Perth Voice Interactive

THE Les Hansman Community Centre in Morley is set for a multi-million dollar rebirth.

Bayswater city council is set to tear down the existing centre, built in the 1970s, and build a new civic and commercial mixed-use facility in its place.

The multi-storey development could incorporate services currently at the Galleria, including the library, Max Tulley Centre and child care centre. The council has released two concept plans for public comment.

Option one will cost around $10 million to build and include a function centre, council one-stop shop, meeting room, indoor garden, service and office space/library on 2175sqm.

The ambitious second option will cost more than seven times as much—around $73m—but include aged accommodation, outdoor cinema, medical suites, retail, library and a car park/community rooftop garden. It would be around 7864sqm.

“We are looking for a range of ideas on how to develop the space to provide a vibrant hub for the community,” said mayor Terry Kenyon. “This will involve looking at a mix of civic, community and potentially commercial uses that will contribute to the regeneration of the Morley city centre.”

Concepts are at Bayswater council, Morley Library and Centro Galleria. A public display will he held at the Les Hansman on May 25 with council staff on hand to answer questions. Submissions close June 5.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

ALANNAH MacTIERNAN says it’s “very interesting” that a mystery letter writer slagging off councillor John Carey hasn’t come forward.

It’s been three weeks since the Voice put out a call to “Naomi Clark” asking her to come forward and prove she exists.

At the time Ms MacTiernan checked both the electoral and ratepayer rolls and couldn’t find a Naomi Clark anywhere.

“She’s not on the roll,” Ms MacTiernan said at the time, “she’s an activist but she’s not on Facebook, she’s not in the Beaufort Street Network. She’s a ghost”.

Calls and messages to the number provided in the letter have not been returned.

“I think it’s very interesting that this person has not come forward,” Ms MacTiernan says.

by DAVID BELL

PUBLIC art planned to beautify the Guildford Road underpass in Mt Lawley may be scrapped over a bureaucratic squabble.

The Public Transport Authority wants to charge councils rent for the display of public art on bridge walls.

PTA bugle David Hynes says a fee would cover “maintenance” costs.

The move has incensed Stirling, Bayswater and Vincent councils and Mt Lawley MP Michael Sutherland, who have been working for months on ways to lift the area.

Bayswater mayor Terry Kenyon says the PTA has its hand out for $1000 from the city every year, plus a $330 administration fee from each council.

Stirling senior executive Trevor Holland describes the request as “madness”: “The councils are trying to beautify an area that is the PTA’s responsibility. And now they are wanting to charge us for maintaining their infrastructure annually? Madness.

“We hope that common sense will prevail.”

Cr Kenyon says the walls belong to the PTA, not the council: “The city finds the PTA’s response very disappointing considering the intention is to beautify a public asset on behalf of—and at no cost to—the PTA.

If a solution isn’t reached by June 30 a $15,000 contribution from WA police will lapse and the project is likely to fall over.

Mr Sutherland—who facilitated the project—says it has been tangled in red tape for two years: “It is inconceivable for  a government department to now want rent. They should be happy the place is being tidied up—not place obstacles in the way.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

IN Shakespeare’s day all female roles were played by men. Now, a Perth theatre company is aiming to turn that upside down.

Her Infinite Variety Ensemble hit the scene last year, causing a stir with its all-male cast of Titus Andronicus.

Now its new work, Playhouse Creatures, will honour the first women on English stages from its new small theatre, the Guild Studio, on Claisebrook Road.

Working out of the old Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance building, Angelique Malcolm says the troupe decided to start its own playhouse because of a lack of venues.

“There’s been a lot of theatre closures like the Rechabites Hall, the old Playhouse, there’s been less and less opportunity.”

Many venues still around are run by the international company AEG Ogden, and Ms Malcolm says its prices are out of reach.

The new State Theatre is also not proving viable for smaller operators: In 2011 renowned playwright John Aitken found his arts department funding and ticket sales weren’t enough to cover the costs of his season of The Enchanters.

He sold his home to help pay the debt, with local actors organising a fundraiser to help him stay on his feet.

Ms Malcolm says there aren’t many roles for older women, who are often discarded by the performing arts as they age.

HIVE aims to put women on the stage and also in the production roles.

The play chosen to christen the venue is a celebration of women in theatre, profiling the first five women to step onto English stages in 1669 after King Charles II lifted a Puritan ban on plays (one of the women, Nell Gwyn, was one of the fun-loving king’s many mistresses).

“It caused a great big stir and in those days they used to show a bit of booby on stage,” Ms Malcolm says. They’ll be invoking a bit of that practice when the play hits the stage in Perth. But as Gwyn “got older, she was ousted, as happens today”. “There are so many comparisons between the 1600s and today!”

The show runs Tuesdays to Saturdays until June 8 at the Guild Studio. Book through http://www.trybooking.com/BNAU

by DAVID BELL

PEELING back layers of insensitive additions was like an archeological dig and the treasure revealed was Australia’s oldest organ, says Graham Devenish.

His Bayswater-based Pipe Organs WA has been repairing and restoring organs for years, but none have been more exciting than the small chamber organ revealed to have been built around 1750.

“The oldest organ in Australia, including New Zealand,” he enthused, adding the next oldest was built in 1796.

The organ hails from Kent in the UK and was brought to Australia in the 1970s by Mt Lawley’s Dudley Bastian for a working life in a Kelmscott church.

White ants

After 40 years and an infestation of white ants it had come to the end of its playing life. But in stripping back damaged timber and additions to make the organ larger, Mr Devenish discovered a rare treasure lay beneath.

“We knew it was 18th century, but not how old. Every bit [of work] was research, putting it older than we had thought.”

Authentication through the Organ Historical Trust of Australia was made with the help of coded markings scratched on the pipes.

“Specific to different factories, workshop or artisans, each had a different way of writing,” Mr Devenish says.

Changes in style and the way the keys are laid out also helped date the organ: “These little things add up.”

The small instrument would have been made for a stately home, rather than a church.

“Handel would have known this [sort of] instrument and written music for them,” Mr Devenish says.

The Mt Pleasant resident has been the organist at Fremantle’s St John’s church for years.

It’s where he became interested in the inner workings of the instrument, learning enough to start his own organ repair business, which is busy enough to keep four people employed full-time.

He’ll be playing a recital on the restored chamber organ before an invited audience of enthusiasts at his Bayswater workshop May 31. Or you can catch him at St John’s with a special recital of the music played at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, as part of the Fremantle Heritage Festival June 2. Or at a free lunchtime concert on June 6.

by JENNY D’ANGER

FIVE men will front court Thursday May 30 charged with offences under the prostitution act.

Vincent mayor Alannah MacTiernan is keen to name the men—if they’re convicted—as a deterrent to others seeking sex on Vincent’s streets, but her council is yet to sign off on the notion.

Police say they won’t actively help the council “name and shame” perpetrators, but it was the police who told the council the men had been arrested and would be facing court. Their names are publicly available (the Voice won’t report them unless they’re convcted).

Ms MacTiernan says she’s keen to name and shame “people who’ve been successfully convicted…not because we’re vengeful or vigilantes, but we do have to try to contain this problem and we see this as a very powerful deterrent”.

“It’s got to be a part of the strategy of dealing with this thing, of letting people know if they are convicted they won’t have anonymity.”

Chief ranger Simon Giles reports street prostitution is popular in the area because prices are low compared to brothels, with the street price averaging between $50 and $150.

by DAVID BELL

WOOLWORTHS’ $3.5 million plans to upgrade the Maylands Peninsula Tavern have been rejected by the local development assessments panel.

The application for the Railway Parade pub and bottleshop included a 743sqm Dan Murphy’s outlet, courtyards and family-style bistro, 123 car bays and two-storey offices above the liquor store.

The bottleshop element of the application proved unpopular with Bayswater city council and the Maylands Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association who say access to cheap grog is contributing to anti-social problems in the area.

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker says the ruling is a win for the local community.

“At the heart of the matter was the tavern’s bid to include an expansion of its liquor store, turning it into a much larger Dan Murphy’s liquor outlet.

“I support redevelopment that contributes to our vibrant Maylands community centre.

“However, the electorate does not need another destination discount liquor outlet when it is already adequately serviced by seven liquor shops.

“Maylands residents have made it clear that street drinking and subsequent anti-social behaviour is not welcome in our community.”

Maylands is home to community-based services that support people with alcohol-related issues, including 55 Central, Bulup Kulung Hostel, Derbal Didjar Hostel and Shopfront.

Last year other unelected planning authorities overrode council objections and approved a Coles Liquorland on Guildford Road.

That ultimately fell over when the WA liquor commission refused to grant a liquor licence on the grounds the 1250sqm outlet might harm “at-risk” people by providing access to plentiful cheap booze.

Council staff feared Woolworths’ plans for the hotel posed a similar risk, despite being half the size.

DAP presiding member Ian Hocking did not get back to the Voice before deadline to offer a reason for rejection.

Mayor Terry Kenyon said he was not allowed to comment as he’d sat on the DAP committee that assessed the application.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

THIS year’s Pride parade will take place during the day to make the event more accessible to families “and people reluctant to visit Northbridge at night”.

Organiser Pride WA acknowledges the night parades clog the streets during already-busy times and hopes the new plan will keep traders happy.

And while some floats have been threadbare in previous years, organisers are hoping to improve the quality with a professional float-building program.

Perth city council looks likely to kick in about $45,000 (just under a fifth of the total cost), and it’s hoped the event will bring 55,000 people into Northbridge, particularly given the marriage equality debate. A report going to the next council meeting says feedback from traders has been positive, “with business owners believing that a daytime parade will bring additional lunchtime trade, whilst causing less disruption to evening trade”.

by DAVID BELL

THE Aberdeen Hotel in Northbridge is for sale. Billed as “Perth’s biggest party pub”, The Deen has six zoned bars and hosts live music, shows, DJ sets and private functions. The Voice contacted management for comment, but it put us onto estate agent Lance White, who never got back to us. The heritage-listed building was built in 1886.

PERTH city council is looking to spend $95,000 to light up 15 trees in East Perth.

The $6000-per-tree idea for Royal Street was raised at a recent meeting. A staff report shies away from recommending yea or nay but does note, “the expansion of lighting in trees is very costly and is problematic in a number of areas”. The PCC’s also considering spending $195,000 on a nativity to be performed by Spirit Productions. Last Christmas the three-day event was packed, with the final night squeezing in 4500.