Perth Voice Interactive

AFTER years of negotiations between councils, state and federal governments there’s finally some action on the diabolical Beaufort Street/Walcott Street intersection,  with a trial restricting right turns in an effort to reduce prangs and increase pedestrian safety (it’s the eighth most dangerous intersection in WA according to the RAC). It was one of the election commitments of both federal Perth MP Tim Hammond and state Mt Lawley MP Simon Millman, and Mr Hammond is calling it “a massive victory for local pedestrians and road users”. The 12 month trial will monitor surrounding streets to see if the ban results in more rat-running as people avoid the intersection.

A MASSIVE community engagement project by Vincent council has been launched, asking residents to “Imagine Vincent” as it grows during the next 10 years. The council wants to hear from locals on everything from a growing population, making it easier and safer to get around, and how local businesses can be supported. It’ll inform the council’s Strategic Community Plan from 2018 to 2028. Head to imagine.vincent.wa.gov.au or call 9273 6500.

A VOICE reader took issue with our use of the word “fatwa” in our recent article on local councils planning to ban plastic bags. Reader Alex Gramatkovski wrote in saying: “I’m not very happy with the use of Arabic word “fatwa” being used in a WA news article. We speak English in this country, not Arabic. The article’s main point was to ban plastic bags… and had no Arabic or Muslim reference whatsoever. I would much appreciate if you would refrain from using such words in the future unless the reference is needed”. We told Mr Gramatkovski the Chook likes to occasionally pepper in some foreign words to add a bit of colour, from our reportage of various committee powwows across the four council demesnes we cover, to developers being given carte blanche and planning approvals being a fait accompli.

STEER clear of the East Perth station footbridge next weekend—it’ll be closed for 34 hours (June 30  8pm to July 2 6am) as part of the $25 million station upgrade. Two big sections of the new concourse are being craned into place. The station gets about 200 boardings on a typical Saturday but the weekend will be a busy one with a lot of rugby fans heading to Perth Stadium. The Public Transport Authority says they’ll be better off using Claisebrook station “and avoid East Perth altogether”.

Youth drop-in centre too close to brothels and homes say locals

OPENING a homeless drop-in centre in Edward Street in Perth will create more antisocial behaviour around Weld Square, say concerned locals.

With two brothels nearby, locals are also worried the location is inappropriate for vulnerable youth.

Vinnies’ Passages Resource Centre opened on Palmerston Street in 1999, offering homeless youth, aged 12 to 25, free facilities, including a kitchen, bathroom and medical advice.

The centre, which deals with an average of 20 young people a day, has outgrown the site and Vinnies has applied to Vincent council to move to Edward Street and for a change of use to be a drop-in centre.

Eighty of the 85 public submissions to council opposed the move, and local John Collins said, “I support Vinnies as they do essential works” but it is the wrong location and homeless youth shouldn’t be exposed to the brothel’s clientele.

Several businesses at nearby Weld Square already deal with anti-social behaviour and have also opposed the move.

Mr Collins says the homeless youth congregating at Russell Square, near the existing centre, would likely move to Weld Square, the closest park to the proposed Palmerston site.

“We do experience moderate anti-social behaviour at this square and don’t consider that any subsequent increase is acceptable,” he says.

A flyer letterdropped to residents in the area states, “unsocial behaviour like public drinking, drug taking, graffiti, public ablutions and defecation are unwelcome additions to our premises” and urged people to make a submission.

Gayle Mitchell, Vinnies state manager for homeless services, says they have done due diligence on the new site.

“We take our duty of care for these vulnerable individuals very seriously and would not make any decisions that would cause any risk of further trauma for these young people, who have already been exposed to more than they should,” she says.

Ms Mitchell says they have management plans to minimise any impact to the neighbourhood.

“Many of the young people accessing Passages have had varied experience’s that have led to them becoming homeless or at risk of being homeless;  issues such as abuse, neglect and family breakdown, sexuality or undiagnosed mental health issues.  Despite these complex issues and the difficulties they face, the majority of the time the young people we assist are respectful of the service and staff, and do not want to [risk getting] time out from the service as a result of undertaking antisocial behaviour.”

Vinnies will hold a community information session on the proposed drop-in centre at Mount Lawley Bowling Club on July 20 at 6.30pm.

The proposal is scheduled to be voted on by Vincent councillors in July and requires an absolute majority.

by DAVID BELL

IT’S bikes versus banksias at Lightning Park, with locals concerned a proposed BMX and mountain bike track could impact the sensitive bush and wetlands at Lightning Swamp.

Local bike enthusiast Rob Evans has been working on plans for the track at the north of the reserve for about two years and wants Bayswater council to help build and fund it.

But Friends of Lightning Swamp Bushland are dead against the plan, worried that having bike tracks through there, “could result in introduced diseases with potential to infect the unaffected banksia woodlands”.

FOLSB president John Williams says a buffer zone is needed to protect the sensitive bushland, because mountain bike tyres can carry dieback from other trails and “the activity would likely pose a major threat to the future health of the woodlands and result in deterioration to the only intact example of banksia woodlands remaining in the City of Bayswater.”

FOLSB also wants to use the land, earmarked for the bike track, for an environmental education centre.

There’s a small BMX jump circuit at Lightning Park but it’s not a closed loop, and is hardly used and overgrown with weeds.

Bayswater council staff have recommended the city doesn’t fork out the estimated $627,000 it could cost to build the track, and instead write a letter of support if Mr Evans wants to make a third-party grant application.

Mr Evans says the track could be built for a lot less and that he is happy to chat to FOLSB about a buffer zone.

by DAVID BELL