$ 2.24 MILLION UPGRADE FOR FREMANTLE NETBALL

 

WA Premier Mark McGowan and Sport&Recreation Minister Mick Murray opened the new pavilion of the Fremantle Netball Association at Frank Gibdon Park on Sunday, just in time for the club’s 60th anniversary.

The $2.24 million upgrade includes a pavilion and change rooms, a first aid room, toilets and umpires’ rooms, and a canteen, kitchen and admin rooms.

The State paid $ 1.8 million toward the project while the club made up for the balance of it.

Roel Loopers

MANNING REDEVELOPMENT ON TRACK

 

 

Work on the Manning Building redevelopment in the Fremantle inner city is progressing well with two large metal frames installed at the back of it in Paddy Troy Lane.

The Silverleaf Investments development will see a new tavern, micro brewery and distillery being added to the heritage building and hopefully help with the Fremantle Council’s efforts of  revitalising the CBD.

Roel Loopers

REFLECTION OF FREMANTLE MARITIME MUSEUM

 

 

When I bumped into my young mate and passionate hobby photographer Paolo Gumina this morning, who was looking for reflections, I took him to my favourite Fremantle reflection of the Maritime Museum, which I take from different angles and puddles every winter.

The lady in yellow pants fishing and passers by added to the great winter picture.

Roel Loopers

ROUNDHOUSE CLOSED AGAIN ON SUNDAY

 

 

It is an outrage that one of Fremantle’s most significant tourist destinations, the historic Roundhouse, is closed again today on Sunday, which is one of the busiest days of the week.

The weather is perfectly alright with some very dark clouds around but it is pleasantly warm and there are a lot of people wandering the streets.

The oldest public building in Western Australia was also closed last week on Friday, Saturday and Monday and that is not acceptable at all.

The Fremantle Volunteer Heritage Guides who manage the Roundhouse sent a statement to the Fremantle Herald that before every winter an assessment is made, but that is nonsense of Trumpian proportions.

Fact is that traditionally the Roundhouse was only closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day and open to the public every other day of the year. If the weather is too inclement the team on the day might decide to close an hour or so early, but never have volunteer guides turned up and decided not to open this historic jail at all.

It is not good enough and it is reassuring to know that the City of Fremantle  is finally showing some interest to manage the tourist destination more professionally.

The unscheduled closures could well jeopardise the grant application with Lotterywest for new interpretive displays in the Roundhouse, which is a superb project just waiting for funding.

When is the State Government going to show interest in historically significant Arthur’s Head and the Roundhouse?

Roel Loopers

 

CONFUSING CONFIDENTIALITY AT FREMANTLE COUNCIL

 

Although I have been closely following what goes on at Fremantle Council for over ten years I am still not sure why certain agenda items are considered to be confidential, and the public is excluded from attending the deliberations about them, while other similar topics remain open to the public and are not considered confidential.

On Wednesday the license agreement with the South Fremantle Football Club is a confidential item, but the license agreement for the public golf course is not.

Commercial confidentiality can hardly be the reason as there are no other clubs queuing up to lease Fremantle Oval, especially since the East Fremantle Football Club has decided to stay at East Fremantle Oval and not share Fremantle Oval with the South Fremantle footy club.

So what are the reasons for making an agenda item confidential in Fremantle?

Also confidential at the Ordinary Council meeting this coming Wednesday is a report about the Summer Event Series at Port Beach and another confidential report about a Port Beach Music/Lifestyle event. But the Winter Festival on the Esplanade was not a confidential item. Why?

Plus there is also the confidential report about the performance of the Chief Executive Officer.

Roel Loopers

 

FREO PORTRAIT PRIZE ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT TO ENTER

 

 

Time is running out to get your entries in.

Closing date to upload is midnight July 7, that’s just 15 days away.

FIPP is open to ALL photographers, everywhere. There is a AU$20,000 Prize Pool with an $8,000 first prize for camera entries and $1,000 for mobile phone entries.

Here are some last minute tips to keep in mind:
1. Don’t be late.
2. Don’t oversharpen
3. Don’t complicate – keep it simple
4. Do choose an image that tells a story
5. Do choose an image with emotion
6. Do choose with your heart!

LIONESS BACK IN FREMANTLE PORT

 

 

Nice to see the training ship STS Leeuwin II back at berth at B Shed in Fremantle Port after she was up north at Geraldton for a few months.

Welcome back home!

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE’S OCEAN COLOURS

 

 

The predictions are is that it is going to be a pretty awful weekend with rain and storms and even lightning and thunder, so here a bit of Fremantle colour to help you through the next couple of days. Stay warm and dry!

Roel Loopers

THE KINGS SQUARE BACK SIDE

 

 

Every time I drive along South Terrace I notice the southern aspect of the Kings Square Redevelopment Project and since I had a meeting at Fremantle Council yesterday afternoon I decided to finally take a photo of it.

 

Roel Loopers

HIGH STREET UPGRADE IMPACT ON TREES

 

MAINROADS has supplied the above graph to show how many trees will be saved and which ones will be lost for the Fremantle High Street Upgrade, which is anticipated to make the freight journey to Fremantle Port faster and easier.

Work is due to start in just a few months from now and will take some of the public golf course.

Roel Loopers