TRADERS in Fremantle’s Westgate Mall have been left hot under the collar after council workers tore down the awnings that protect their stores from the sun’s heat, only to disappear after Christmas.
Kim Tay has owned the Asian-style Fremantle Mini-Mart for 36 years and says the council started the works at the end of October.
“For years the council said the mall was nothing to do with them, then finally they agreed, and then it took four years before they would do anything,” Mr Tay said.
The project included repairing the mall’s rusting awnings and roofing, as well as removing old raised planters and repaving the whole area to match the section near the recently-completed Little Lane apartment development.
Mr Tay said they were told the works would be finished by December 15, but after removing the awnings and fencing off the where the planters were removed, the workers all disappeared.
• Kim Tay and David Dalgarno say Westgate Mall has been left like a “war zone”. Photo by Steve Grant
Mr Tay says they’ve left the mall looking like a “war zone”.
“If this was in South Terrace they would not accept this,” he said.
After getting no response from official council channels, Mr Tay said he button-holed the project co-ordinator who had to walk past the store on his way to work each day and was told the workers would return from Christmas break on January 8 – but none arrived.
Since then he reckons there’s been crickets from the council.
With no shade for the mart’s windows and Perth experiencing what’s shaping up to be record-breaking heatwaves, Mr Tay had to cover his windows with cardboard to protect his stock from damage.
But he says it had the unintended consequence of making the shop look empty and vandals smashed four windows.
Long-time trading neighbour David Dalgarno from Planet Ark said he’d also heard nothing from the council and what Mr Tay had to put up with was completely unfair.
City of Fremantle infrastructure director Graham Tattersall said the works re-started on Thursday, two days after the Herald’s questions arrived.
He said traders had been kept informed.
“Officers have continued to liaise with business owners throughout the project – all traders were advised on December 4 that the project had been paused until January while a construction design issue was being resolved.”
Mr Tattersall said summer was considered the best time to do the works to avoid rain getting into the shops while parts of the building were opened up.
“It was anticipated that the roof sheeting work would be completed before Christmas; it is unfortunate that the project has taken longer than planned and the City has apologised to all traders.”
by STEVE GRANT