Perth Voice Interactive

BAYSWATER croquet and tennis clubs are unleashing their mallets and racquets on a $25 million revamp of Frank Drago Reserve.

The reserve is home to local soccer, tennis, bowling and croquet clubs and the council has released its draft masterplan for the site.

Croquet club treasurer Trevor Ashby is “very disappointed” with plans to halve the 83-year-old club’s greens.

“We currently have two greens but under the preferred proposal we will be down to one,” he says.

Impossible for tournaments

“This will make it impossible for us to hold tournaments and accommodate our members, as you can only have a maximum of eight people on one green at a time.

“We play five days a week, all year round, and I feel that because we have an older age group and play a niche sport we have been sidelined.”

Tennis club president Dan Kerrigan says it is “completely unacceptable” his club will lose at least one court and have its 10 grass courts replaced with hard courts.

“We have around 500 kids on our books, playing seven days a week,” he says.

“So to lose a court is completely unacceptable, as is the loss of our traditional grass courts, which our older players love.

“The plan also recommends that all clubs share one clubhouse—I think that might be problematic in terms of booking functions and 150 kids running about when the bowlers and croquet players are trying to relax.”

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

It was the club’s request for an expansion that kickstarted the masterplan process last year. “We need to check that the full-size pitches are the right size and conform to FFA standards,” says club committee member Greg D’Orazio. “That was the catalyst for this whole redesign, as the pitches had to conform by 2016 to host NPL matches.

“I wouldn’t like to see any of the other clubs downsized in this process.”

Bowling club president Clive Baldwinson says he is “pretty happy” as his club retains its current facilities and gets a retractable roof on its greens.

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

A community drop-in session will be held April 23 at The Drill Hall in Murray Street and the draft is out for public consultation till May 8. The council hopes to have it all built by 2019.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

VOICE photographer Matthew Dwyer headed down to Leederville this week to check out the artists painting the town for the Form Public 2015 mural festival. Local, Australian and international artists will be here until April 19 hitting up Leederville, Freo, Claremont, Northbridge, the CBD and even the wheatbelt. If you want to see where they’ll be so you can catch them in the act head to form.net.au/public2015/

STIRLING city council has launched an Aboriginal reconciliation action plan but mayor Giovanni Italiano remains non-committal about flying the Aboriginal flag all year round.

In a glossy 17-page plan the council states one of its 2015 goals is “flying the Aboriginal flag”.

When the Voice asked Cr Italiano if that was his preference we received a computer-generated fluffbite.

“I will support protocols that come from the implementation of the plan that are endorsed by council,” he says.

“I support the reconciliation action plan in its entirety along with council and reconciliation Australia.”

It was only in November 2010 that the council voted to permit the flag to fly during NAIDOC and reconciliation week.

In 2012, on the eve of NAIDOC week, former mayor David Boothman conceded relations between the council and its indigenous community were strained, saying “we need to do more work on this at a council level”.

We received a more human response when we asked Cr Italiano if he thought relations had improved since 2012.

“Some of the elders present at the launch presented speeches and expressed their view that the relationship has improved and that there was an excitement about the future and what will be achieved over the coming year,” he says.

“The city is committed to a number of initiatives, including the support for the Aboriginal Resource Centre that is due to open in July, a premiers award for the Mooro country tours in partnership with the community and a number of very successful events including Christmas celebrations, NAIDOC and Harmony Day.

“Yes, I believe the relationship has improved over recent years as a result of being able to meet, share stories, develop trust and more importantly work together to achieve great outcomes.”

Neighbouring Vincent flies the Aboriginal flag all year round.

Bayswater city council is looking into doing the same.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

TRADE at the humble pay-what-you-feel restaurant Annalakshmi has taken a huge battering courtesy of  the dusty, noisy Elizabeth Quay construction site surrounding it.

Fans of the vegetarian Indian restaurant are starting a campaign to save the place.

Annalakshmi has been open 25 years, letting people ‘pay what they feel’ their meal is worth and has served many folk down on their luck.

But since construction started on Elizabeth Quay in 2012, trade has declined dramatically, from 600 a day to 250.

Fan Ellen Kang has started a Facebook campaign “Fortnight to support Annalakshmi to stay on the Swan”.

While many campaigns leave it at feel-good “likes” and “shares” she’s imploring people to head down and put actual bums on seats over the fortnight April 13 to 27.

by DAVID BELL

A SEVENTY-FOUR-YEAR old granny has been charged after 25 cannabis plants were allegedly found in her back garden.

After receiving a tip-off about the “marijuana granny”, police visited her house in Hotham Street, Bayswater and allegedly spotted several large cannabis plants in her vegie plot.

“Police seized 25 mature cannabis plants along with approximately 1.8kg of cannabis leaf material that appear to have been prepared for distribution,” says copper Dave Whitnell.

“Estimates associated with current street level drug pricing would place the value of the seized drugs at around $25,000.

“A smoking implement was also located inside the home”

The woman was charged with cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis with intent to sell or supply. If convicted she may be declared a drug trafficker and subjected to proceeds of crime legislation.
The woman’s 45-year-old son was charged with possessing cannabis and possessing a smoking implement.

Meanwhile, seven people were arrested in late night raids on two houses in Maylands. Drugs, property and weapons were seized.

The raid will feature on Channel 7’s ‘The Force’.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

BAYSWATER mayor Sylvan Albert wants the council to buy land and build carparks to relieve parking pressures in Maylands.

He says a series of high-density developments along Railway Parade and Guildford Road will soon heap even more stress on clogged retail hotspots like Eighth Avenue.

“One option would be to buy land and turn it into a carpark,” he says. “It could be more than just a carpark, with council offices and other administrative buildings there, a sort of one-stop shop. Buying land would also be a good investment for the city.”

Cr Albert’s proposal follows businesses and residents contacting him with their concerns.

Cr John Rifici, the former owner of Rifo’s Cafe, says a two-hour limit would be a good compromise.

“I think two hours lets people go for a meal and visit a few shops, but stops commuters parking there for the whole day and jumping on the train to Perth,” he says.

Catherine Ehrhardt, who owns Blackcurrant Clothing and helps run The Maylands Markets, says people need to change their attitude to transport. “You still see four people meeting for coffee on Eighth Avenue and all four of them arriving in separate cars,” she says.

“People need to start using public transport more, but it’s a bit of a Catch 22, because the infrastructure isn’t there yet.

“My preference would be for metered parking with the first hour free.”

A lack of bays at Maylands train station has resulted in commuters parking illegally on verges, median strips and driveways.

It was announced last month the PTA would build an extra 105 bays there.

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker welcomes Cr Albert’s idea.

“I would like the city’s strategy to include some of the solutions I’ve raised previously, including marking bays along the railway side of Whatley Crescent, increasing the presence of council rangers, and erecting signs pointing to alternate parking off Whatley Crescent,” she says.

“In order for Maylands to continue to grow and thrive, we need to be supporting our local businesses.”

The long-term parking strategy motion will come before council later this month.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

TAILORED suits, silk ties, Italian shoes and celebrity haircuts are fine on the public dime, just don’t spend ratepayers’ money writing to ratepayers.

Perth city councillor Reece Harley found himself in hot water this week after using council resources to send out 3400 letters to ratepayers, including updates on council goings-on and an invitation to contact him if anyone had issues or ideas to share.

There’s no set limit on the use of council copy machines and mailouts (and councillors typically use them to send out Christmas cards or Chinese new year greetings) but PCC CEO Gary Stevenson reckons Cr Harley overstepped the mark and wants him to cough up $3300 (that’s pretty steep—we know a printer who can do 5000 A4 brochures for $700).

Cr Harley—the only Perth councillor who doesn’t claim a cent for clothing—says communicating with ratepayers is a better use of cash than buying suits and it should be covered as a claimed expense. He wants a policy put in place to formally allow it.

“It’s a fundamental role and responsibility of councillors to communicate with residents and electors of the city,” he told the Voice.

“Politicians are often criticised for being detached from their constituents and not responsive to their concerns.

“I am actively trying to smash that stereotype by reaching out to ratepayers and residents so that they can raise their ideas and issues with me directly.”

by DAVID BELL