Perth Voice Interactive

PERTH lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi has again confirmed her long-held stance that if people want to save heritage buildings, they ought to reach into their own pocket to buy them.

Last year the Voice reported Ms Scaffidi’s similar sentiments about the Michelides Tobacco Factory, aimed at members of the public who’d wanted the council to do more to protect old buildings (it’s since been bowled over and replaced with lawn, with no firm plan for a replacement).

At the time Ms Scaffidi claimed her comments had been published, “out of context! (…dare I add again where Voice & Perth is concerned)”.

Tudor-style

Back then we requested the recording of the council meeting where she’d made the claims so we could compare them to our notes, but PCC staff refused to hand over the audio saying it was “only for minute-taking purposes”.

Now, the demolition of a grand tudor-style house in King’s Park, once owned by Premier George Leake’s family, has reignited unrest from people who think the capital city’s council should do more to save old buildings, and Ms Scaffidi has once again told them: Buy it yourself. “You can save her,” Ms Scaffidi told a heritage fan on a Facebook discussion. “Make an offer to buy it at market value and live in it if you are so outraged.” The 99-year-old home, on 10 Bellevue Terrace, most recently sold for $15.2 million.

We asked Ms Scaffidi if she thought the statements could be seen as out of touch given most of her constituency couldn’t just up and buy a $15.2m building. We also asked whether she still believed our story of last February was “out of context” given she’s reiterated the same sentiment. She did not provide a response on the record.

Ms Scaffidi has a personal stake in a hefty real estate portfolio across the city.

She and husband Joe did indeed buy a historic building—the old Grand Central backpackers—but it’s not in great nick.

by DAVID BELL

PERTH ratepayers will shell out $15,000 for a painting of lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi according to a draft council budget.

Her predecessor Peter Nattrass commissioned his portrait out of his own pocket and then donated it to the city.

We asked Ms Scaffidi if she’d consider following Dr Nattrass’ lead and save the ratepayers some dosh but she didn’t answer the question.

Lord mayors usually only get a portrait done when they leave office so we’d wondered if the staff were planning for a succession.

Ms Scaffidi says staff haven’t discussed it with her and it’s all been handled by the administration.

At neighbouring Vincent, around 500 bucks buys a framed mayoral photo that hangs in the council chamber. The package includes pics for the website and newsletters.

ALDI is looking at opening a store in Morley.

The Voice understands the Galleria is one of the sites being considered by the budget supermarket chain.

“As a part of our Western Australia expansion plans, ALDI has identified Morley as a catchment area with sites of interest,” said an ALDI Australia spokesperson.

“We are in the early stages of planning and will be able to share further details once our plans progress.”

Last October, ALDI outlined plans to invest $700 million building two distribution centres and as many as 130 stores in WA and SA.

The Galleria is also home to the council-owned Max Tulley Centre and a child care centre.

Earlier this year, it was mooted the facilities could be relocated to a new multi-million dollar Les Hansman Community Centre in Morley.

In a meeting closed to the public last year, Bayswater council voted to shift the library to the Morley sport and recreation centre by 2016.

The peppercorn lease for the library expired last September, prompting the decision to shift.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

LOCAL wetland fans Sally Lake and Dudley Maier are leading a tour on the history of Perth’s wetlands from the pre-colonisation days to when development north of town saw most disappear.

The WA Naturalists’ Club asked the retired Vincent councillors to dig into their memory banks to lead the tour and spin a few history yarns, starting at Smith’s Lake.

Known as Danjabnerup to local Aboriginal people, the Smith’s Lake wetland was a market garden site owned by the Gooey family before Perth city council resumed it in 1959. The council reduced the size by one-thirtieth and turned over most land to industrial and residential use.

From there the tour will head up to the old Hamilton interchange, another site of massive wetland reclamation.

They’re meeting at Smith’s Lake on Kayle Street in North Perth Wednesday May 27. Call Donald Poynton from the naturalists on 0419 460 301 to book.

by DAVID BELL

A $25 million redevelopment of Frank Drago Reserve is being opposed by local residents, who’ve launched a petition.

Last month, Bayswater city council unveiled its draft masterplan for the site but petitioners claim it was developed with insufficient community consultation and unequal input from the soccer, tennis, bowling and croquet clubs that share the reserve.

When the plan went public, croquet club treasurer Trevor Ashby was “very disappointed” with plans to halve the 83-year-old club’s greens, and tennis club president Dan Kerrigan said it was “completely unacceptable” his club would lose at least one court and see its 10 grass courts replaced with hard courts.

Bayswater City Soccer Club was the big winner, scoring three full-size pitches and two junior pitches.

It was the club’s request for an expansion that had kickstarted the masterplan process last year.

At the time of going to print, the petition had been online for five days and amassed 327 signatures.

“We only support a plan that has no encroachment to current boundaries and areas of tennis and croquet,” petitioner Leili Marshall said.

“The plan must ensure that the current grass reserve remains as public open space, accessible for passive recreation and unrestricted public use. There should be no rate or levy increase to fund the development.”

Pro-trees campaigner and town planner Greg Smith claims part of the plan involves removing healthy trees—including a popular mulberry—and replacing lawn with synthetic turf.

“No surveys were done on the parking/traffic and noise provisions, yet they are expecting 3000 people to attend the soccer matches,” he says. “And the clincher—you will be paying for it in your rates for years to come.”

The draft masterplan includes a nature-themed play space, dedicated zones for dog walkers, and more parking.

The council hopes to have it all built by 2019.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

BEING encased tightly in old fishing net on a beach, in crocodile-infested territory, seemed like a good idea at the time but Cecile Williams got cold feet as the tropical waters lapped.

“I thought it would make a good photo, but after that experience I wouldn’t do that again,” she tells the Voice.

The Denmark-based artist is using her latest exhibition Trapped to raise awareness of the terrible toll that discarded fishing nets and other debris have on the marine environment.

Unable to move, with visions of crocs rampaging through her mind, Williams won a whole new appreciation for the suffering of aquatic animals, trapped with no handy photographer to untangle them.

“The more they fight the more tangled they get,” she says.

“Some are injured…noses and eyes get cut. The net is like scissors, sharp and hard.”

Over the past five years Williams has collected an astonishing amount of rubbish washed up on beaches in the far north-west to create her sculptures.

The works tell intricate and personal stories of her time in remote communities affected by debris, some accidentally washed overboard, some discarded because it’s damaged and not worth hauling home.

But long after the boats are back in port their “ghost nets” continue to wreak havoc on sea life, damage coral reef and pollute beaches: “[Floating] almost unseen and propelled by the ocean currents,” Williams says.

Trapped is on at Central Tafe’s Gallery Central, 12 Aberdeen Street, Perth May  18–June 11. 

by JENNY D’ANGER 

DISCORDANT presumes there’s a concordant, but it’s really a matter of what the ear is used to, Tura New Music artistic director Toss Mahoney says.

And that’s down to cultural conditioning: “Because it’s what we have been hammered with for so long…we think it’s wrong, but it’s impossible to be wrong with art.”

This year marks Tura’s twelfth Totally Huge New Music Festival.

Featuring more than 20 concerts with more than 50 music and sound artists from Australia and around the world, it will be awash with improvised electroacoustic and digital sounds, audio and audiovisual manipulation, installations, exhibitions and a film screening.

Toy eerily

Acclaimed UK-based Aussie Zubin Kanga will perform two new works,  by Australian composers: “[Which] toy eerily with the concept of ‘solo’ piano recital,” Mr Mahoney says.

Renowned new music interpreter, German cellist Friedrich Gauwerky is also going solo, and Melbourne composer, vocalist and sound artist Alice Hui-Sheng Change will perform new works in collaboration with singers from the WA Academy of Performing Arts.

The Totally Huge New Music Festival kicks off May 15 and finishes May 24. Check out Tura New Music’s webpage for the full program and venues.

by JENNY D’ANGER

A 39-year-old man was admitted to hospital last Thursday evening after being stabbed in a William Street car park.

The man was allegedly stabbed after an altercation with a 20-year-old man, who has been charged with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

An 18-year-old woman who was with the 20 year old man at the time of the alleged altercation was released without charge.

PROGRESS STREET in Morley is getting a funky make-over.

The highlight of the upgrade is a cool wall mural by local artist Steve Buckle at pocket park.

Cr Michelle Sutherland, who wants Bayswater council to set aside $80,000 for urban art in the city, says she’s “thrilled”.

“It makes the area so much more liveable and vibrant,” she says.

“As far as I am know it is the first for Morley. I want us to catch-up with Mt Lawley and Vincent who have excelled in street art.”

The Progress Street works also include the planting of shade canopy trees, the cleaning and repair of verge paving and funky planter seaters.

Local councillor Chris Cornish says art is good for business.

“The artwork is bright, prominent and a great addition to both Progress Street and Morley,” he says.

“Public artwork is important because it rejuvenates an area and sets a positive atmosphere.

“Research has shown that public art does have an economic benefit to local businesses.”

Bayswater mayor Sylvan Albert says the works were commissioned after surveying business owners who thought an upgrade would make the area more popular.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

A DRAB wall facing a kids’ playground in Bayswater has been beautified with a kids’-designed mural.

Local artist Namo Osaki spent a week painting designs, created by local youngsters, onto the wall at Bayswater library on King William Street.

She finished off the Bert Wright Park mural with her own manga-style artwork in the middle. “We had a great reaction from families using the playground and from elderly people as well,” she says.

“It was a bit of a rush to finish it and I was working until 9pm some nights.

“Luckily it was hot that week and the gloss acrylic paint dried quickly.”

Osaki was awarded a grant last year to undertake a community art project that would “add vibrancy” to Bayswater.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK