Skating over
IN such a period of rapid growth and change for Fremantle, it’s important to stop and look what we as a city are choosing to leave behind or bring forward with us into the future.
The skateboarders have made the Woolstores ledge on Cantonment Street their home since the late ‘80s, and they were used in the ‘This is Fremantle’ campaign to advertise our city to the world as the cultural capital of Western Australia.
They are a part of the cultural fabric of the city, and the community they’ve organically grown and fostered would be an incredible asset to any prospective business in the future Woolstores development.
The skateboarders can surely be considered and included in the development plans for the building.
They have something that can’t be manufactured, dictated or put into a box and sold, and that is culture – we need to preserve it.
Zachary Tilghman
Winthrop
Keep it open
CLOSING South Mole is not the solution.
It’s where generations of locals have taken their fish and chips, thrown in a line, sat in the car and watched the storms crossing the sea, watched the dolphins and seals and waved to all the ships with migrants, sailors and tourists.
People from overseas understand our piece of heaven when they look across to south beach and then out along the horizon.
Part of the solution is to regularly repair and clean all public toilets. The South Mole toilets have been a very poor example of a toilet facility and not fit for purpose, regardless of the backpackers.
I’m sorry that there is such a punitive attitude to travellers.
They come a long way to enjoy this glorious place and find there’s not enough cheaper campsites.
They work in jobs that Aussies are not filling, making our coffees and food.
The centre of the city is very small, but on the outskirts there is still vacant land, like that piece on Carrington Street next to the cemetery, where there could be toilets, bins and running water.
I’d like to see welcome signs to travellers and campers and directions to the nearest waste dump station (for vans). Many of our country towns have these facilities.
More and more people are buying and living the dream of travelling to each town, where they spend many dollars.
Inaction contributes to the problem. Let’s keep up with the times so everyone benefits.
Ronelle Brossard
Hilton
Have a read
HOW very funny that Agnieshka Kiera and Bill Ody, who sent identical letters to the Herald, want me to offer constructive city planning solutions, when the lack of those is exactly what I criticised the inadequate ‘Manifesto’ of the Fremantle Society for.
I regularly post constructive suggestions, ideas, and possible solutions and changes on my daily Freoview blog, so maybe your correspondents should start reading it.
As for the laughable, but very slanderous, insinuation that I might be beholding to developers: My own integrity, that of my blog, and the weekly columns I write for the Chook, are more important to me than money, hence I even rejected the offer of payment by the Herald for my columns.
I have never received any payment, not even a free coffee, drink or a meal from any of the developers, let alone a penthouse or apartment with sea views. It’s very nasty to suggest that.
Roel Loopers
Fremantle
Any limits?
ROEL LOOPERS is a proud immigrant (“Migrants make all our lives better,” Roel’s Round, May 25) but does he see any limits to growth?
Australia’s population has doubled over the past 45 years to 27.3 million and has risen 43 per cent since Sydney held the “best ever” Olympics in 2000.
A dispassionate observer would wonder why perceived skills shortages are worse today than in 2000. Perhaps population growth is the cause, masquerading as a solution?
No one blames migrants for the expanding queues at hospitals, low rental vacancy rates or the never-ending road works, required to cope with the immigration-fed population expansion.
With growth running at 660,000 over the 12 months to September 2023, the problem lies squarely at the feet of the politicians who act against the best interests of Australian residents and recent arrivals.
Australia is a vast dry land.
Population expansion eats away once productive farmland and bush that should be a haven for native animals.
How is this rapid population growth benefiting anyone except property developers, real estate agents and big-box retailers?
Survey after survey reveals that Australians like to welcome migrants at a manageable pace and economists find that there is no net benefit to the economy from immigration as it is the first-generation migrants and the wealthy 1 per cent who benefit.
Peter Strachan
Cottesloe
Egregious
THE article “Sparking action” recommending the cutting off of gas to homes thus forcing them on to the electricity grid was egregious to say the least.
It is all very well for the great and good of the Fremantle area to drive their electric cars and live in totally environmentally homes, however there are a vast number of people struggling to maintain a roof of any sort over their heads and provide for their families.
I agree the environment and climate change are vital in keeping the world we live in going, however, there must be some form of pragmatism involved in making the cross to renewables; we cannot just cut off gas supplies ad hoc.
Fifteen or 20 years ago, we were exhorted to use gas in our vehicles and homes, now the tune has changed. If Peter Newman would like to pay for the replacement of my gas/electric stove he is free to do so, until then I will continue using the gas stove top.
Geoff Dunstone
Palmyra