[Spacemarket] estimates at least 40 buildings in Perth are dormant PERTH lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi is concerned a smartphone app to marry up disused properties with clients could degenerate into a public “name and shame” exercise. Spacemarket will launch its Why so empty? app today, Saturday April 13, enabling users to tag onto an interactive…

BAYSWATER city council has banked $22.35 million after selling 40.5 hectares in Brabham. Around 30 attended the auction last week with Cedar Woods Properties lodging the winning bid. The council’s reserve was $20m. Councillors had been split over whether to sell the land, with some arguing they could make more by waiting for prices to…

TWO attempts to increase freedom of speech for Vincent city councillors failed at Tuesday’s meeting and a third was stalled. Currently councillors are banned from “adversely reflecting on a council decision” and are not permitted to state their position about plans or policies out for community consultation if it could be seen as biased. Cr…

A BAN on recording council meetings will continue at Vincent city council. Currently minutes are recorded by the council’s in-house microphone system and CD copies are available (if you’re prepared to wait a few days), but there’s a long-standing ban on people using their own personal recording devices. Cr Dudley Maier wants to allow journalists…

MAYLANDS horticulturalist Nick Bell says if you have a square foot of space you have room for a garden, and he wants to teach Perth locals how to do it. The concept of square foot gardens—growing lots of vegies and herbs in tiny spaces—has been kicking around in America since the ‘80s after retired soldier…

‘Really damning’ THE $59,800 Chinese sculpture Vincent city council will buy instead of a local work is one of a series of eight, despite a council policy that it not buy a “mass-produced nor ‘off-the-shelf’ piece”. Mayor Alannah MacTiernan says a series of eight doesn’t count: “Many great Nolan works of art come in a…

‘I’m a bit concerned about taking down the fence which exposes the kids to the street’ TWO Dianella families are celebrating after Stirling city council backflipped to allow four kids to keep their play space. The council had wanted to tear down the play space built on the vacant lot beside the Terranova family house…

KIDS these days are so removed from risk they grow up lacking resilience to deal with real life, reckons Vincent mayor Alannah MacTiernan. She wants to introduce more nature playgrounds around the city where kids play in shallow creeks, build stuff with sticks, climb trees and take a few minor risks. With most padded-floor playgrounds…

Willis wears me out WHENEVER I reach Voice Mail I almost always find another unnecessary letter from Ron Willis. I didn’t need to know that Ron’s daughters play April Fool’s Day tricks, as I did this week, nor that a meeting he thought would happen didn’t. Non-news equals no interest! There really are meaningful subjects…

Sex on verandas, condoms, syringes litter street VINCENT city council is planning to publicly name and shame men prosecuted for soliciting prostitutes in Highgate. Mayor Alannah MacTiernan told councillors at Tuesday night’s meeting she was fed-up with the “mayhem” in and around Stirling Street caused by kerb-crawlers. Local Robert McCormack reported that people engage in…