Joined- up Thinking

South Perth’s new cycle way has copped a bit of comment, but I must admit it gets plenty of use. The City has now committed to straightening some of the bends too, so transit riders will be safer.

However, when the path hits the Vic Park boundary there is an unlit pair of steel pipes right across the track, concreted in. This is right next to a very confused set of old footpaths. Vic Park seems to not be part of the commitment to encouraging cyclists. South Perth has even offered to contribute to the costs of getting this path to join up with an existing transit route but to no avail.

We really need to get some “joined- up” thinking here.

There seem to be a lot of situations like this around WA, where we have good ideas and great projects but where these don’t always connect well with other actions, ideas and values. Other popular ideas just don’t seem to address more than one set of values.

Some that I’ve seen recently go like this:

WA needs lots of skilled workers. Some on the national priority list get through quickly. Thirteen thousand others are stuck in queue because Federal Immigration will process only people with skills on WA’s “State Migration Plan.” The problem is that WA has not produced a ‘State Migration Plan”. What??

The State has heaps of water in the north and high demand in the south. Some suggest a pipeline is the answer, without thinking that the energy cost and associated emissions every year would be immense. Water moving in a pipeline has to be pushed, due to friction with the pipe and changes in topography. Meeting one requirement certainly doesn’t meet others. Could we join the thinking to include our own realistic expectations around water and lifestyle?

Perth’s favourite landmark is the Swan River. In recent years we have had massive fish deaths and six dead dolphins in the river. You’d expect that someone was paying attention to water quality, right? Enquiries lead to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Their web site has lots about the new, wonderful Australian Water Resources Information System being the place to find such data. However, there is no such public data and phone enquiries to BOM indicate no one there knows about it either. Calls to the WA Department of Water about public live access to current water quality information yield, quote “You can’t really.” The will however give out some very simplistic data if you specifically ask for a particular item. Surely someone is joining the dots between the health of our beloved river and the quality of water in the river? Surely too, each of us takes care to do our own bit to keep the river healthy.

On Sunday I went with a group of bushwalkers to enjoy the new season around Mundaring. Without exception everyone commented on how much they enjoyed the hills, the diversity of plants and animals, wildflowers and fresh air. Surely we can join up the thinking between valuing the Australian bush and managing the way our city spreads and covers what we value with bitumen and concrete.

We are facing rapid change, as WA did in the 1880’s, in the 1970’s and 1990’s. We can just let it roll over us, like we did before, with rubbish dumps on the river banks, a cement plant up- wind and an industrial area which leaked thousands of tons of pollutants into our drinking water aquifers. The alternative is to connect our thinking and do it right this time.

Can you help be part of this, please?

 

Energy Efficiency

We can make a difference locally. The WA Sustainable Energy Association is putting together a response to the Prime Minister’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency to advise the Australian Government on options to improve Australia’s energy efficiency by 2020. A copy of the report can be found here Prime Minister’s Energy Efficiency Report.

What did you think?  What should be given priority? Was anything missed? You can comment on this blog and I’ll pass it on.

My own comments are that Local Government can do much more to promote awareness and practice of energy efficiency in:

• Design of residential, commercial and administrative buildings. This is much more about basic design, not just about ‘bolt- on’ features such as p-v panels.
• Use and working of such buildings. This is mainly about the selection of choices for operations, by owners, managers and individuals.
• Design and operation of systems of travel, including all modes- car, bus, train, cycle and possible other new technologies.
• Promotion of individual responsibility in daily decisions around all parts of life.

Local government is much closer to people’s lives and is much more likely to be able to exert personal influence.

Feel free to click on “Comments” below or just email me.

Perth Global Update

A new report on Perth’s Global Competiveness by researchers from University of Western Australia and the Committee for Perth shows some really interesting facts and conclusions, relevant to where we live.

For a start, 34 per cent of us were born in another country. Only 16 per cent of us are degree- educated, well below the proportion in similar cities.

Shell is moving their Australian headquarters to Perth; BHP, Chevron, Newmont and others have much of their Australian and Asian regional management located here. Very many smaller companies are based here. 41 per cent of companies on the Australian Stock Exchange have their head office in Perth. Sydney and Melbourne, on the other hand, account for only 29 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively.

We have a comparatively low proportion of children and a high ratio of aged dependants. Age plots show that lots of people arrive here aged between twenty and thirty.

While this might not be the experience in a particular local neighbourhood it is the big picture across the whole city.

Some key features that have implications for our local area are:

• an expectation for diversity of culture, accommodation and life style
• a likely shortfall of educated and skilled people
• a distinct, measured shortage of leadership skills
• significant pressures on our environment

Perth is projected to experience the highest percentage growth of any Australian capital city. Our biggest challenge is to manage this without destroying what we love.

My own view is that just doing what we have always done won’t be good enough. We must get better at being able to imagine the future, even if it is not much like our past. We will have to teach ourselves that just because we have done something for twenty, or even two thousand, years it might no longer be sustainable.

Please feel free to have your say by clicking on “Comments” below, or email me and I’ll be happy to publish your wisdom.

 

Local Government Leads the Way

Our local Councils are where it's all happening. South Perth and Melville are building ideas towards the future with their work on Canning Bridge precinct and many other issues. Several thousand people have attended workshops, information sessions and gatherings in the park, about Our Vision Ahead 2030 and about Canning Bridge precinct. Local people have been having their say about a plan for South Perth in 2030, about Canning Bridge and about what sort of city we dream of. The effect of this is that new ideas and vision are being put together with everyone’s involvement- the essence of Participatory Democracy.

Swan Federal Liberal MP Steve Irons this week spoke for an extended time in the House of Representatives in Canberra, bagging our consultative process, our public meetings in general and my blogs in particular. Why run down our City? Surely this is not a political issue, an arena for scoring points. We’re working for our future; the support of our Parliamentary representatives will go far to helping us progress towards our shared vision.

Federal Government is so far away they rarely listen to us at all. State Government has been an inspiration- free zone for many years, so public consultation has been totally unnecessary for them anyway.  In Council we do it all the time- in deputations and workshops, in blog comments, at meetings in the park and on the street. C’mon Steve Irons, and John McGrath, you can be part of this too.

This process is exciting. Of course, not everyone goes away happy, especially when a majority opinion differs from their own, but everyone is certainly heard. Sometimes the language and emotion get a bit spicy too. Local Government and community is where dreams for the future of Australia are born. Here people are demonstrating inspiration and courage, essential ingredients of vision.

Can we hear from you too? Feel free to click on “Comments” below.

Local Music

WA music is thriving. Last night’s music awards at the Fly By Night Club in Freo showed off some of the very best. I had the pleasure of presenting the Jazz award, sponsored by the City of South Perth and won by Chris Sealey. Chris will be playing at Ellington's, the fabulous jazz club in North Perth on 02 November. There is a full list of 2010 winners on the WAM web site.

Watch out for lots of music in South Perth in 2011. There will be events large and small, they all sound exciting and will interest all ages. This is really one area that Local Government can make such a difference. By organising events, providing venues, sponsoring competitions I think that we can do plenty to encourage local talent. Sure, we enjoy the big names for the big shows; we can also savour the work of new WA musicians. How about a Sunday afternoon Jazz event in McDougall Park or a school- age showcase event in the holidays?

By adding some music to our world, especially in a social setting, I think that we can improve our quality of life. Lucky Oceans, the Master of Ceremonies last night, spoke about melody being a feeling and lyrics being a thought. What are your feelings and thoughts about what we can do with music? Click on ‘Comments’ below.

Canning Bridge Vision Motion, My Summary

(i) Canning Bridge is the right place for Transit Oriented Development, consistent with WA’s Directions 2031.

(ii) Cassey Street bus exit component removed for now.

(iii) Manning Road South Freeway On- ramp be given Critical priority.

(iv) There is lots more work to do yet. Heights shown are not final and do not represent approval.

(v) Diagrams of building shapes are not be part of the Vision.

Canning Bridge Transit Oriented Design (TOD)

South Perth Council last night decided to move on with progress of our Vision for the future of Canning Bridge.

Since 2006 there have been in excess of forty events related to planning the future of the Canning Bridge Precinct. We have had mail- outs of proposals, public workshops, discussions, formal meetings, Ward events in the park, combined working groups with the City of Melville, consultants and other bodies such as the Departments of Transport, Planning, TransPerth, and other stakeholders. I acknowledge the vast amount of input, by staff, community members, Councillors and many others.

In the process we have learned of the wide range in that what individuals want from their house, their neighbourhood and their city. This includes such vital matters as shelter and safety (of course), real estate value, distance to school, ease of travel, number of bedrooms and access to shops. Also in mind were concern for the environment (local and regional), population growth, climate change, physical and emotional health and much, much more.

From the initial consultant’s model in July 2008 we have all had in mind that what we were working on was a transport problem, in a population, environmental and economic context.

Put simply, we have a city and lifestyle designed for cars. Our transport is becoming choked. We have rapid population growth. We are destroying the bush around us. It is costing us more and more, in many ways, to follow our old style of development. Change was coming over us and we were determined to make it happen our way, not to just do nothing or, worse, to be dictated to by a State Development Authority.

At the core of every conversation, and there were many of them, was the belief that our core values were around the Quality of Life for the people of South Perth. That Quality of Life was expressed in terms of social, environmental and economic measures- the triple bottom line of every conversation and debate.

Along the way we had plans with a huge roundabout over the station, tunnels under the river, a bus station over and along the train line and a bus exit up Cassey Street.

In mind were discussions around the relationships we share, our core values and our behaviour towards each other in South Perth.

While we have been busy on this project there have been many others under way around our City, such as at Wellard, Canning Central, Murdoch, Bull Creek and Burswood, in other States, such as along the Adelaide- Gawler line and in other countries. Many of our concerns are similar to those faced across the globe.

Where to now? Now that we have shown our support for this Vision, City staff and consultants will develop infrastructure plans, financial analyses and precinct building guidelines. As always in the City of South Perth, we will have lots of community participation at all stages. This way of doing business is now a major feature of how we do things around here. I appeal to everybody to stay on the bus on this journey to a future that we design and choose for ourselves

I offer tribute to the honest, intense and valued input of so many community members in so many ways. While we probably have not given every member of community the outcome they personally wanted, we certainly have listened to, noted, and responded to every word. The sum of this process is the resolution we accepted last tonight and whose text is here.

Canning Bridge Transit Oriented Design Decision

Last night South Perth Council voted to proceed with work on our Canning Bridge Vision. Text of the motion follows; please note that this is not an official Council document.

That....

(a) Council acknowledges that the Canning Bridge Precinct, because of its location and features (Freeway and Canning Highway intersection and bus and rail transfer station) is an appropriate place for Transport Oriented Development consistent with Directions 2031.

(b) Council supports the Canning Bridge Precinct Vision (the “Vision”) as the long term non-binding, non- statutory guiding document for the Canning Bridge precinct, with the following amendments and notations:

• (i) Council supports the spirit of the Vision, i.e. that Canning Bridge, because of its location and features (Freeway and Canning Highway intersection and bus and rail transfer station) is an appropriate place for Transport Oriented Development consistent with Directions 2031.
• (ii) The Cassey Street bus exit component be removed from current plans and reviewed upon completion of the detailed traffic planning study.
• (iii) Manning Road South Freeway On- ramp be given Critical priority.
• (iv) Council acknowledges that the final height and built form will be dependent upon the results of the further studies and detailed design guidelines. Heights shown in the Vision may be used in such further studies. This use does not indicate, and should not be considered as, approval by the City of the building heights specified in the Vision. These heights are likely to change during the period in which planning for increased density in the Canning Bridge Precinct occurs.
• (v) The diagrammatic shapes of possible new buildings within the precinct will be removed from current plans.

(c) the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to pursue and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Melville outlining joint support for the Vision.

(d) the City participates in a dedicated steering group with State and local government representatives be set up to oversee the implementation of the Canning Bridge Vision.

(e) the following further technical studies be initiated to progress the development of an activity centre structure plan during 2010/11 and 2011/2012:

• (i) Detailed built form and streetscape guidelines
• (ii) Detailed traffic planning study
• (iii) Parking and access strategy
• (iv) Landscaping design guidelines

(f) the Western Australian Planning Commission, the City of Melville and those who made submissions on the draft Vision be advised of points (a) to (e) above.

Next Door Day: 24 Oct 2010

One month to go until Sunday Oct 24, when we’ll celebrate Next Door Day. The idea is to invite your neighbours over for tea, some food, drinks, pizza, whatever, and of course conversation. Some people will do this at home and some at the park over the road. Let’s share our community and get to know each other better.

There is a Facebook group too, where you can add your comments, photos and ideas. Click on the link and go to Events (in the lower left) to join for free. You can add your photos; tell your friends to come too. Let’s do this all over Western Australia, invite your neighbours over for tea and get to know each other better.

As usual, have your word by clicking in Comments at the end this blog.

Canning Bridge Vision

Thank you to all who attended yesterday’s Como Tea in the Park. Ninety five people turned out to speak and listen. Many others have stopped me for a chat in the street or at the shop.

One of the questions raised was about the degree of consultation held so far. Some people felt that they had not been informed of developments nor taken part in enough conversations. I’ve looked over my history list for this project and made a list of the events that I have been to myself. In addition to these there are very many events around the Vision 2030 project run by South Perth, which includes some very clear direction for what people want for Canning Highway. There were twenty three of these South Perth Vision 2030 events, plus at least three more in Council chambers or meeting room.

My diary of consultation around Canning Bridge transport and other issues includes the following events.

· 21 July 2008 Initial presentation by GHD, joint events for City of South Perth and Melville citizens, at South of Perth Yacht Club, two sessions, mid- day and evening

· 29 July 2008 Council briefing City of South Perth with GHD, councillors and staff

· 11 August 2008 Community Engagement session 1, at South Perth Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 800 metres zone

· 18 August 2008 Community Engagement session 1, at SP Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 400 metres zone

· 27 August 2008 SP Councillors and staff update with GHD

· 01 September 2008 Community Engagement session 2, at SP Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 800 metres zone

· 08 September 2008 Community Engagement session 2, at SP Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 400 metres zone

· Oct 2008 Joint presentation for Councillors of SP and Melville, at Melville Council offices

· March 2009 Joint presentation for Councillors and Officers of SP and Melville

· Sept 2009 Joint presentation for Councillors of SP and Melville

· Approx. Feb 2010 Public event at Melville Senior Citizens Centre, plus development of Canning Bridge Community FaceBook site

· Feb 2010 Letters to all owners within the precinct

 · Feb 2010 Public forum, 400 attendees

· July 2010 Joint briefing with both Councils, including changes in response to consultations

In addition to these official events I have personally hosted one community forum at Olives Reserve and two in McDougall Park, all well- attended. This blog site has added a continuous flow of further information and sought public comment. There has also been one neighbourhood meeting in a resident’s house, attended by the Mayor and myself.

By my reckoning this covers at least forty consultation, listening and conversation events around the future of South Perth. My email has carried a similar heavy load. Our future has not been short of public participation. I do observe that we have had less representation from younger people and I rather think that less business people have made the time to attend.

On Tuesday 29^th September the Canning Bridge Vision document will be presented for Council endorsement. On 21^st September (today) there is the opportunity for public deputation about that Vision. Once that milestone is reached the Council will be able to move onto detailed planning to make our City safer and even more liveable. Such planning will include detailed built- form and streetscape guidelines, a traffic study, parking and access study and landscape design. Through this process I trust that South Perth will follow its tradition of continuous consultation. For an opportunity to speak please feel free to submit a request to Council for Deputations tonight, 21^st September.

As usual, have your word by clicking in Comments at the end this blog.

Cygnet Cinema Shines

Como’s Cygnet Cinema may have new life.Tonight the Council was treated to a combined presentation by renowned architect Bill Hames and representatives of the Stiles family, owners of the famous art- deco landmark.

Mr Hames’ concept design retains the original building, while adding exciting new features. The early visualisation features a refurbished main hall plus four small cinemas, a Gold Class lounge/ restaurant and an outdoor picture garden. There would also be a super- deli to the east and commercial office space at the rear.

This seems to be a tremendous way to retain the heritage building while adding economic life to Preston Street. There are many stages to go through yet before this vision becomes reality. Commercial viability would have to be assured, as would matters like parking and the myriad other concerns around town planning. Consultation with neighbours is always a feature of development in South Perth, of course, and this might bring up other concerns.

Have your say. Just click on “Comments” below and log in as Name (preferred) or Anonymous, or email me and I’ll post your comments for you. What you say makes a difference.

Traffic Stack

Perth is growing fast, threatening what we value most. Just in case we needed reminding, today’s West has three headlines about this:

• Traffic Gridlock Tightens
• Drive Times Grow as Roads Slow
• Perth to Swell by 500,000

A further recent headline points out that by continuing to just spread outwards we are building a dysfunctional city. Environmental damage, increased use of cars and longer distances for provision of water, power and sewerage make the outlook for Perth quite dismal.

Essentially, when we say at public meetings that we want the City to remain as it is, we do nothing and thus contribute to destroying what we love. South Perth's recent City Visioning exercise helped us describe the features that we do want in our future. The challenge now is to use this Vision to plan for a City that keeps these attributes while accommodating rapid growth.

We have a number of community forums in the near future. My hope is that we can use these to work towards what we do want in our future, not just to protest against change.

Canning Bridge Bus Turnaround

Canning Bridge area residents heard on Wednesday night about a new plan for bus movements. Increasing popularity of buses and the train service have meant that the bridge and facilities are often at maximum capacity. Buses are clogging the interchange area and the U-turn arrangements are confusing at best.

 

Figures show that use of public transport in Perth is growing rapidly, faster than in any other Australian city. Plans to expand Curtin Uni to thirty thousand students will create even more local demand. Freeway and city vehicle congestion continues to make public transport an even more popular option.

In a twenty- year time frame we’ll need a seriously re-planned facility here. Right now, we need a way to handle more buses. South Perth planners, working with Stage agencies, have drawn up a design to take the turn- around off the bridge. A new facility, much- used in Europe, UK and USA, known as a ‘dog- bone roundabout’ is proposed. (Here’s one from Holland.)

The proposed location of this is in the space to the north- west of the current interchange area. Buses would enter the dog- bone, drop off their passengers, turn around and then pick up new passengers on the other straight side of the loop. A short overhead walkway would connect with the rail station. All this would get pedestrians and buses safely out of the bridge interchange, a crowded area today.

The proposed vision for this goes to Council next month; it would then move to design stage for detailed planning.

We need a solution, for now and for later. Buses and trains are increasingly popular. There are way too many cars used every day. Our challenge is to plan our transport system so we don’t even think about using a car for most journeys.

The Mayor of South Perth tells me that there will be time for residents to have a say about this at Council’s briefing night on 21 September. One of my concerns would be about ease and safety of pedestrian access from both South Perth and Melville. If you’d like to contribute, how about talking with your neighbours and contacting the City in advance to get a representative on the agenda list?

Cycle Path Update

Wow, didn’t that get some responses? Heaps of emails and calls about the new cycle way on Sir James Mitchell Park, with bouquets and brickbats. I also realised that I had upset the engineer who designed the path and am embarrassed that I did so. My apologies are offered right now.

I have also found that the path was intentionally designed as a “shared recreation path,” with lots of pleasant meanders, not as a transit way. This of course leaves us with the issue that hundreds of people are now using it as a transit way.

Right across Australia cities are building bike transit ways and finding them used beyond expectation. This is a tremendous outcome; every cyclist has consciously not used motor transport. We have less road congestion, less pollution, less parking needs, smaller carbon footprint. I am so happy about this.

Now, lets use the popularity of this facility to really push for completion of the Perth Bicycle Network,  making a safe, efficient link to and around all points of the compass in Perth.

Canning Bridge Light Rail Info and Consultation

A reminder that on Thursday 12 August at 7 pm. Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC, Member for South Metropolitan Region and Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University and on the Board of Infrastructure Australia, will present the latest plans for light rail in our region.

You’ll be able to see examples of systems operating around the world, to see plans for the network and to talk about how to make this work for us. The event will be at the Canning Bridge Senior Citizens Centre, 64 Kishorn Road, Mt Pleasant. Just click the map to expand it. I recommend parking on the Esplanade or in the Centre car park on the river side of the building. The best road access is from the Esplanade, turning off Canning Highway beside the Shell service station. Coming from Fremantle you could turn right at the previous traffic lights by Thai Corner and that place with the Arches. There is plenty of room inside for bicycles.

I also have some discussion points around plans for redevelopment of Canning Bridge precinct, ahead of the forthcoming design presentation.

See you there from 6:30 pm on Thursday. Feel free to add your thoughts below by clicking on “Comments”