Perth Voice Interactive

THE bike boulevard battle continues along Mount Hawthorn’s Shakespeare Street, with a local dobbing in pro-bike Christmas decorations on verge trees as rubbish.

A Vincent city council ranger visited the street and has told locals that Christmas decorations do constitute littering under local laws and require removal.

Locals had hung the “all I want for Christmas is a bike boulevard” decorations as a festive promotion of their hopes for a bike-friendly upgrade to slow traffic and increase bike safety. The WA transport department’s mulling over the idea.

Last week we reported someone opposed to the boulevard had been ripping them down, and that Gail Neindorf had spotted the culprit and confronted him.

Mayor John Carey says staff are obliged to abide by rules as written, and he wants to change that law so people can decorate street trees without falling foul of officialdom.

“I like Christmas decorations in trees, I believe in free speech, if people want to put their signs on trees so be it,” he told the Voice. “I’ve spoken to the CEO about changing our local laws because there’s lots of streets that decorate trees. I love that, people having a bit of ownership… it’s clear we’re going to have to change our laws.”

by DAVID BELL

LOCALS want to get their hands dirty — literally — to make Bayswater better.

Community group the Baysie Rollers is offering to chip in “in any way” as part of a $100,000 redevelopment of the Bert Wright Park playground.

The offer comes as the council this week posted an online survey asking for ideas for its proposed nature play area.

Roller Scott Bradley, a project manager by trade, says he knows people with specialised skills and knowledge who want to chip in with mulching, woodwork and plant selection.

“A local men’s group might do the woodworking and an environmental group can help out with the plant selection,” the father of two youngsters says.

The Bayswater man, who joined the Rollers in August, is working closely with the council and playground designers at Nature Play Solutions to engage with the community.

An idea bouncing around the drawing board is moving the playground closer to the hill, away from King William Street, making space for a community garden.

“Changing the location of the playground may cost up to 25 per cent of the $100,000 budget,” the council’s online survey warns.

There may also be a hedge maze, watercourse and logs for climbing. Glorious bugs, insects and earthworms will be provided by mother nature.

Local mum Taryn says in summer her kids don’t like playing on King William Street’s metal play equipment because it’s too hot.

In November, the Voice reported councillor Alan Radford saying residents should chip in when it comes to beautifying their neighbourhood.

He’d remembered when it was common for residents to help with community projects like creating gardens: “People took ownership and if someone came along to ruin it, they’d be the first ones to point out how they slaved away to make it,” he  had told councillors. “Now they’d just call the rangers because they’d think it’s the council’s problem.”

Council spokeswoman Julia Kogan told the Voice the council is happy to consider letting residents plant trees — supplied or self-funded — in parks or verges.

“The city can consider written requests on a case by case basis,” she says.

However, she notes, “the city has a duty of care with this type of work and the people who are not trained in this field could present a risk to themselves such as working near traffic”.

Bayswater council is taking all suggestions for nature play park through a survey. Submissions close on Monday, February 8. Visit bayswater.wa.gov.au.

by EMMIE DOWLING

THE developer of an apartment complex proposed for Bayswater’s King William Road is sticking to seven storeys despite the council’s five-storey limit.

Yolk Property Group reckons it can win approval for its 27-apartment complex after making design changes.

The stance follows the metro central development assessment panel’s October rejection of Yolk’s application over ”bulk and scale”. The panel had said a, “five-storey development is considered to be more appropriate”.

But developer Pete Adams is ready to roll the dice: he reckons he can get the powerful state administrative tribunal onside. He says the updated design incorporates more parking space, a “heritage-style lower facade” and the streetfront space is now saved for a restaurant or boutique shop.

The proposal is up for public comment till Friday, January 22.

The SAT has set a deadline of February 19 for the MCDAP to assess Yolk’s updated application.

by EMMIE DOWLING 

THE Searchers’ Frank Allen puts the band’s longevity down to a nostalgia revival–and the pure enjoyment they still get out of playing more than 50 years on.

“We are retirement age and financially secure, so the only reason to do it is because you enjoy it,” he tells the Voice from his London home.

With a combined age that doesn’t bear contemplation the “boys” still give it their all, pumping out old favourites polished over almost half a century.

Hailing from Merseyside, The Searchers were at the epicentre of the ‘60s music and cultural revolution. They recorded a string of hits including Sugar and Spice (which featured in the movie Good Morning Vietnam), and Sweets for My Sweets – but despite being chart toppers were always in the shadow of fellow Merseysiders, The Beatles.

“We were part of a golden era of music. The Beatles paved the way. The future was forever, but we didn’t know that at the time,” Allen says.

The band made other people’s music their own, mostly “failed American singles”, including Love Potion Number 9: “We took it and turned it into a huge hit.”

The group first heard Needles and Pins while touring Germany and back home their version shot to number one in the UK, Ireland and South Africa, and 13 in the US.

Rock and roll hit the doldrums in the frothy-pop music ‘70s, and like many, The Searchers felt the pinch, classy hotels on tour becoming a memory: “We went down to B&Bs.”
But they stuck in to ride the wave of nostalgia that has kept the band going for decades, with old and new fans demanding the old songs.

“It’s the same with Elton John, I think people go to hear Rocket Man and Candle in the Wind. There’s no shame in nostalgia,” Allen says.

At 72 Allen’s a couple of years younger than mate Cliff Richards, and a year younger than Mick Jagger: “People say aren’t you glad to be working at your age, I says I’m glad to be walking at my age,” he jokes.

The Searchers are at the Astor Theatre, February 6.

by JENNY D’ANGER

DEVELOPERS are being fined $500 a day over an inner-city site that resembles a rubbish dump.

Vincent city council CEO Len Kosova says some material “appeared to be surplus to the material from the demolition” and the site is being treated as an “unauthorised open air storage yard”— in other words, an illegal tip.

The identity of the builder wasn’t readily visible when the Voice visited the site at 283–285 Vincent Street — despite a legal obligation for such details to be signposted — but the trio that applied last year to develop the site are owner Gareth Lindegger, designer Doepel Marsh and builder Joe Scaffidi — who is married to Perth lord mayor, Lisa Scaffidi.

The site owner was instructed on Christmas eve to remove the rubbish: the council started issuing daily $500 fines January 8.

A near-neighbour told the Voice noisy workers have been on-site outside the approved hours of 7am to 7pm Mondays to Saturdays. Workers allegedly toiled through Christmas Day.

Mr Kosova confirms his staff had been sent “video and photos of works occurring outside the designated legal periods, particularly some very early starts on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, continuing for around two weeks after this”.

Mr Kosova says the work is prohibited under environmental protection regulations, and the footage and photos will be used as evidence to pursue this matter.

The Voice spotted some unorthodox traffic management practices on its own site visit: on Sunday January 10 (again, outside legal working hours) a worker blocked the street with traffic cones but ran out of them, so he rolled out wheelie bins to help block the street while backing a massive truck into the site, obstructing three lanes of traffic for several minutes.

Mr Kosova says the council’s reviewing that matter too, as all traffic works related to the demolition permit “need to comply with the relevant Australian standards, including the preparation of a traffic management plan and engagement of accredited traffic controllers”.

Mayor John Carey, who last year asked staff to look into getting tougher on inconsiderate builders who make a mess of surrounds, says “I do not understand how any company would allow work on Christmas day, if that is the case”.

He says instead of just roaring ahead, developers should “engage your neighbours, show respect, show courtesy and  work with them”.

“You have less problems, you work things out together, because it is a significant inconvenience in terms of noise and dust.

“It’s just basic commonsense and respect, but unfortunately I do get a growing number of complaints about developers in the city and we have to look at ways to make sure development companies show basic respect.”

by DAVID BELL

THEY take their dogwalking seriously down at Woodville Reserve in North Perth, with word that a mafiosa-esque group is telling others to shove off from its patch of the park.

Voice reader “Anne” says she was walking her dog when assaulted by a member of the group, who was out walking their own pooch.

She says a woman told her to leave, then a man grabbed both her arms and frog-marched her off the reserve, causing her to fall.

Someone from the group later reported Anne’s dog to Vincent council for attacking one of their dogs, and claiming that had been the reason they wanted her gone.

Anne has posted flyers around North Perth, warning there is a group “who have taken it upon themselves to tell other dog users when and where they can use the park”. She describes the physical features of the woman she believes to be the ringleader.

She states in the poster she’d been told, ”you can come, but after 6.30pm and use Namur Street side”.

Anne has reported the incident to police, and tells the Voice she’s since learned of others who’ve been told to scram.

When she got onto Vincent council a ranger told her to remove her flyers from council property or face a $5000 fine.  However, council CEO Len Kosova says she wouldn’t be fined.

The rangers later emailed her to say, “we spoke to different people on the reserve including the large group that seem to be causing the problem”.

“We have made it clear that they cannot be telling people when or how they can be utilising this park.

“They didn’t admit to doing this which we suspected would be the case.”

The rangers confirmed others had been made to feel unwelcome: “We did speak to independent parties who said although they had never been told to leave the park, they claim they had been made to feel uncomfortable.

“It is a council park and open to everyone. Dogs do need to be controlled at all times however.”

by DAVID BELL

VINCENT mayor John Carey has criticised his Bayswater counterpart for attending a dinner hosted by a property developer.

Mr Carey says attending developers’ soirees doesn’t inspire ratepayers’ confidence in arms-length decision-making.

He says there was no need for Barry McKenna and Bayswater council CEO Francesca Lefante and their partners to attend the Satterley Property Group suit-and-tie affair at King Park’s State Reception Centre.

The November dinner was last week logged on the council’s gift register at $600 value.

“I would ask why council staff would need to go to an event like this,” the Vincent mayor asks.

“As decision-makers, we should be beyond reproach and not fuelling a perception that there has been undue influence.

“I’m not suggesting that’s what has happened here or that the mayor has acted in this way, I’m just saying, whether we like it or not, some people hold the perception that developers and councillors are in bed together.

“It’s critical we don’t give any more fuel or fodder to those perceptions, and I think that task is harder if we accept hospitality from developers.

“I have not and will not ever accept hospitality from a developer. A bunch of mayors going to an expensive mayoral dinner hosted by a developer at a lovely restaurant doesn’t look good.”

His disapproval comes after Bayswater council last month rejected councillor Dan Bull’s call for a “developer register”, a public record of interactions between elected members and the development industry.

Cr Bull wanted to introduce a “level of accountability” but was voted down, with opponents saying they didn’t want to be “bogged down” with paperwork.

Satterley has hosted the annual dinner for 25 years and invites dozens of government officials, incuding mayors and state ministers.

It’s known as a networking event, and it’s up to invitees to decide whether they want to pay their own way or accept it as a gift.

Cr McKenna says he doesn’t believe the council has received a development application from Satterley.

He doesn’t think there’s a conflict of interest.

“It was a good meet-and-greet with other mayors and ministers,” he says.

Guests included WA local government minister Tony Simpson.

Satterley declined to comment.

by EMMIE DOWLING