Published by the Frederickstown Progress Association Inc. Volume 12 Number 1 July 2012
FREDERICKSTOWN FOCUS IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY: The Frederickstown Progress Association Incorporated PO Box 1033 Albany, WA, 6331
Frederickstown Focus returns By Dr Ian Alexander, Chairperson
W
elcome to the revived Frederickstown Progress Association newsletter - enjoy it!
ABN: 91 827 720 64
Currently, your Association is pushing for a livelier
Email: fpa_albany@yahoo.com.au
city through:
CHAIRPERSON: Dr Ian Alexander VICE CHAIRPERSON: Jane Mouritz
›› An Art/Exhibition Gallery; ›› More activity in the Albany Town Hall ›› Redevelopment at Middleton Beach.
SECRETARY: Nick Ayton
We are working with the Middleton Beach Group,
TREASURER: Jan Waterman
NewArts and the City of Albany Council towards
MEETINGS: Regular committee meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 5.30pm at the Albany Boatshed, Princess Royal Drive. For more details phone 0403 767 869. MEMBERSHIP: Please support the Frederickstown Progress Association and become a member today. Membership is available to all residents, ratepayers, employees and businesses in the Frederickstown Ward, City of Albany. COST: $20 per annum HAVE YOUR SAY: Your response is invited and suggestions for future issues welcomed. Please contact Dr Ian Alexander on 0403 767 869 or email fpa_albany@yahoo.com.au THANKS: The Frederickstown Progress Association Committee would like to thank the businesses, individuals and community groups for their support and encouragement in the production of Frederickstown Focus. EDITORIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Chairperson Dr Ian Alexander Newsletter Production: Smithson Media Printed by Albany Printers Published by Frederickstown Progress Association Inc.
those ends. If you’re not already involved, do join us: we need your support to help build a better Albany. Talking of the future, the City of Albany recently delivered this glossy brochure on its new Plan-
ning map. The brochure says that ‘one-on-one’
ning Scheme.
meetings are planned with community groups to
The Scheme sets out the proposed zoning and
discuss the Plan.
density of all land within the City. Closing date for
Three committee members attended a ‘briefing’:
submissions is Friday, August 3 - forms are on the
but it would have been even better to have had
City’s website - http://www.albany.wa.gov.au/
an open meeting.
you-and-your-property/planning/.
But if you are concerned about the future direc-
While you’re on the website have a look at the
tion of Albany’s development, or about the densi-
2010 City Planning Strategy, the basis of the plan-
ties and zoning in the Plan, I urge you to quickly make a submission. One aspect the Association has expressed concern about is the State Minister’s directive to Council to remove Third Party Appeal Rights: the ability of residents to appeal against planning decisions that adversely affect them. Many see such rights as an important and democratic safeguard. If you agree, ask in your submission for this decision to be reversed.
“If you are concerned about the future direction of Albany’s development, or about the densities and zoning in the Plan, I urge you to make a submission.”
Frederickstown Focus • July 2012 • Vol 12 Issue 01
2
Councillor Comment Cr Caroline Dowling Frederickstown Ward The Frederickstown Ward is the heart of Albany. The Council together with the Frederickstown community must work to take full advantage of, and build a sense of pride in, its features. I support the formation of a Development Authority to coordinate the work of the Committee for Albany together with involvement of Local and State Government to develop strategies and oversee future planning for the City. Development must be in sympathy with the heritage; there are some
Sculptor John Wills with the first of a series of sculptures planned for Middleton Beach.
Proactive approach to improve beach for all Pat Kerruish, Middleton Beach Group member
F
ormed in January 2009, we are a proactive
John Wills has completed the first pair which
community group of local residents, business
were featured in the Great Southern Weekender
good examples of modern buildings
and property owners, visitors and users of the
newspaper. We await the next pair in the series,
and others that are not so good! Such
Middleton Beach Precinct.
and welcome further donations.
planning would utilise the area between
We are not a separate Progress Association,
Anthony McEwan, Stephen Grimmer and Mark
the Albany Town Hall and Albany
but a sub group of Frederickstown Progress
Ford from the City of Albany met with the MBG
Library to create a cultural hub with the
Association. Our goal is to work with the City
Committee to decide on their eventual placing.
inclusion of a Regional Art Gallery.
of Albany, developers, and all beach users to
Mayor Dennis Wellington met with MBG to
The Stirling Gardens and the Proudlove
improve the area for all who live, work in and visit
inform us of plans for the redevelopment of
Parade areas, to which tourists are
the Middleton Beach Precinct.
Calamaris. In May we also met with Tracey
drawn to by bus or the Visitor Centre,
As such, after extensive community consultation
Blaszkow to discuss, and have input into, future
are on the works agenda. This will
and involvement of more than 100 interested
upgrading of Eyre Park playground equipment.
interact well with the UWA expansion.
people, a future plan for Middleton Beach has
We have a Blog site for news , and an extensive
The promised redevelopment, through
been drawn up by Jen Viol, a local landscape
email list. Visit http://middletonbeachgroup.com/
Federal and State Government funding,
architect.
We welcome all like-minded people to join MBG
of the Mt Clarence precinct in time for the
MBG purchased timbers from the Town Jetty for
and /or our email group. Date and time of next
ANZAC Centenary commemorations in
a series of sculptures for the beach. These have
meeting to be advised.
2014, is a positive move. It is of National
been funded by donations from FPA and MBG
Contact : Pat Kerruish,
and International significance and will
members.
kerruish42@bigpond.com
promotion for the City and its heritage. Middleton Beach will shortly have a
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Frederickstown Focus • July 2012 • Vol 12 Issue 01
3
FPA Position Paper on Cultural Precinct
Developing the economy Dennis Wellington, City of Albany Mayor
The long term development of the Cultural Precinct, with a Town Square between the Albany Library and the Albany Town Hall and an A Class Art Gallery on the west side, is just that; a long term development with large capital investment required. In the immediate term, the FPA is committed to ensuring the Town Hall is put to use now and that something is made of the adjoining open space. Apart from the use of Allison Hartman Gardens and the Library, that portion of the York Street block is currently without interest or attraction, yet it is in the city centre with daily passing traffic. Recurring feedback in previous studies/surveys is the desire for a full scale art gallery of a standard to show major travelling exhibitions. This can not be quickly achieved. However, the current Lesser Town Hall/Meeting Room space has been redecorated and is already set up with lighting and hanging fittings. We urge that immediate action be taken to: •
Set up this Town Hall area as a small boutique gallery for fine art works and craft with changing but continuous shows.
•
Use of the outside area to the north of the Town Hall for a coffee shop/light lunch café.
The long term plan sees excavation of the area between the Town Hall and the Library down to pavement level, creating a large Town Square area, which would accommodate such a café, as well as providing an open air space for performances and accommodating the Saturday Farmers Markets. We also support the prospect of the main Town Hall Theatre being used in its present configuration for showing films as currently proposed for a winter film festival.
(This is an excerpt from a position paper written by FPA members Severin and Jenny Crisp - more detail will be published in future editions of the Frederickstown Focus)
Frederickstown friends, it’s a pleasure to be given the opportunity to address you in the Frederickstown Focus. One of the many issues of importance to our Ward is the further development of Albany’s economy. Council has been working to grow the local economy through lobbying government, advocating for local business, partnering with community organisations and developing City planning framework to guide appropriate development. This is now beginning to bear fruit. Benefits can be seen in private investment across two highly important hospitality and tourism precincts – Middleton Beach and the Albany Waterfront – as well as the plans for Albany’s heritage gem, Mounts Clarence and Adelaide. At the waterfront - I can confirm that the City of Albany Council expects to view a proposal for a family-friendly, restaurant/tavern style development near the Albany Entertainment Centre. The developers, Trevor Cosh and Paul Lionetti, intend to open the establishment in late 2013 or early 2014. Mr Lionetti and Mr Cosh tell me they
intend to make the best of the location’s world class views by constructing a tavern or restaurant which is suitable for all demographics and showcases local produce at reasonable prices. At Middleton Beach, developers Kate and John Marwick have an exciting plan to revitalise the precinct with a commercial cafe, restaurant, meeting rooms, gallery and office. We’re also working hard to gain bilateral support for the $9 million ANZAC Interpretive Centre on Mt Adelaide. The Albany Centenary of ANZAC Alliance aims to have this up in time for the ANZAC Centenary commemorations beginning in 2014. I encourage you to make it your business to take an interest in these projects, and if you wish, to make a submission to the City of Albany Council on any of these proposals once the projects are formally submitted to the City of Albany and submissions are called. I’m also very pleased to report that this year the Council anticipates an overall rates increase of 4 per cent, which is the lowest rates increase delivered in at least four years. It’s also one of the lowest in the State, which is testament to the work put in by our Council and our City to grow sustainably.
VA LaB AlNeY nC I TtY iF LnO RoI S’TsS
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Frederickstown Focus • July 2012 • Vol 12 Issue 01
4
Plan to revitalise Stirling Gardens Juliet Albany, FPA committee member
A
number of residents recently decided to
could do with enhancement.
take action on the Queen Victoria Dia-
With buildings only on the north side the
mond Jubilee Gardens - known today as Stirling
imbalance can be corrected by providing
Gardens.
strong vertical elements on the south side.
The City of Albany removed the trees due to
A Draft Concept Plan has identified more
complaints regarding the anti-social behaviour
Canary Island palms as best meeting this
of people utilising the cover of low growing
need, they have strong heritage associa-
trees for their daily needs.
tions, particularly with coastal sites, civic
FPA members invited Council staff to work
dignity and grand hotels and provide a
with locals to re-instate the gardens. Mark Ford
cheerful and celebratory character.
(City of Albany Reserves Manager) responded
Views out over the parking areas and gar-
positively, and we have been working together
Some of the work done to date on the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Gardens - known today as Stirling Gardens.
since.
dens also need to be protected. More shade is needed at the foot of the slope for parking and an upgrade of Proudlove Parade should be linked to the
FPA members invited Council staff to work with locals to re-instate the gardens.
escarpment garden, The need for hardy plants (no reticulation available) that reflect the 1890s, exuberant Imperial Colonialism is recognised as important; and based upon existing coral
This year, 2012, is the Diamond Jubilee of Queen
trees, plumbago, agapanthus and hibiscus a
Elizabeth II which ties in with the original reason
patriotic theme of red white and blue seems
for planting along this slope in 1897, when
appropriate.
Albany celebrated Queen Victoria’s Diamond
Low growing ground covers and small shrubs to 1m maximum could be planted
Jubilee with a newly planted garden. Early photos show the original gardens had no
ject to a landscape upgrade in 1980s when coral
below the palms.
particular defining features.
trees were planted for shade.
Community involvement and assistance is sought
There are a number of hardy plants now doing well
Stirling Terrace is the Town Front, welcoming visi-
by FPA to refine and implement the Draft Concept
with no reticulation and little maintenance.
tors from ships, and has great heritage significance.
to a planting project.
The IGA car park and Proudlove Parade were sub-
Stirling Terrace is also a commercial precinct that
Come along and help us!
The FPA is seeking community help to implement the Stirling Gardens Draft Concept Plan into a planting project.
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