Perth Voice Interactive

A SPRAWLING six-building village of hotel rooms, apartments, offices, shops and venues will replace the Newcastle Street block currently dominated by the dormant City Motors car yard in the West Perth Pickle District. 

APPL Group’s $107 million project, dubbed Sydney Charles Quarter after the car yard founder, had largely won the support of locals and Vincent council planning staff. 

The public reaction is a far cry from the nearby Bunnings development a little to the west, which was decried for displacing an array of small businesses and arts venues and replacing them with a flat, monolithic hardware store.

At the November 7 Joint Development Assessment Panel meeting both the three state government-appointed members and the two Vincent council representatives voted to approve Sydney Charles Quarter.

The only tinge of criticism came from the designs not taking full advantage of the corner site: Vincent’s visioning document for the area suggested a building anywhere from 7 to 21 storeys on this landmark site, and SCQ’s tallest building only hits seven storeys. 

Cr Ashley Wallace said it was “a very strong design” but “maybe a little bit light, in my opinion”.

Cr Jonathan Hallett agreed the site would be “slightly underdeveloped in some ways” but overall it was “a desirable application” for an area where they’d been hoping to see some progress. 

A written critique also came from the chair of the Pickle District town team, Jon Denaro. The group wants to see the area rejuvenated, but without losing its arty soul. Mr Denaro said while he was not opposed to the development, he wanted to see more “long-term arts activation” and “not tokenistic sculptures and artworks with no link to the people and community”. 

The developer will have to set aside 1 per cent of the total for public artwork, and the Pickle District team has requested to be involved in planning for that $1.07m spend.

In a post-meeting statement new Vincent mayor Alison Xamon said: “This mixed-use urban village will be the largest development the Pickle District has ever seen.”

Ms Xamon said it lined up with Vincent’s planning framework “as it will provide high quality pedestrian amenity, connection to the rest of the precinct and opportunities to boost the area’s highly-valued arts and creative culture”.

She said it’d bring in more visitors to the area and the wider community would benefit from the much-needed public green spaces and supermarket on-site.

The Old Pickle Factory, from which the precinct gets its relatively recent moniker, will be refurbished and continue operating as an events space.

by DAVID BELL

JAZZ is still cool, with hundreds rocking up to Hyde Park for the annual Jazz Picnic in the Park over the weekend. The New Orleans-style parade and jam capped off the city-centric portion of the 2023 Perth International Jazz Festival, so you’ll have to head to the South-West for any more jazz shows like the November 12 “Jazz in the Caves” gig at Ngilgi Cave.

MORE trees will have to be removed from Hyde Park due to the spread of the polyphagous shothole borer, with two infested trees on the western side of the lake to be removed this week. The exotic beetle bores into trees to create elaborate fungus farms for food, often killing the tree. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has called in arborists to remove the severely damaged trees and will prune several others. There’ll also be more chemical treatment of Plane Trees around the lakes in hopes of staving off the borer’s advance. The beetle is especially attracted to the kind of “amenity” imported trees planted in parks throughout the 1900s, and has gotten stuck into prominent plane trees and towering figs in eight parks around Vincent so far. Since being spotted in East Fremantle in 2021, it’s spread to 25 different council areas.

RE-NAME or dual-name? The future moniker of Banks Reserve is up for public debate after local Aboriginal elders called for its Noongar name to be restored.

In August Vincent councillors voted to go ask the public about the Noongar naming. 

The strip of river along Mount Lawley was dubbed Banks Reserve in 1963 after former Perth councillor Ronald Frederick Banks. 

But the site has long been a meeting place and camp for Aboriginal people, and about 10 years ago a group of traditional owners and local elders agreed that the place was widely known as “Warndulier” or “Warndoolier”. ‘Warn’ is a digging stick, ‘dool’ means spirit or mist, and ‘doolier’ means big leaves.

Vincent council’s been on a campaign to revive Noongar language in public places, and originally a dual-naming was planned to keep ‘Banks’ and add ‘Warndulier’.

But as one of her final acts before retiring, then-mayor Emma Cole reckoned they should test the public sentiment for change and proposed also consulting about a complete rename back to Warndoolier.

The idea’s open for comment via imagine.vincent.wa.gov.au or  Vincent’s HQ until November 16.

by DAVID BELL

A PILOTLESS pilot project using drones to eradicate mosquitos has proven so effective Bayswater council is looking to rent out its bots to other mozzy-ridden municipalities.

For the past 18 months Bayswater has used drones to map out terrain and target mosquitoes in hard-to-reach marshy or overgrown areas (“Bots v bugs,” Voice, March 26, 2022).

Word about its success spread after a presentation at the 76th Environmental Health Australia WA state conference in April, and it’s drawn interest from other councils and government departments wanting a drone-for-hire arrangement to take care of their own mozzies.

Bayswater staff have penned a report advising councillors of “potential additional revenue”, along with helping the wider mosquito control efforts. 

“The City has a designated Mosquito Control Unit with officers that are recognised as leaders in mosquito control and are regularly approached for advice and assistance,” the report beams.

But even when their local populations are killed off, mosquitoes get carried in on the breeze from neighbouring councils.

The report advises: “If the City is engaged by neighbouring local governments to treat their difficult to access areas, the City will not only generate additional income, but also help to reduce the impact of mosquitoes on its residents.”

There’d be an initial outlay of about $700,000 to cover the extra gear and workers to beef up the Mosquito Control Unit so it can be hired out.

But it’s expected to start turning a profit before long, though the details are hidden in a confidential business case.

At the October 31 meeting deputy mayor Elli Petersen-Pik said “mosquitoes are a major nuisance for residents all over the City you know; Maylands, Baywater, Morley. I personally received complaints from everywhere.”

He said the rental scheme, “is in our interest… not alone because of the revenue-making opportunity but also to make sure that we are minimising the impact of mosquitoes getting to our areas and impacting our residents.”

Cr Michelle Sutherland said, “we’ll make some money, which is also a good thing, but for residents down in Maylands, particularly around this area, this is a good thing and hopefully we get less mosquitoes in the near future”.

Councillors unanimously approved a new fee for the service, coming in at about $500 an hour for equipment and labour hire, the first step to getting the mosquito-busting business off the ground.

by DAVID BELL

A 24-HOUR drug crisis centre planned for Stuart Street opposite Robertson Park has attracted a wave of objections over safety and amenity.

Not-for-profit drug and alcohol treatment provider Cyrenian House has applied to open an “Immediate Drug Assistance Coordination Centre” at 37-43 Stuart Street, part of a WA government initiative funded by the Mental Health Commission.

The IDACC would provide assistance for people and their families affected by alcohol and drugs, with two vans sending staff out to outreach locations across the city and transporting people back to the centre for treatment or short-term crisis accommodation, or to take them off-site to a sobering-up service.

They’ve set a guideline for a stay time of “up to 72 hours” for the service’s 10 short-term crisis beds, but noted that timeframe may stretch longer if they can’t safely discharge someone.

When the plans were advertised mid-year they attracted 178 submissions, with 148 of those opposed. 

A revised plan did not mollify objectors when it was advertised via email to the original submitters in September, with 17 submissions and 16 of those in favour.

Cyrenian House’s application says it’s heard the objections and will have two security guards on site 24/7 and regularly patrolling the perimeter. 

Nearby residents have prepared a group presentation urging the Joint Development Assessment Panel to reject the plans.

They raised “concerns for personal security”, and say their experience with similar centres nearby shows management plans don’t always stamp out bad behaviour.

The residents’ presentation points out they have four “community/social facilities” already in that area, including Palmerston House, Homeless Healthcare, and Mission Australia Youthbeat all on Palmerston Street, and “community housing” across the road on Fitzgerald Street.

“We feel we have our fair share of community facilities already,” their presentation states.

The JDAP, featuring two Vincent councillors and three state government appointed members, votes at their November 10 meeting.

Vincent council planners have recommended voting for refusal, based in part on it being incompatible with the surrounding residential area: “The scale and intensity of the use would result in off-site amenity impacts related to the 24 hour walk-in nature of the premises.”

Last year Perth council objected to a homeless support centre opening on James Street in Northbridge. 

The decision was overturned by the state’s then-planning minister Rita Saffioti. The centre is now operating, and has attracted complaints from neighbours alleging the management plan isn’t being adhered to.

by DAVID BELL

WA’S FIRST public hydrogen refuelling station is on track to open on Perth council-owned land on Thomas Street. 

The deal’s reached an agreement-in-principle stage and is still subject to approvals and a “final investment decision”, but lord mayor Basil Zempilas is enthusiastic about the project. 

“Hydrogen-fuelled cars are predicted to grow in popularity over the coming years so having a city-based refuelling station forms an important part of our sustainability plan,” he said in a press release. 

Frontier Energy has a long-term plan to supply a “hydrogen highway” to make travel by hydrogen vehicle possible throughout WA. 

In August the CSIRO released a report saying far more refuelling stations were needed to encourage uptake of the vehicles, as there are currently only five in Australia.

THE Joy of Wood isn’t a viagra promotion for seniors, but a woodwork educator that has taken over the Stirling Women’s Shed in Scarborough.

Since teaming up with Stirling Council, Joy of Wood has hosted workshops for women of all ages and abilities, including classes on how to make trinket boxes, bespoke wooden Xmas decorations and carving wooden spoons.

If you fancy dipping your toe in the shavings, then attend the Seniors Open Day at Stirling Women’s Shed on Tuesday (November 14). It’s hand-on with the option to make some small pre-organised items.

Seniors can pop in anytime on the day from 9am-3pm and there will be “delicious refreshments”. 

Unlike many Men’s Sheds, it’s not in a light industrial zone and is part of the leisure centre on Gildercliffe Street, which has a lovely courtyard where members can enjoy the cool sea breeze in the evening.

While there is some small machinery and power tools, the Women’s Shed focuses on using traditional woodworking hand skills and techniques, empowering women to use their hands to create beautiful objects, woodcraft and furniture. 

“Women’s Sheds are few and far between, and often struggle to get support and recognition,” states the Joy of Wood website. “We hope this unique partnership between The City of Stirling and The Joy of Wood, will shine a light of hope for groups of women everywhere, as to what might be possible in their communities.

“Women can participate at the Stirling Women’s Shed either as members or as visitors.”

The Stirling’s Women’s Shed was championed by Elizabeth Re, a long-serving and passionate Stirling councillor who had been pushing for a women’s shed ever since the city’s men’s shed opened in 2011, saying they needed a space for women to learn more about tools and maintain their hands-on skills.

The council of the day was reluctant but in 2019 her colleagues endorsed a one-year pilot, running sessions on topics like tool skills, painting, household maintenance, car maintenance and plumbing.

There was huge demand – the sessions booked out fast and 220 women asked to be put on the waiting list. 

Register for the Stirling Women’s Shed open day at events.humanitix.com.