THE UGLY FREMANTLE

After all the positive hype about the outstanding Fremantle Festival, plus the fact that some buildings in the West End have been getting a new coat of paint, we also need to be aware of the ugly reality of Fremantle that most tourists will be seeing.

Imagine arriving on a cruise ship here and the first things you see going on land is the uncared for International Backpackers and the disgraceful Woolstores buildings. Then they follow the tourism map and will be seeing all the ‘great’ sites: the run down looking Town Hall, the empty former, all boarded up, synagogue just opposite the Fremantle Markets, the dilapidated buildings in Henry Street on the corner of High Street in our heritage West End, the empty former Wagamama, Dome and McDonalds restaurants on Bathers Beach in the Fishing Boat Harbour tourist attraction, etc.

It is time the people of Fremantle stopped believing the urban myth of its own greatness, and seriously started doing something about this decaying city. Wake up Freo!!

Roel Loopers

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SOCIETY MOVING FORWARD FOR FREMANTLE

As a relatively new and active member of the Fremantle Society I would like to share my ideas of what the society should be, and hope this will trigger an on-line discussion, with members of the society, the general public, and city councilors and planners.

First I like to acknowledge the passion, commitment and hard work done since 1972 by present and past members of the society. Fremantle could have been an awful place if it wasn’t for those people voluntarily taking on the custodianship of the city. They stood guard and succeeded in preserving so much of our beautiful heritage.

It has been a long time, and times have changed. We now have access to modern and very fast communication tools like the internet, where we can converse with people all over the world and in real time. No waiting for snail mail anymore. This gives us new opportunities, but also challenges, to reach a much wider audience for our ideas and passions.

The Fremantle Society has reacted to this with starting the FREMANTLE TRIBE blog, they have a FACEBOOK page, members are working on modernising and expanding the website, and there is the launch of the FREMANTLE FIGHTERS book, written by Ron and Dianne Davidson, on November 19 by Premier Colin Barnett at Deckchair Theatre.

All this indicates that this group wants to move on to become more pro-active, and change the image from being seen as negative, anti-development, and against everything. I don’t believe at all the Fremantle Society is against development, they just want sustainable and good quality, not ad hoc, ugly, fast, grab the money and run, style of buildings, some developers seem to advocate.

I believe development is essential for the vitality and future of Fremantle. The city needs an inspiration to move it into a new and exiting phase, with more and better public open spaces, like town squares, mixed, and cheaper, housing, iconic and eye-catching buildings, quality retail outlets, small wine bars, better street scapes, etc.

The East End is in desperate need of revitalisation, the Princess May area near Clancys could become a wonderful community space, the Woolstores need to be developed urgently. I’d like to see a better connection to the train station, with the bus port not hiding the beauty of it, and better direct access to Victoria Quay and the E-Shed Market, cafes, and the soon to open new ferry passenger terminal at the port, and King Square needs to become a real vibrant town square and meeting place.

I would like the society to come up with its own plans for the city, not just being reactive and put essential submissions to the council about new development. I do understand that this will be difficult to achieve for a group with very limited funds, as they would need experts to draw up plans, involve architects, etc.

But there are always solutions, and one of them could be to involve architecture and city planning university students and teaching staff. Wouldn’t it be great if they embraced the concept of assisting the Fremantle Society in helping to make Fremantle a modern, vibrant place, where students can afford the rent and enliven our streets not only during uni hours but also in the evenings, and they too become a vital part of our city, not just day time visitors.

There should also be regular forums in cafes and other meeting places like Kulcha, and the society needs to take a greater part in events that happen in Fremantle. They need to lift their public profile by being out there and amongst the rest of our community, as they did with their strong presence and hard work at the Concert for Pakistan.

I have great hopes for Fremantle. We have a very inclusive mayor in Brad Pettitt and some good young councilors. I am convinced they will work hard on making Fremantle grow in a sustainable and modern way, with great respect for our heritage, and they are aware we are all watching them closely.

Those who believe unlimited high-rise development is the way to go for Fremantle are in the wrong city. Our heritage is non negotiable and we will not compromise the beauty of it. Respect for Fremantle’s history, heritage, and unique lifestyle is the most essential ingredient for any development!

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE SOCIETY FIGHTING FOR OUR LIFE STYLE

An inspiring meeting of the Fremantle Society’s communications committee this evening, shows that this community group will be going places! There is a great energy for change and becoming more active. If it’s happening in Freo, the society wants to be part of it, so expect a much larger public profile from them in the future.

By using modern communication tools the society hopes to attract many more members and hopefully become known as the go to group for those who want to find out about Fremantle as a unique place, with unique people, and a pretty special unique life style.

The launch of the society’s book FIGHTING FOR FREMANTLE, by W.A. Premier Colin Barnett in November will be the next public action of the society.

Don’t be Swiss and sit on the fence. Join them and participate in our mutual passion for Fremantle! Become a member of YOUR Fremantle Society. I am!

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE WORLD WIDE

The announcement that the city of Midland has introduced Midland Connect that allows anyone in town free access to the internet, makes me wonder if the City of Fremantle is contemplating something similar.

It would be fantastic for overseas and interstate visitors, especially backbackers, but also for the many Notre Dame students, to have constant and free access to the internet from their laptops and mobile phones. Maybe the city could ask Notre Dame if they are willing to share the cost of such project.

Roel Loopers

COMMUNITY MEANS BELONGING

I had a most wonderful weekend of indulging in community spirit and it made me realise how easy it is to improve life by engaging with other people, without having to spend a lot of money.

On Saturday I drove to Ingelwood to the Mondo’s Market. It is a tiny but lovely market just behind Vince Gareffa’s Mondo’s butcher shop on Beaufort Street and has a homely atmosphere. Live music was played by musicians from the Western Australian Youth Orchestra, while people mingle, eat, drink coffee and shop. Some of the most delicious small garlic I have ever eaten I bought from there.

Met my friend and WASO musician Alex Millier there, and several of his friends, including wine expert Peter Forrestall,  and Matt who does the great Abstract Gourmet blog and who was cooking Empanandas. I also bumped into my old Swiss Italian friend Alberto and his Chinese wife Ying, who told me she is pregnant with their first baby. Happy days!! They invited me over for lunch. Delicious Black Angus steaks from Mondos and yummy salad. What a life. It was a delightful way of spending most of Saturday.

Sunday continued to be a community inspired day with the traditional Blessing of the Fleet in Fremantle. I have enjoyed this procession, and celebration of migration, hard work, the fishing tradition and religion, since I became aware of it years ago.  It is always a special day in Fremantle.

I followed from there to the Navy Club in High Street, where the WA JAZZ CLUB has a concert from 4-7 every Sunday. Here was 15 year-old schoolboy Adrian Galante, on his birthday, playing the clarinet with the professionals like a pro. It was great!

I am ashamed to admit I had never never been to the club before, which is my loss. For only $ 15.00 as a non-member one can enjoy high quality music in very pleasant surroundings and with drink prices of the seventies. I was told they serve some pretty good food as well. I urge everyone to support this club. I will!

Wandering home at 7.30 I thought how blessed I am to live in such a gorgeous and safe country!

Roel Loopers

SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME

It might be the upcoming full moon, or my upcoming birthday, but I have been feeling quite reflective the last few days. It could also be because I might have to leave Fremantle, the city I feel so much passion for.

But I have left other cities behind, and kept so many memories, and lost quite a few as well, that it should not make me as sad as I feel today.

When I left the Hague in the Netherlands at just 20, I was too excited about my new life in Nuremberg, Germany, and the start of my career as a press photographer there, to feel too sad about leaving my family and safety net.

I loved living in Franconia, the northern part of the state of Bavaria, with all its romantic, historic, towns and cities, the great beer, the food, and the people who worked and played so hard each and every day of the 13 years I lived there. What a culture of great theatre, music and art, and what a controversial history to deal with as a Dutchman. Such a challenge not to get upset when drunken oldies sang the Horst Wessel song, not to celebrate the war or Nazism, but simply because it was part of their history.

And I loved traveling to those other stunning countries, to discover gorgeous Prague, Venice, Florence, Vienna, Paris, Mostar, London, to see the beauty of Africa, Sri Lanka, Asia.

But I left all that, and the (financial) security it gave me, behind as well.

Migrating to Australia in the early eighties was a huge adventure. How stunning Sydney was. Our flat on the sixth floor of a building in Bondi Junction had unlimited views over the harbour, the opera house, the city and the beaches. What a change to go from drinking wine from Boksbeutel bottles to cask wine. What a challenge to deal with a new language, a new culture, and being unemployed in a foreign country, and how satisfying to fight through it and succeed, and prove that no matter where I lived I could survive, become part of my new community, and enjoy life.

Two and a half years later there was another new start with the move to Perth and the establishment of Profile Photography. Buying a first small house in Como was a big step, followed by another when we moved to Swanbourne and built and extension to the old Californian bungalow.

Business was outstanding and life was full-on at every level. It was like living in an exciting, but very real, dream.

The next change that was extremely challenging to deal with, was the end of a twenty- year relationship. How close we had become, especially after migrating together, and how much we cared, and still do, for each other. But life had changed us, and so had our directions.

Fighting depression and mid-life crisis, I found myself again after travelling through Australia by 4WD for eight or so months, and knew I wanted to become a vocal voice for social justice and against racism. I am very proud I achieved that also.

So here I am, on my own yet again, thinking how beautiful and rewarding life has been, and how tired I am of moving, and new challenges, and changes. I would have been quite happy to retire here in my beloved Fremantle, but it looks like I might have to move on one last time.

Roel Loopers

SUNDAY: BLESSING OF THE FLEET

The annual Blessing of the Fleet will be held this Sunday from 2pm. It starts at the St Patrick’s Basilica in Adelaide street and winds through the inner city of Fremantle to the Fishing Boat Harbour, where many will board fishing boats.

The Blessing is a beautiful Fremantle tradition for the entire community and attracts a lot of people. The first one was held on September 8. 1948.

The day finishes with fireworks on The Esplanade at 8pm.

Photo copyright Roel Loopers. Profile Photography

A LOAD OF CANNON BULL

The decision by the City of Fremantle to spend $ 7000.00 on a public address system at the Round House, to warn people that the cannon will be fired there at 1pm every day, is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard.

Is there any proof of people complaining about it, or having had heart attacks from the shock? I know of only one, who claims it is an occupational health hazard. How cute.

Is this nanny state going totally bonkers now, and have the lunatics escaped from the Fremantle Arts Centre, where they were once kept?

One cannon shot a day. Maybe a maximum of 50 tourists and locals around near 1pm. At 12.55 a metallic voice will tell them that a bang will soon be heard. In how many languages is that going to be? How vandal proof will the system be?

Why not spend the money instead on something useful and needed near the Round House; a public toilet!

Roel Loopers

P.S. …………….and what about the Blessing of the Fleet, where they shoot the cannon very loudly every hour all day, followed by loud fireworks. There are thousands of people on the streets of Fremantle then. Shouldn’t they be warned about this dangerous, life threatening activity?

What Fremantle really needs is a huge city wide public address system, one that warns about miss-firing cars, noisy motor bikes, screaming children, open air concerts, etc. Or make it simple and ban all outdoor activities.

 

LOVING THE LATE LIGHT

Professional photographers love the late and early light of the day, when the colours are warmer, and we can create those stunning seductive moody images. I spend about an hour around sunset in Fremantle harbour today and got back with the photos you see in the slide show below.

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Photos copyright Roel Loopers.  Profile Photography

TIGHT SQUEEZE AT THE PORT

It was a tight squeeze at the Fremantle port this morning, when workers pushed the first of the office pods through the doors of the new ferry terminal, under construction at the B shed on Victoria Quay, just a stone throw from the Maritime Museum.

The new all-weather terminal will be a huge improvement for passengers and ferry operators and will also have a lovely alfresco cafe straight on the water.

The opening is scheduled for December.