IS FREO’S SOUTH BEACH IN THE INNER HARBOUR?

The VISIT FREMANTLE Facebook marketing page published this lovely photo of South Beach this morning, accompanied by following text:

Visit Fremantle

With the weather warming up, South Beach is the perfect destination to enjoy a swim, a picnic or a barbecue. Located in Fremantle’s inner harbour, South Beach is just a two minute walk from cafes, restaurants and shops on South Terrace. Enjoy breakfast at Third Wheel or grab a coffee and delicious bread to go from Wild Bakery South Freo to start your morning off right.

I have only been living in Fremantle for just under 30 years, but was never aware that South Beach is in the Inner Harbour. Maybe Visit Fremantle had a few too many AFL Grand Final drinks last night? ; >))

Roel Loopers

FAKE FREO CITY COUNCIL FACEBOOK SITE

 

A White Gum Valley resident made me aware of a fake Fremantle City Council Facebook page that is a hard-try at satire, but is more an immature taking the p… site. The problem is that there are actually people who believe the page is managed by Fremantle Council, with reader Peter Dean being outraged about a photo of a bombed out city, questioning how this council can make a joke about what is going on in the Middle East and calling it a disgrace. They wouldn’t and they didn’t!

There is a post about Freo Council going to start a congestion charge on drivers and doubling street charges to make the CBD more pedestrian friendly, and that by 2022 there will be a complete car ban in the inner city.

The page is basically full with not very clever April Fool’s jokes, such as the one that the Fremantle Golf Course will be closed and could be used for white water sport, a gun range, or a cat sanctuary.

The question is if there should be a disclaimer somewhere to make readers aware that this is not an official site of the City of Fremantle, because there will always be people who are stupid enough to believe so.

Roel Loopers

 

BORING FOMO FACEBOOK PROMOTION

 

 

The FOMO retail concept for the Fremantle Kings Square Project has been promoted as a new innovative, exciting and creative shopping experience by developers Sirona Capital. A Rhythm of Restlessness they say, so why then are the photos on their Facebook promotion so dull and uninspiring and not very quirky Freo at all.

This is the kind off try-hard pretentiousness that PR and advertising agencies often come up with. The amateur photos are boring and neither promote Fremantle nor sell the exciting new concept. I see more inspiring and creative photos of Fremantle daily on Facebook than the FOMO PR offers. Disappointing!

FOMO will be a diverse destination designed to breathe new life into the heart of Fremantle. 
Marching to the beat of its own drum and never sitting still. FOMO sits at the heart of the Kings Square redevelopment and forms a key component of the future revitalisation of Fremantle. 
A destination of discovery, from the basement emporium to the laneways that meander through the space. FOMO will create bold, daring connections for the community to sit in, walk through and engage with as they wander and explore.

Come on Sirona. You can do better than that! (and no, I am not applying for the gig)

 

Roel Loopers

WHY SOCIAL MEDIA IS SELF-DESTRUCTING

A comedian suggested on TV the other day that we should start a second internet where we don’t get all the rubbish and spam. Of course the idea was only tongue in cheek, but I am wondering how we can improve the net, especially social media.

Facebook drowns in spam advertising, making it a real pain to find the postings one is interested in as it takes forever to scroll down pages without stumbling over a million yoga classes, people offering services, etc.

I decided to keep this Freo’s View blog advertising free to retain the integrity and so that no one believes my opinion can be bought. It would be nice to make a bit of extra money out of this very popular blog but unwanted advertising is annoying.

The internet has given us the great opportunity of being able to communicate with the world instantaneously and that is a good thing, but sadly many people see that as an opportunity to be aggressive, negative and racist.

When the internet arrived we discovered there are many millions of experts on everything and the net became the voice of the voiceless and faceless, and of the anonymous who relentlessly attack, insult, defame and engage in unproven conspiracy theories. The internet made sarcasm and cynicism the new art forms in communication.

Facebook, Twitter and blogs receive so many negative postings that it is annoying, and social media is self- destructing as more and more people bail out and no longer engage, because there are still some of us left who believe that most people on the planet are pretty good.

It is up to Facebook page moderators to stop the trend of spam and negativity and be very firm and assertive on what is acceptable. Social media can be fantastic to get support and spread the word and it is the modern notice board of what goes on in our communities, as pages like Freo Massive show, but the negativity and unwanted advertising needs to stop.

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE IS AN AMAZING PLACE!

 

I’ve heard and seen a lot negative freo posts of late BUT let me tell you about my day today.
I woke up at The Local Hotel. Superb is what it is…… Growers Green farmers market 8-12 free and just bloody amazing….. Then to freo arts centre …. Andrew Winton …. 2-4 FREE ….. Then to freo maritime museum for FREE RTR FM gig …… Rock and roll Katura 4 ……. So lets get that straight….. Everything free…… Amazing, world class……. And the problem with Freo is?????????

This message on the Freo Massive Facebook page by Farmer Damian inspired me to walk around Fremantle for just two hours today and take some photos of a few of those special things in our city. If I saw these pictures about a foreign city on the internet I would want to go and visit that place because it looks great. Sadly there are a few too many in our community who only found negative things to say about our city, while nearly every visitor to Freo loves the place.

BTW. You’ll know Farmer Damian from the touch animal farm he puts up at markets and he is at the Growers Green every Sunday morning!

Come and visit Freo. You won’t regret it!

Roel Loopers/ROEL.COM.AU

JOSH4FREO CAMPAIGN FOR FEDERAL ELECTION

 

There is a cute and very Freo JOSH4FREO! Facebook photo campaign going on in support of Fremantle Deputy Mayor Josh Wilson becoming the candidate for the federal seat of Fremantle at the election this year, after MP Melissa Parke retires.

If you agree that Josh should be the candidate rather than MUA organiser Chris Brown, add your photo and thoughts to the campaign.

I have been involved in Fremantle for 25 years and have never met Chris Brown or seen him at any community workshops, etc. But Josh Wilson is everywhere and has been working very hard for Freo, so I support Josh! I hope that does not put the mocker on.

Roel Loopers

 

FREO’S DONATION BOXES USELESS

I have no idea who Bernie Lynch is but I read his Facebook message to Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt this morning and thought it is worth sharing with Freo’s View readers as this is an issue close to my heart:

“As a resident of Fremantle, can I say how simply disgusted I am by these new ”change collection points’, designed to raise money for the homeless and rid Fremantle streets of their homeless presence………………..it is akin to the Govt sending refugees to Nauru or Manus, in that it is designed to make homeless peoples seem invisible, to drive them from our sight, out of our reach and therefore humans we cannot help…….the designers of this will disagree, saying that the funds collected will ultimately help them.
It has always of course been a conundrum, you see a homeless person sitting on the street, do you give them change, do you buy them food and drink……….I suspect most of us wonder whether small change we might give them goes to drink and drugs. Who are we to judge? And who are we to decide where the money goes. These are decisions that are always difficult and sometimes fraught with indecision that leads to giving nothing at all.
There are, apparently, some out there who are not homeless and yet are able to sit on our main streets and raise considerable amounts of money and these are the people our Lord Mayor is most concerned about.
I agree that these persons must be moved on. The Council knows who these persons are….just move them on.
But genuine homeless persons are not at all like this.
They wander with trolleys, looking day by day for somewhere to sleep, someone to connect with, some idea of how they might just simply survive.
In my street, there is a man living in a car, an unregistered car, a car under a tree so as to give some shade.
I am ashamed to say that I do not know how to respond to this man and his predicament. He has been here for two weeks now……..if you can suggest what I might do, please let me know.
Fremantle has decided that homeless peoples must move on.
God knows the council has screwed up the local retail environment. Wouldn’t you think they could work out a sociological way to house the less fortunate amongst us in the large number of empty buildings that occur in Fremantle.
Too much to ask?
I guess so.”

 

My concern is if people will actually donate to collecting points that look like modern parking meters or if in the end there will be no or hardly any donations. My second concern is what percentage of donated money would actually get to the needy beggars. We only recently read in the media the huge payments top management at Save the Children get, and that is obviously money that does not go to the source we donated it for in the first place. It is well known that unfortunately a very large percentage of money collected by charities goes to pay for the administration and staff payments.

Donation boxes will not get rid of homeless people and beggars but better social services might do, so why do gimmicky media stunts like these City of Fremantle? Maybe it would be better to open up one of the many vacant premises, e.g. the Queensgate cinemas owned by the City, so homeless people have shelter there. Maybe taking a small percentage of the parking fees the COF collects each year and donating that to charity would result in a far larger sum of money for the homeless and beggars, but I do realise that won’t get huge press coverage.

In my opinion the donation points is basically a cynical exercise in spin as it will have very low impact on the number of beggars on Freo’s street. People will be more inclined to give money to people they feel sorry for than to a box on a base they are most likely going to ignore or not even notice. We need real solutions to deal with a real problem and real people!

Roel Loopers

BUSKERS BANNED FROM FREO HIGH STREET MALL

This is a very worrying Facebook entry I was sent about buskers being banned from the Fremantle High Street mall:

Facebook: Anina Coco Burns to ‎Mayor Brad Pettitt

” Hey Brad, was busking down at Culleys today but was approached by crowd control before setting up..apparently a new vote was passed by business holders to not have buskers outside shopfronts. My family and I have been playing music on the streets of Fremantle long before those shops were there and I dare say afterwards. I noticed you there, collecting your paper and smiling at your busy contractors with their noisy crane. i was not honoured the same friendliness by you or your crowd control…quite honestly if you want this agenda of no busking at shopfronts then you need to provide signed areas promoting busker friendly zones which is cheaper than the labour of hiring crowd control to target individual buskers. In the markets there is a sign sheet and designated spots..this approach is far more encouraging…I still made money and passerby’s were happy enjoying the ambience which was better for the guitar as opposed your construction workers. And to finalize my point I could clearly see another busker booked in a shopfronts window next to 7-11 who was not targeted by crowd control..couldn’t be my playing cause I hadn’t started yet…why the distinct prejudice? Not so flavoursome.😟 ”

13 October 2015

There are several issues here:

# I am not aware the City of Fremantle has officically passed a policy to no longer allow busking in the High Street mall or CBD.

# Were the “crowd control” officers City of Fremantle Security or a private security company contracted to local businesses?

# If they were officers of a private company they cannot force buskers out of the mall as the mall is a public open space and not private property.

# Does the city of arts now ban buskers from shopping areas while wanting to approve large open air concerts in residential areas?

# Does the City have double standards when it comes to noise control and protects retailers from noise but not residents?

This is very unpalatable to me. I do believe the use of amplified music by buskers could be reduced but I do not support a broad ban on busking in the inner city. It’s boring enough as it is.

Roel Loopers

ROEL FOR FREO! Beaconsfield Ward. Truly Independent.

Written and authorised by Roel Loopers of 5 Maxwell Street, Beaconsfield 6162

LETS HAVE FACTS NOT FICTION AT FREO COUNCIL ELECTION

I just became aware of this social media entry of September 4 by Councillor Dave Hume, who wants to continue as councillor for the Beaconsfield Ward at the October election. “Nominations are still open and so far I’ve only heard of one opponent, an unusual one in that he has no interest or relationship with the ward. Now it’s true that elected councillors represent the whole of the city, but really they should have some interest or connection with the ward, I mean how can you represent the interests of the residents if you don’t have any connection with the area? 

I Roel Loopers am the opponent DH mentions here.

Like so many politicians the Councillor engages in bullshit and misrepresentation. I have no interest in the Ward and no connection with it? I have worked my guts out for all of Fremantle for many many years. I live in Beaconsfield, lived in Hilton, lived in neighbouring White Gum Valley and lived in Beaconsfield again before that.  I shop at Hela Butchers and IGA in Hilton and Romanos in Beaconsfield and other shops in the area. I wrecked my knees playing squash at the Hilton Squash courts. No connection with the Ward I am standing for? I don’t think so DH!

My connection with the Fremantle community, and interest in all areas of it, is that I care about all of them and that I have made a difference time and time again because of my commitment to this city and its people. Unlike DH I have communicated with all of Fremantle for many many years, and more intensely than the four years the Labor party member had on council.

I don’t set my diary for community consultation two months before the next election, but engage 365 days a year with the people of Fremantle. I reckon that shows my real and true commitment and passion for my community, and I have been doing it all for 25 years without getting paid for it.

It would be nice if the sitting member showed some respect for the democratic process and didn’t belittle and lie about his opponents.

Roel Loopers

P.S. I entered the election period with the aim and desire not to engage in Council bashing or to attack my opponents, but I cannot let this deliberate misrepresentation about me stand without responding to it.

ROEL FOR FREO! Beaconsfield Ward. Truly Independent.

Written and authorised by Roel Loopers. 5 Maxwell Street. Beaconsfield 6162.

EXCITING FREMANTLE WOOLSTORES DEVELOPMENT PLANS

There is exciting gossip from the retailers at the Fremantle Woolstores Shopping Centre site about the imminent development of the place, although it has to go to Council and the State’s Development Assessment Panel, for approval.

I was told yesterday that a multi-storey mixed-use building is planned with the retail section, including Coles, moving to what now is the car park. The present retail area would become a David Jones department store and if that was to be the case that would be a stunning success for Fremantle.

The carpark would be moved to upper levels and commercial floor space would dominate the development with only residential apartments that will have harbour and ocean views planned for the northern side of the building.

The building would also have a walkway over the rail line to Victoria Quay, according to the traders I talked with.

This is a very different proposal than the one the previous owners had for hundreds of apartments, that pushed Council to allow for additional height on the site. I was not told how high the new proposal is.

This would all be very positive for Fremantle if the building has outstanding architectural design and building quality, but it could have negative impact on the Kings Square development that seems years away, because the Woolstores office floor space could be competing with Sirona Capital trying to find major tenants for the former Myer building.

Just over the road at the Point Street carpark site the banners with the Hilton Doubletree signs have been removed and that is a slight worry. I hope there is no delay in that development as it is essential to the revitalisation of the inner East of the Freo CBD.

There are rumours on Facebook that the Shanghai-Up Markets- building next to the Sail&Anchor is going to be demolished and the site developed, but Freo Mayor Brad Pettitt posted on FB that he had not heard about it yet, so time will tell.

Roel Loopers