Cheeky Chitty
I AM not sure what age you are, Mr Chitty, but do not underestimate the intestinal fortitude of the so called “baby boomers” (Herald, November 28, 2015).
You think we can’t make it through a 12-hour session — ha! — more fool you! Put some real blues in the festival and we might be more inclined to attend.
The pass-out idea is a step in the right direction, however, for all your patrons and Freo town,  but please do not patronise us as we ain’t dead yet!
Paul New
Hubble St, East Fremantle

The howling
I AM currently away from Fremantle but have seen some horrendous news about South Fremantle Dog Beach.
The sailing club has tried to get its hands on this much used community beach for years and, horrifyingly, it looks like it is going to succeed. The first injured victim, human or canine, of the sailing boats, jet skis, motor vessels in this popular swiming area will sue who? The sailing club? Experience in boat craft hasnt been in evidence so far. An accident (or several) is on the cards. Stop it now. It could be you, your child or dog. Or will they rope the beach off? Hands off our beach.
Sarah Cole
Wesley St, South Fremantle

Bewdy, Benita
AROUND this time in 2014 it looked likely the Fremantle Society would disappear due to lack of interest.
Benita Dowding, who is a long-term member of the society, has set about breathing life back into what had become a moribund association.
Her concern about losing a valuable community resource saw her take up the mantle of rejuvenating interest and calling upon past and present members to ensure they remain active and engaged.
Many hours of voluntary work have successfully increased membership and revitalised interest in the organisation.
Now, on the back of Benita’s hard work, Mr Dowson wants back in, to lead the society that 12-18 months ago was dead and gone and almost irrelevant.
Seems to me you can choose the past or the future. What’s it to be?
Arthur Clarke
Fremantle

Thick blue line
ARRIVING at the site of the “confrontation” between anti-Roe 8 supporters and the police at Bibra Lake (Main Roads test drilling), I shook my head in disbelief.
A team of heavily armed police in full kit, guns, tasers etc, facing a verbal but orderly group of about 45 people, including a number of seniors, a young mother with her baby, another with a young child, a lady in a wheelchair and an elderly gent using a walking aid.
What a formidable threat they presented.
I counted 20 police officers including two on horseback and seven cars. Down the road, I was informed, was a command post vehicle and extra officers.
I could accept all this if it was in response to a terrorist threat or even pursuing an armed escapee, but give me a break, all this personnel, resources and cost.
One wonders how the police minister can justify such a massive allocation of resources to a small gathering of environmentally concerned community members.
This government is losing credibility by the day.
Rex Sallur
Corn Way, Bibra Lake

Hilton verging on a tip
AS a Hilton resident, I am appalled at the seemingly endless piles of rubbish that crowd the streets in the name of “verge collection”.
In recent days around my house I’ve seen an industrial oven, the interior of a car, countless mattresses, fridges, the list goes on. We pay our considerable rates in the understanding that in exchange, we will live in a suburb with clean streets.
Instead, what we have is a virtual tip on our verges for many weeks of the year. It’s time to abolish verge collections and instead encourage people to buy less stuff they will need to throw out, and stuff that does need disposing of should go to the tip, and not on our verges.
Naomi McKenzie
Oldham Cresc, Hilton

Shape change
THIS is an important election for the Fremantle Society (Herald, November 28, 2015) mainly because the agenda of the contenders are so different.
For the independent individuals now seeking to play a greater role in the society the unique character that makes Fremantle a truly great place can be made to define the way the city changes and grows.
Rejecting change itself will only benefit bad public policy and lead, ironically to predatory development. We have all seen this.
The choice will be between never-ending attempts to hose down change, and programs to influence and shape agenda for change so they serve and consolidate the unique character of the city. It is what the Fremantle Society should be about.
Richard Robison
Ellen St, Fremantle

Ticking boxes
ON Sunday November 22, 2015 I attended a “Have Your Say” event at the Shirley Strickland Reserve.
It appears the Aubrey/Schuster clique on Melville council has decided to move the Bedford Street Bowling Club to Shirley Strickland despite there being no evidence that members of that club want to move from their (valuable) land.
In my view the session was both a cynical and pointless event. Free hot dogs and promotional caps were dispensed and a “consultant”, who seemed unable to answer the simplest of questions — especially the pertinent ones — was mingling with concerned locals who want to keep this popular and beautiful recreational space as it is.
Neither Mayor Aubrey nor Cr Schuster were present, at least not in the time I was there, and no useful information of any kind was given out.
This event was clearly an exercise carried out for the purpose of ticking a box misleadingly called “community consultation” as a precursor to the eventual installation of more concrete parking spaces, the felling of beautiful trees, the installation of unsightly fencing — and crucially, the displacement of regular social soccer, touch rugby, Gaelic football, dozens of children enjoying free play, dog walkers dreamers and others.
All this, when as far as we can tell no one at the bowling club has asked to be moved. This is another example of the council’s ruling clique steam-rolling local residents in an arrogant display of power.
Andy Duckworth
Riseley St, Ardross

A refreshing choice
THE Fremantle Society election (Herald, November 28, 2015) offers a level of community debate and a refreshing choice of direction for this important institution.
The society was originally all about community action and social responsibility focused around the retention of some fine colonial buildings in a lively port city.
Unfortunately, the ensuing policies pursued by both the society and council have resulted in stasis, a commercially moribund city centre where preservation of the built, environmental and therefore economic status quo, is seen as good by many.
Community debate over recent projects, specifically the skate park, illustrate this point well. However, the success of the venture indicates that Fremantle needs the Fremantle Society to be inclusive, forward-looking and balanced in its approach to change and, importantly, politically neutral.
Pip Sawyer
Seaview St, Beaconsfield

Rooted punters a ploy?
I AM so glad Mr Chitty from Sunset Events has the welfare of Blues and Roots Festival goers as a top priority (Herald, November 28, 2015).
His suggestion that a late start and a shorter program will make the experience so much more enjoyable is comforting. His knowledge of what festival-goers want is astounding. I can’t help thinking there is another agenda here.
Fiona Logan
Tuckfield St, Fremantle

G4 me
I READ “Society election sizzle” (Herald, November 28, 2015) with interest and surprise.
As a member of the society,  I can say that there is nothing that I am aware of to substantiate the suggestion the so-called G4F group will bring a “….strong pro-development focus to the society” as claimed.
Quite to the contrary, my knowledge of those involved in the group, suggests their broad and more general support for Fremantle, (including but not limited to heritage issues), leads me to the conclusion this is a group worth supporting.
Their energies are directed to keeping Fremantle a great place to live, while not being hostage to any anti-development lobby. They deserve support.
Rod Warren
Russell St, Fremantle

A bitter pill
I HAVE the great pleasure to work in the West End of Fremantle among the beautiful grand old buildings and under the gaze of the imposing Round House.
I recently returned from holidays and took a walk up High Street in my lunch break to find the boards and scaffolding had finally come down on the building next to the Orient, and a chemist had opened.
Now, I think the inclusion of a chemist will be a wonderful addition to the existing retailers down this end, but what on earth possessed them to take away the beautiful facade of the building and replace it with that ugly metal and glass exterior?
It stands out like the proverbial sore thumb, sandwiched between the graceful Orient and the beautiful P&O building on the corner.
Even if they had included a bull-nose verandah it would have blended a bit better than the modern metal they chose. I am very surprised Fremantle council allowed such a modern change to the frontage in this heritage area. What a disappointing result for no doubt lots of dollars.
Gill Wordsworth
Moresby Cls, Bibra Lake