FREO READY TO WELCOME YOU TOMORROW!

 

 

There is a lot of activity all over Fremantle where the hospitality venues are getting ready for the near normal that will be in place from midnight tonight.

They are all expecting large crowds to come to Freo and enjoy a cold drink and a meal on a warm winter day.

Roel Loopers

DUYFKEN GETS A NEW MAST

 

 

My daily loitering with intent paid off late this morning when I came across the replacing of a mast at the Duyfken replica at the Sardine Wharf in Fremantle’s Fishing Boat Harbour.

Roel Loopers

ONE MORE SLEEP TO NEAR NORMAL!

 

 

The very Freo mobile barista at Gypsy Tapas in Queen Street might no longer be needed when we are going to near normal stage from midnight tonight where hospitality venues are allowed to have 100 customers, and the bigger ones up to 300 if they can create separate areas.

The National Hotel will have live music all weekend, Char Char  and Cicerello’s are open again and Kailis in the Fishing Boat Harbour will also re-open from tomorrow.

Little Creatures announced that as soon as they have found solutions to keep staff and patrons safe and can adhere to the Covid-19 social distancing requirements they will also reopen.

I am expecting, and hoping for, a very busy weekend in Fremantle, one that our traders have been hanging out for for months, so be patient when there is more traffic on the road, parking spots harder to find and a lot of people walking around.

When visiting pubs be aware that only table service will be available, so it might take a wee bit longer to get a drink or a meal, but after waiting for so long that should not be an issue. Staff will try their very best to be fast and efficient, so relax, chill, be nice and enjoy the moment, and remember that the pandemic is not over by a long shot, so keep your distance, wash your hands!

Roel Loopers

 

LET’S HAVE A FREO CHRISTMAS IN JULY!

 

I bumped into Ruth and Nigel Goodman of Bitches Brew framers, printers and artspace in High Street, and Ruth came up with this great idea to get activity going and bring shoppers back into Fremantle.

She suggested we should do a Christmas in July, with street stalls selling hot chocolate, mulled wine, window displays, Father Christmas, etc. and I believe that should be supported by the City of Fremantle and Chamber of Commerce, who could coordinate and promote the event, maybe on a weekend, starting Friday night?

Let’s get out there and support our local traders, now that we are getting a semblance of normality back!

Roel Loopers

KINGS SQUARE LOOKING IMPRESSIVE

 

 

Sirona Capital is adding some definition at street level of the Henderson Street carpark, with the installation of windows, and that looks a lot better than the black hoardings.

At The Walyalup Civic Centre detailed work has started on the main Kings Square entrance and brickwork. Personally I can’t wait for our new council building to open later this year.

Roel Loopers

 

FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE RE-OPENING!

 

 

Here a very welcome message from Jim Cathcart, the director of the Fremantle Arts Centre:

“I am pleased to let you know Fremantle Arts Centre re-opens to the public on Monday 15 June.

In the galleries we are presenting Revealed 2020: New and Emerging WA Aboriginal Artists and Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri in WA: Hunter Dreaming. Both exhibitions will run until Sunday 26 July.

Our shop FOUND and reception also re-open on Monday 15 June, while Canvas Café and FAC’s beautiful grounds are already open. Meanwhile, FOUND online is open for business 24/7 at https://shop.fac.org.au/

In relation to FAC’s courses, we will present a July Kids’ School Holiday Program, with a full Term 3 Adults’ Program to follow. The classes, dates and booking information will be announced as they become available.

From Mon 15 June – Tue 30 June we will be open 10am–4pm, 7 days.

We will, of course, be implementing all the necessary public health protocols and social distancing measures that have become common over the past few months.

I look forward to seeing you soon, back at FAC.”

– Jim Cathcart, Director

To read Jim’s full statement visit https://www.fac.org.au/2020/06/fac-opening-monday-15-june/

NO PUBLIC ACCESS TO FREO SAILING CLUB?

 

 

I was contacted by Fremantle residents who are concerned that the Fremantle Sailing Club has locked its gates and there no longer is public access, although that allegedly is part of their contract with the City of Fremantle.

They have big signs on the gates that for security reasons the gates have been closed, but does that exclude the general community from access?

Roel Loopers

PICTURES OF THE WORKING PORT

 

 

A few different photos of Fremantle Port, taken from the old traffic bridge yesterday. The container ship is not actually on the railway bridge of course. ;>))

Roel Loopers

BLACK LIVES MATTER-A LOT!

 

When the Prime Minister of Australia, in reaction to the George Floyd protests in the USA, says that Australia should not import those problems because we are a fair country, it is clear we still live in denial about racism in Australia. Australia is a fair country for fair-skinned people, but not for our indigenous people, or for our Asian and African people, and anyone with dark skin.

Racism started in this country the day Captain Cook set foot on land in the east and when Captain Fremantle and Captain Stirling arrived here in Fremantle at Bathers Bay.

The ‘wild black savages’ were hunted, killed, raped, abused, used as slaves, taken away from their parents, locked up and treated with absolute disrespect by most of the early settlers, who had no respect for the culture of the traditional owners.

The real history of Australia is rarely told. How many high school students in Western Australia are really aware of the stolen generations, the Pinjarra massacre, the killing and beheading of Yagan, the persecution of Jandamara in the Kimberley, the abuse that happened at the Moore River, Sister Kate, New Norcia, etc? How many have been told the truth about the awful Quod prison on Rottnest Island, where ten per cent of the 4,700 male prisoners died?

Just nine years away from celebrating 200 years of the start of the Swan River Colony Western Australia still does not have and Aboriginal Cultural Centre that tells the history of our state from the indigenous perspective.

We still do not have a significant memorial for those men and boys from all over WA who died on Rottnest Island, and many tourists leave the island without even being aware of it.

At the Roundhouse at least the volunteer guides acknowledged that they need to also tell the Aboriginal story and they have been working on new interpretive displays, but that will need state funding, so will they get the financial support from the McGowan government?

Racism is rampant in Australia and only many of those who are fair skinned believe it does not exist, but every dark coloured person in this country is subjected to it daily, sometimes it comes subtly and often it is blatant. Since 1991 432 Aboriginal people have died in custody in Australia!

We are lucky to have one of the best Treasurers WA has ever had in Ben Wyatt, a brilliant Aboriginal man. There are many of them, but they often do not get a chance to shine because of institutional racism in our governments and industries.

A country where Aboriginal people on average die ten years younger than non Aborigines, where Aboriginal kids often do not finish education, and where only a few study at universities, is not a fair country. We should be better than that! BlackLivesMatter!

Roel Loopers

 

DON’T DEMOLISH FREMANTLE TRAFFIC BRIDGE!

 

The building of a new Fremantle traffic bridge is likely to be brought forward, in the State Government’s attempt to create jobs by fast forwarding major public works. A new bridge is badly needed, so I welcome the news, however the Fremantle community and Council should have a say in this matter, because we do not want just any ugly modern functional bridge, but something iconic and very Freo.

We also do not want the demolition of the present bridge because it is part of Freo’s heritage. It should be preserved and used, maybe as a dedicated bridge for pedestrians and cyclists, a viewing platform where we can hold events and markets, and make it a tourist destination.

The destruction of the North Fremantle town centre would be absolutely unacceptable, so one very important question is where will the bridge end in North Freo?

I sometimes disagree with the opinion of the Fremantle Society, but I absolutely agree with what Agnieshka Kiera, who was the City of Fremantle’s heritage architect for 25 years, wrote about preserving the old bridge, so I partly copy her well argued opinion piece.

We want extensive community consultation, and not just Main Roads creating a bridge that can accommodate a lot of vehicles fast!

Here is what Agnieshka Kiera wrote:

• the historic Fremantle bridge has to stay. Not only for the reason of its heritage significance and, being listed on State Heritage, planning and compliance reasons. It should also stay for its greater importance to the city as the strategic urban feature and gateway to Fremantle, as follows:
  • since its construction the bridge has provided the vital pedestrian (and traffic) connection, not only between Fremantle and Perth but equally importantly between Fremantle and North Fremantle historic town centre; 
  • while the main vehicular traffic connection to Perth has been taken over by the Stirling Bridge, the much-reduced traffic using the historic bridge has helped to keep the North Fremantle’s historic centre accessible and to date a viable local hub of commercial and social activity;
  • the bridge acts as an important entry point and gateway to Fremantle: on the approach to Fremantle by the bridge, the closed vista of Cantonment Hill and the Signal Station, the Fremantle Port to the right and Swan River to the left, all the iconic urban features and Fremantle icons, create an exceptional landscape setting, reinforcing the city’s identity as the historic landmark of Western Australia;
  • the proposed bridge could potentially relieve the historic bridge of the vehicular traffic altogether and let it act as the vital pedestrian/cyclist link with Fremantle proper. There are numerous very successful examples around the world of saving the historic bridges from demolition. And while building new bridges to take on the modern essential role of carrying the vehicular traffic, many cities conserved the old bridges utilising them for the ancillary (mainly pedestrian) purposes. The most famous examples include the Burt Bridge in San Francisco, the Brooklyn Bridge on New York’s East River, Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Pot du Gard in France, Chenguyang Inmud and Rain Bridge in China etc. Each of them was replaced by a new bridge while being preserved for new functions. The same could be done in Fremantle, as freeing the Fremantle Bridge from vehicular traffic would facilitate its proper restoration as the pedestrian/cyclist bridge;
  • However, the plan in Brad Pettit’s blog doesn’t show where the new bridge’s roadway goes. Would it go through the North Fremantle old centre? It looks very likely. Would this result in some massive demolitions of the heritage buildings on its way? That would be the death not only to the old bridge but to the North Fremantle historic centre as well. The Fremantle bridge’s traditional role as a gateway and the significant connection between North Fremantle and Fremantle proper via Queen Victoria Street would be destroyed. That is a devastating prospect and should be stopped.

 

Roel Loopers