Dog day afternoon
TERRIBLE to hear Fremantle council are even considering making South Beach lawn area a dog zone (on leash).
This sends a very clear message to all those arrogant dog owners who have no respect for those that wish to go to a dog free area of Fremantle (and there are hardly any).
I like dogs a lot, but not on my beach thank you.
Dog owners are well catered for with plenty of dog beaches only a few yards directly north and south of South Beach itself.
The situation is only getting worse as more and more dog owners push the boundaries and wander onto the South Beach lawns with their dogs on and off leashes.
Plenty of dog poo that doesn’t get picked up.
I am calling on the City of Fremantle to get firm with the dog owners, issue fines as they love doing with parking, these dog owners have no respect for people who would like to go to a beach area free of dogs.
The problem is dog owners see their pets as their children and feel that flouting the dog ban is their duty.
Mark Westbury (love dogs, not dog poo and pee on the last little bit of remaining dog free beach)
Pilbara St, White Gum Valley

Emperor’s new clothes
FREMANTLE mayor Brad Pettit is not the first and will not be the last politician to claim the plans of a private developer as somehow being representative of his own foresight and acumen.
But the truth is, mayor Pettitt appears to be so fascinated by his own brilliance in committing “only” $50 million of Fremantle ratepayers’ money to the Kings Square project that he has taken his eye off the ball as far as running the city is concerned.
May I respectfully suggest that the mayor return his gaze to the more pressing problems of Freo — ugly graffiti marring those sections of the city not destined for the bulldozers, empty shops, the resumption of verge maintenance, and honouring waste collection commitments.
If he could deal with all that and still have some spare time, I suggest that the mayor use it to explain in detail how a $50m debt will be repaid in full in 10 years without increasing rates beyond CPI or stripping more services.
Bill Massie
Ward Street, Samson

Thought bubble
WE’VE heard it all before, Jasmine Kaslauskas (“Welcome to ‘Oz’”, Thinking Allowed, Herald, May 20).
You are not “thinking” at all, merely spouting simplistic, wrong-headed negative and leftist cant, of which your grandfather might well be ashamed.
Two facts to add to your “thought process”: anyone who is born in a country is “indigenous” to that country.
It is both false and offensive to remark that the British “invaded” Australia.
Jasmine, your “Thinking Allowed” raises only one question.
If, as you claim, Australians are so harsh in their attitude towards those you term “foreigners”, why do so many of these still wish to settle here?
Dr Pauline Farley
Studley Rd,
Attadale

Walk the talk
MY car has been in the shop for nearly a month and I haven’t been this happy in years.
I walk everywhere, catch the odd bus and this is re-energising through to my core.
I feel myself connected to my neighbourhood, the people up and down the street know me and my kids, and we know their faces and say a few words on the odd occasion I’m not running late.
I’m calling in on my friends and visiting the local butcher but its mostly the act of putting one foot in front of the other that brings me joy.
Though we are not deep in suburbia in Coolbellup, its pretty suburban.
Everything is spread out and there aren’t that many destinations to walk to.
I like how in our neighbouring suburb of Hilton there is a bit of a high street thing going on, with a cafe, a patisserie, deli, toy library, the PCYC, a doctors surgery and a supermarket all in a walkable area.
Every suburb should at least have this.
You can get multiple things done on just the one walk.
This encourages people to leave their car at home.
I’ve noticed, as is widely documented, that it is not just the act of walking for leisure that is satisfying, but walking to reach somewhere you want to go.
That is truly living.
It is not compartmentalising ‘leisure time’ off from the functional considerations of getting somewhere but elegantly combining the two parts.
With my family, we talk as we go, notice the birds, the flower gardens, see a cat or two; things you just don’t take in when you’re in the car.
I long for urban design improvements to funnel out to the suburbs from the Fremantles, the Mt Lawleys, the CBD, etc.
I know this is the theory, to start central and then spread outwards, but it is not happening fast enough.
Or maybe it has just stopped.
Changes to zoning so that cafes, shops or offices can exist in places away from the ‘town centre’ and beautiful streetscapes that attract residents to come walk the streets, benches for people to sit and linger.
This is not only good for people’s physical fitness and well being but it creates a vibrant neighbourhood that is safe for children to be out in. ‘Eyes on the Street’ and all that.
C’mon people, it can’t be that hard.
There are big departments in every council that are supposed to be focusing on this stuff.
Make it happen!
I want to walk.
Selvi Parameswaran
Cordelia Avenue, Coolbellup

High hopes?
YET again Applecross residents are having the wool pulled over their eyes by Melville council’s so-called ‘consultation process’ in deciding on a proposal to develop the Canning Bridge precinct into a high-rise ghetto.
The initial rezoning plan released about six years ago talked of residential /commercial towers up to 20 storeys.
But, surprise surprise, the council recently informed residents the plan before them actually includes towers up to 30 storeys. What’s more, they are allowing only a few weeks for locals to submit their views.
Exactly the same strategy was to used fast track the Raffles tower project after the community was informed for months the building would be 15 storeys and at the 11th hour jacked up to 17.
So much for the ‘consultation process’ and a petition with thousands of signatures opposing the height of the tower.
As Blind Freddie predicted, the Raffles development has resulted in major traffic congestion at the Kintail Road/Canning Bridge Road/ Canning Highway intersection, forming a kamikaze-type bottleneck.
Perhaps this time council planners may at least have the courtesy to explain how the inclusion of up to 3000 thousand new residents in the proposed Canning Bridge precinct development will be handled to avoid further traffic chaos.
Barry Thornton
Kintail Rd Applecross 

Speak up
I WOULD like to let you know that I agree completely with everything Sheila Robbshaw has written on the subject of loud music (“Ear Ear”, Thinking Allowed, Herald, May 13, 2017).
To me it is most annoying in cafes and restaurants where one would often like to have a quiet conversation with their companion.
Patricia Nicholson
Gariver Street, Leeming

All hands needed on deck
DEAR Brad,
Why are you spending millions of dollars on Fremantle Kings Square, and leaving our port in such a horrible state for our visitors who arrive.
Think twice, and see which is more important.
Abelle Wards
Cockburn Rd Coogee

Bad after-taste
I GOT to wondering about McDonald’s lousy food, unpleasant staff, too dear prices and rotten ‘ambience’.
One might expect such a company to fold.
Instead it keeps growing, and is worldwide, almost as if someone’s propping it up.
Now consider this: recently some at Swisse was very enthusiastic about wanting to promote good health, and said they’d like to see a Swisse employee in every Australian embassy to spread the good health message.
Well, I’ll leave you to digest that.
John White
Central Ave, Beaconsfield

Verge rage
A RECENT article appeared in the Herald regarding the restricted vision of motorists at the corner of Lloyd and Parmelia Streets, South Fremantle (‘Verging on Silly’, Herald, April 7, 2017), and how the council is flexing authority regarding vegetation and some personalised parking control measures that have been added during a recent development.
Two streets up (a controlled intersection), cars are allowed to park on the islands past the stop signs.
You can’t see the intersection clearly for theses cars.
So what’s the city on about?
As parking on footpaths is rife here in South Fremantle then the question remains. What’s the fuss about?
If I phoned each time I have to walk in the road because people park on or across the footpath, I would not be able to afford food for my table.
New start for a 61-year-old is only $1,050 a month.
William West
Harbour Rd, South Fremantle