Affirmation of our connection to place old and new
Hi everyone,
Welcome to the first edition of our e-news for the year, and for those whom I haven't seen in my travels, I take this opportunity to wish you a happy new year. I hope you have all had a restful and refreshing break and are no doubt already either back in the swing at work or enjoying the last few days of the school holidays.
We began the year last Tuesday with a moving and meaningful affirmation of our connections to this land, both ancient and contemporary, with our citizenship ceremony held on Tuesday at the stunning John Tonkin Reserve. Following a welcome to country and smoking ceremony by the Walley family, we welcomed 19 new Australian citizens who pledged their loyalty to Australia and who are proud members of our East Fremantle community.
One major announcement that happened over the holidays was a commitment by the State Government to fund $20 million towards the redevelopment of East Fremantle Oval. As you know this is has been a major priority project for our Town, and this announcement means that both political parties have agreed to fund the project to the same levels and with Council's additional commitment of $5 million, we are very close to being able to bring this long-held dream into being. The design for the Oval was enriched through extensive community consultation and I thank everyone who took part in the co-design process. A business case for the project is also now available.
On Wednesday evening we hosted a Special Council Meeting at which Council made the decision to sign a waste-to-energy agreement with partners from the Cities of Fremantle and Melville as part of the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council. This agreement will mean general waste from the Town's red-lidded bins will now be sent to the Regional Resource Recovery Centre and converted to energy rather than ending up in landfill. Full details of this important announcement are available online. Also at the meeting, the Town's Annual Report for 2019-20 was adopted. This is an important document in which we report to you, our community, on progress we have made in delivering on the objectives that are important to you. Digital copies can be downloaded from our website, and hard copies are available upon request.
As we approach the beginning of term one next week, I share with you important safety information about parking around schools, including a new Fact Sheet that is available at our website, or in hard copy from our Town Hall administration centre. Please take special care when driving or parking near schools to keep everyone safe. And to mark all those important school (and other) dates and events during the year, be sure to pick up a copy of our FREE 2021 Community Calendar, Streets of Your Town, featuring images of our public art - copies are available from the Town Hall and soon from Fremantle Library.
Have you seen the new mural installed at Glasson Park? Jessee Lee Johns, a local artist, has brought his vision to life which reflects many of the iconic buildings and locations in our Town. Head to this popular park and see how many you can recognise.
A reminder that comments on several important initiatives close soon:
Don't miss your opportunity to have your say on these important initiatives, and stay tuned to our website for important Town news as it emerges. To find out more about civic life, please accept our invitation to attend our Annual General Meeting of Electors that will be held on Tuesday 24 February 2021 at 6.30pm at the Town Hall.
With warm weather scheduled for the weekend, it's tempting to head for the water, however, residents are advised to take special care when using the Swan River foreshore due to sightings of a bull shark in the river. Details of the sighting are available here.
kind regards
Jim O'Neill
Mayor
New Citizens, Ancient Lands
On 26 January 2021 the Town of East Fremantle gathered at John Tonkin Reserve for a respectful and meaningful ceremony to celebrate Australian citizenship and to reflect on the connection to our lands of the Noongar people. The occasion began with a welcome to country by Ms Theresa Whalley and a traditional smoking ceremony conducted by Ms Rose Whalley. Theresa encouraged all of us to take special care of the land on which we gather today. In their remarks, Mayor Jim O'Neill, Federal Member for Fremantle Josh Wilson MP and Member for Bicton, Lisa O'Malley MLA remarked that today is a profound moment of belonging, of solidarity, of generosity of spirit. That becoming a citizen brings with it both freedoms and responsibilities. It was a special day for our new Australian citizens, who pledged their loyalty to Australia and we congratulate these East Fremantle residents who have joined us from around the world. They were welcomed into our community by Mayor O'Neill, and by Deputy Mayor Jenny Harrington, Cr Kerry Donovan, Cr Dean Nardi, and Cr Tony Natale.
The Town has taken strong action towards securing its sustainable future through a new deal that will see waste converted to energy.
The new arrangement was approved at a special meeting of Council last night and will ensure that regular waste collected through the Town’s red-lidded bins will be sent to the Avertas facility in Kwinana, instead of ending up in landfill.
The Town has made the agreement with the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC), joining with fellow members, the Cities of Melville and Fremantle, which is expected to generate substantial savings over the 20 years of the agreement.
The Town is very pleased to announce that it has now secured a $20 million election commitment from both major political parties to support the redevelopment of the East Fremantle Oval Precinct. The Liberal party announced its election commitment on the 20/12/20 and the Labor party on 17/01/21. CEO Gary Tuffin said “we believe this commitment by both parties is a testament to the value the project represents for the community, it’s exciting times ahead for the Town. This project will result in a new state-of-the-art community hub where community, sports, and leisure will thrive together”.
Al Fresco and Dog Friendly Area Proposed at The Left Bank
Council has received an application from The Left Bank for an al fresco area on their verge facing Riverside Road.
Comments can be received up until 29 January 2021.
Submissions can be received addressed to PO Box 1097 Fremantle 6959 or emailed to admin@eastfremantle.wa.gov.au marked "Dog Alfresco Area at The Left Bank".
Council Meetings
For February 2021, please note these important dates:
Town Planning Committee Tuesday 2 February 2021.
Ordinary Council meeting, Tuesday 16 February 2021.
Annual General Meeting of Electors, Tuesday 24 February 2021.
To view the agendas for Council and committee meetings (once available) visit our website.
Please note that social distancing restrictions will be in place and the number of members of the public able to attend either meeting will be governed by State Government restrictions in force at that time. All efforts will be made to facilitate attendance within these guidelines, and all parties interested in attending are required to register their attendance by midday on the day of the meeting.
Park and Drive Safely Near Schools
As schools return on Monday 1 February 2021, it is a timely reminder to be mindful of parking and driving safely near our local schools. To assist, the Town of East Fremantle has issued a new Fact Sheet full of helpful advice. Here are some handy hints for parents...
PLEASE DO...
• Park further away and walk, or leave the car at home if possible
• Ask permission to park on someone’s verge
• Obey all street signs
• Use Kiss and Drive to drop off and pick up (vehicle cannot be left unattended or stay more than 2 minutes)
• Be courteous
PLEASE DON'T
• Block driveways or park/stop on footpaths or median strips
• Obstruct childrens' crossings
• Park/stop on verges without permission
• Park/stop within 10m of an intersection
• Park facing against the flow of traffic
• Double park or park illegally or along yellow lines.
We thank you for your patience and cooperation.
2019-20 Annual Report Now Available
The Town of East Fremantle's Annual Report for the 2019-20 financial year is now available.
The report details highlights from the year and explains how our residents' rates are invested to provide high quality services for our community.
A digital copy is now available for download, and printed copies can be made available upon request from our Town Hall.
Thanks for your input
Recently the Town called for expressions of interest for the lease of the Leeuwin Hall and Boat Shed located on Riverside Road, East Fremantle, and submissions concerning the Public Realm and Streetscape Style Guide. Thank you to those who made their views known. Council is now considering those applications and will advise on the outcome on these and other important initiatives soon.
New Mural Installed in Glasson Park
Local artist Jessee Lee Johns' design for the new mural in Glasson Park is now complete. The design features many of our Town's visual and iconic landmarks - visit Glasson Park to see how many you can recognise!
2021 Community Calendar Available Now
The 2021 Community Calendar, Streets of Your Town, now available FREE for residents to collect from the Town Hall at 135 Canning Highway or from the Fremantle Library.
Events in our Town
There's always lots happening here in East Freo. To ensure you don't miss any opportunities here in our vibrant community, keep an eye on our Events Calendar on our website. Got a local event you want to share with us, send an email to admin@eastfremantle.wa.gov.au
Containers For Change
Have you started collecting and cashing in containers? It's as easy as 1,2,3...
1. Collect eligible containers
Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard drink containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible.
2. Take them to a refund point
There are different types of refund points across Western Australia, so find the right one for you.
3. Earn your refund or donate.
A refund worth 10 cents for every eligible container you return which you can keep or donate.
Cash in your eligible drink containers for 10c at one of the 205 refund points across WA, including the City of Fremantle's new refund point located next to the Recycling Centre on Montreal Street.
Did you know that the Town partners with Act Belong Commit to access an amazing array of good mental health resources?
Head to the Act Belong Commit website for more information.
And remember, if you have a community activity idea, we can support you through the Community-Led Initiatives Program - visit our website for inspiration.
Join Vendor Marketplace
Local businesses are encouraged to sign up for VendorPanel Marketplace.
The Town of East Fremantle is supporting this new initiative by the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) to protect jobs and support economic recovery in our Town and throughout Perth and WA.
Using VendorPanel Marketplace, Town staff can prioritise local providers of goods and services so that East Fremantle businesses can quote on our projects and procurement processes.
How does it work?
VendorPanel Marketplace uses geolocation to easily identify local suppliers and issue invitations to quote. It is freefor suppliers and also provides businesses with a quote management tool.
C. Click on the link received to complete the business profile.
Once registered, the business profile will be visible to buyers searching in that category and region of service.
For registration help businesses can contact VendorPanel Support by email to support@vendorpanel.com.au.
Keep Cats Happy at Home
Keeping Cats ‘Happy at Home’ for Longer, Happier Lives While Protecting Native Wildlife. Cat owners in East Fremantle are encouraged to keep their cats ‘Happy at Home’, as this extends their average life expectancy from just three years to between 12 and 18 years, while helping preserve the 46 per cent of Australia’s threatened fauna that live in urban areas.
Residents are advised to exercise care when accessing the Swan River following the sighting of a bull shark in the stretch of the river near the Swan Yacht Club on Wednesday 27 January 2021.
