Is Fremantle Dying?

A question I have considered a number of times over the past few years and more frequently since having shopped there a few weeks prior to Christmas is the one above.  Is Fremantle Dying?  It certainly looked like it during my three recent visits. Unfortunately the photographs and editorial in this weeks, "Fremantle Herald" a local community newspaper confirmed my thinking.

The sad thing about its demise, besides seeing the slow deterioration turn into a cataclismic avalanche, is that the well meaning Fremantle Council seem unable to prevent it. What caused Freo's demise is probably a question that needs to be examined, but once answered left alone and more importantly solutions sought.  At present it is like a tooth with decay, it began small and unnoticeable, but as it took hold the decay became slowly visible and as the tooth blackened and disfigured it began to crumble.

I have lived in WA for over thirty years and when I first visited Fremantle I was impressed with its historical buildings and its old world charm.  Yes, the buildings were old but generally maintained, with one or two noticeable exceptions; it had its own fishing fleet and its harbour was the ocean gateway to WA. There was also a quirky feel about the place  Yes the hippy and alternative life stylers were welcome in this town that time had passed by.  No high rise buildings here, no jetsetters walked its streets, but plenty of difference to make is an interesting place to visit.

What happened next put Fremantle firmly on the world map.... Alan Bond's syndicate won the America's Cup. This historic win meant that Fremantle, the home of the Bond crew, would host this world yachting event.  Plasterers, builders and paintbrushes made an appearance; Fremantle received a complete makeover and suddenly the sleepy fishing harbour town awoke with a BANG.  The 'Cool' people had come to town.  

What followed was a decade of prosperity for the harbour city.  Fremantle prospered, it became the place to be seen.  The vibrant 'Cappaccino Strip' became famous and everyone liked to spend a Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon drinking coffee and soaking up the atmosphere.  So what happened, when and why did it lose its mojo?

Once vibrant and full of life.....Fremantle's Cappuccino Strip

I'm sure better people than I have long considered this question, but the one thing that sticks in my mind is a single large brick building wedged between Cantonement Street and Elder Place.  Its broken facade which has steadily decayed as the years have passed seems to me where the rot began.  From all accounts it is owned by a multimillionaire whose highrise development plans were thwarted by the council.  She, yes a lady, dug her heels in when her dreams were rejected and with true female venegeance has refused to do anything at all with the decaying building.  For the past 30 years this building has stood, a monument to Fremantle's refusal to move with the times. 

Elders Woolstores built 1917

Of couse one cannot deny there have been a number of successful lowrise developments around this large monolithic building, but still it remained, defaced and derelict at the very entrance to the port city. For some reason Council have been unable to solve this problem and so the building remains, a highly visible sign of decay, one that has spread throughout the city. According to recent news reports there are over 80 empty shops and the one and only large upmarket department store, Myers is closing its doors at the end of this month.

Another reason that may seem rather petty is parking.  Fremantle simply did not have enough to cope with the large influx of summer visitors that used to regularly invade the city and the cost of parking when found is often exhorbitant and worse still, the ever vigilant parking inspectors take no prisoners.  I know of many local people who will no longer go shopping in Fremantle simply because they have been fined for being 10 minutes over the limit.       

 After spending in excess of $200 no one likes to come back to a $60 fine.  These people now head to the ever popular shopping malls that do not charge for parking.

Solutions, well I am sure everyone has their own ideas, but here are a few suggestions I think may possibly bring back the people to what is essentially a delightful patch of West Australian history.

Firstly Fremantle Council has to decide what kind of persona it wants the whole City to inhabit and take steps to encourage businesses in that direction. At present plans appear to be piecemeal, e.g. the plan for redevelopment of the Myer's site. Where is the vision for the whole?

My vision is for a tourist haven; a slice of Western Australia, past and present, without leaving the Port City. Boutique shops full of West Australian arts and produce leading from the port into the city's main shopping and eating precincts. Short, reasonably priced historic tours aimed directly at overseas visitors. This capitalises on the thousands of visitors Fremantle currently receives through the flurry of passengers from cruise ships.Upgrading public facilities such as pavements, parks, beaches and public toilets, ensuring all are maintained and cleaned regularly. Encouraging new shops and businesses into the area by giving reduced rates for the first 1 - 2 years of trading, thus providing an incentive to stay and build their businesses, instead of relying on instant profits. Pop-up shops are all very well, but they do not spell stabiltiy or long term success.

Encourage more locals to  revisit the port city by allowing free parking during specified week days. This would enable the shopper to spend time perusing and buying from other shops and businesses before undertaking the weekly shop. Whilst continuing to promote special events such as the Blues and Roots Festival, the new Winter Festival and the Fremantle Arts Centre Sunday music afternoons other such events should be actively sought. The iconic Fremantle Markets ( Est.1897) has long been a weekend drawcard to the city as have the buskers that can be found outside giving free perfomances, but it is probably time for a good hard look at the venue and some much needed remodelling carried out.

 It is also important that locals and visitors alike feel safe in Fremantle after what is now the witching hour of 9.00pm. Not late by anyone's standards, but most I speak to do not like staying in the city after that because of the unsavoury behaviour of a few. Finally consider adopting Mark McGowan's excellent suggestion for a beach side swimming pool which ever party wins the upcoming election. It would be great if Fremantle was the first to build one of these much needed pools along this stretch of coast. 

Fremantle is a beautiful city, full of character and West Austalian history.  It seems a total deriliction of duty for those in control of its future to let it die this slow and painful death.  Where is the vision?

Post Script....

I did find an article dated 26.7.11 printed in the West Australian outlining some ideas for Fremantle.  Unfortunately it appears a number of them have already been scuttled.