A LOT OF HYPE ABOUT THE FREMANTLE BUDGET
The media release about the budget for the 2022/23 financial year, that Fremantle Council adopted last night, is full of great things Council is planning to do, but what is really new in all the plans? I added my comments in Italic.
Investing in favourite places:
- South Beach: new toilets and changerooms as well as a beach wheelchair and matting to improve access for people with a disability. Was already in last year’s budget.
- Fremantle Arts Centre: replacement of roofing.
- Fremantle Leisure Centre: replacement of 25-metre pool roof. Was already in last year’s budget
- Booyeembara Park: construction of mountain bike trails. Was already in last year’s budget
- Leighton Beach: New playground and upgraded car parking.
- Fremantle Golf Course: clubhouse and community facility. Was already in last year’s budget
- Hilton Bowling Club: new synthetic green to replace old grass green.
- Dick Lawrence Reserve: renewal of changerooms, cricket nets, lighting and irrigation.
- Port Beach: sand nourishment and coastal monitoring. Ongoing work. Nothing new.
Sprucing up our suburbs:
- $1.65 million program to maintain and improve the city’s roads. Does this include the many neglected footpaths?
- Continued program of tree and shrub planting as part of Urban Forest Plan.
- Replacement drinking fountains, lighting, shade sails, bench seats, shelters and signage at parks including Monument Hill, Parmelia Park, Alfred Park, Dick Lawrence Reserve, Samson Reserve and more.
- Hilton Underground Power: the City is contributing $1.26 million as part of a seven-year, interest-free payback scheme for benefitting households. Was already in last year’s budget
- Nannine Commons – Former WGV Men’s Shed: reticulation to support plantings of community garden beds and continue the green corridor to Valley Park and the White Gum Valley orchard.
- Virginia Ryan Park: fencing, seats and drinking fountains to support proposed dog exercise area.
Bringing back the buzz to CBD:
- Tree planting in William Street.
- New lighting along William, Henderson and Queen Streets.
- New footpath linking Bathers Beach with Fremantle Port. FINALLY. This is great news!
- Fremantle Biennale festival sponsorship. Nothing new. Same as last year.
- Fremantle Festival: Ten Nights in Port. Nothing new. Same as last year.
- Fremantle International Street Arts festival. Nothing new. Same as last year.
- Walyalup Koort activations and school holiday programs. Nothing new. Same as last year.
- Christmas festival celebrations. Nothing new. Same as last year.
Want to know where your rates go? Click on this: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/39bdf25663c14ea5b0c998cfe9224cb8?fbclid=IwAR0M2yDm2yvqeHBoxbCzwA1GPefk2CGxdoQ_0aDkkoUxyronJepRtRw9Rtc
Roel Loopers
FREOVIEW - Fremantle's only daily 
Have a good conversation with the new owners of the IGA – ask them their thoughts on what the council and landlords promised – ask them about the reasons they are now having to hire a private security guard…
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Yes, disappointing, Bob. It should be a priority!
Roel
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Nothing for Fremantle Town Hall upgrades and refurbishment? So sad to see the ongoing neglect inside
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I believe there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about Fremantle’s future, Sean, but what the budget unfortunately shows is that Fremantle Councillors and the administration lack creativity. It is more of the same, year after year. That is disappointing to me.
Roel
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Much as I love Freo, I think the die is cast Roel. The budget trends to me are obvious as is the planning intentions. All the best!
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Replacing drinking fountains, do people actually still use these things, bathers beach to Victoria quay footpath is a welcome addition.
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Nothing new. Just a lot more expensive than last year.
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