ROYAL GEORGE HOTEL DILEMMA

The news that the developers and architects who proposed to change the Old Royal George Hotel in George Street, East Fremantle into a restaurant, wine bar and short term accommodation venue, have  withdrawn from the project will delight many who opposed the idea, but it also raises the question of how and when the Royal George will be developed and saved from demolition by neglect. The building has been deteriorating for years and is in urgent need of good maintenance and should be developed with urgency.

This is a truly iconic building in that part of town and deserves to be looked after better and become a feature for the community. What will the National Trust come up with now?

Roel Loopers

DOUBLE DUTCH DELIGHT

I knew one day my double Dutch writing to newspapers would wake up people, so I am delighted to read in the Fremantle Herald that the Woonerf concept is going to be tried in Fremantle. The idea is to set up virtual living areas, like sofas, chairs, tables, etc. in the middle of the cappuccino strip, that will automatically slow traffic down and creates a better quality of sharing the street between pedestrians and cars. Trials have been very successful in Holland, Germany, Canada, the UK and also in Victoria.

# More good news comes today that the Pricess May Park will be handed over to the City of Fremantle. This will hopefully also mean a new long lease for the very family friendly Clancys Fish Pub.

# Proposed new development at the back of the old synagogue near the markets need to be scrutinised in detail though, so show us the plans please!

# I was told a worrying development yesterday, about regular break-ins at the Royal George hotel, where thieves steal the copper piping, including gas pipes, which poses a real fire threat to the old building and historic archives stored there.

Roel Loopers

WOONERF. Woon means living in the Dutch language, and erf is traditionally a forecourt where the family gathers on a farm (boerderij).