recent front page article on the intended sale of the block at 26 Brentham Street, Leederville and the fate of the playground located at the rear of the block (“Deal or no deal,” Voice, August 21, 2021). 

I am quite new to the area and although I knew about the land swap between Vincent council and Aranmore Catholic Primary School, I was unaware that a promise had been made to upgrade the playground and that they will now renege on that agreement. Thank you for drawing that to my attention.

I was disappointed that your article did not mention that the public open space in question contains not only the playground but seven large, magnificent mature eucalypts. 

Also not mentioned was the fact that now that the previous house on the block has been demolished, visibility of the playground is much improved and of course, the block could be improved as part of the playground and open space.

I concede that there is plenty of open space in the area but such things are precious and as they well know, expensive to acquire.

If this sale is about raising money to fund acquisitions elsewhere, I’m sure there are plenty of other, more valuable blocks within the city boundaries more suitable for sale to developers. 

For example, they could have sold the land that the school wanted from them. 

I have concerns for the fate of the two large trees that are on the land gifted to the school, as I feel building more facilities for the school is part of the reason for initiating the land deal. And now the council reckons they will want to buy the playground area for millions? 

Naturally as a nearby resident I object to more development in the street but mainly I fear for the future of the trees at risk. We know the amenity that public open space and trees provide to our whole present and future populations and there is little enough in the inner city.

I have written to the council of my concerns both for the present fate of the proposal but also for any future developments that may arise as a consequence should the sale go ahead.

Margaret Kennedy 
Via email