Helena St rat run concerns
Dear Echo News,
The City of Swan’s attempt at controlling rat-runners on Helena Street in Guildford is likely to go down as one of the quickest fails in the annals of transportation.
City of Swan is trying to reduce excessive traffic on the neighbourhood street due to people avoiding Great Eastern Highway through Guildford (I counted 21 cars in less than five minutes the other arvo).
The street is being narrowed in a zig-zag fashion, alternating every 50m, with a concrete kerb to a width that barely allows two cars to pass - this is supposed to be a traffic calming structure!
Do the designers (can’t call them engineers!) know that there are two schools on this street?
Do they know that many children from South Guildford use this as their means to ride their bikes to school?
Has anyone thought about how zig-zagging drivers in a rush (why else would they take this route?) will respond to these “minor” obstacles in their path?
Funny, but the adjacent LGA, Kalamunda, has done a remarkably good job with devices on Zig-Zag Road; why doesn’t Swan copy their success rather than insisting on creating a bigger problem?
There are already reports of monster trucks ignoring the kerb; how long will it be before they are ignoring the children?
Dr R Ilchik
South Guildford
--------------------------------------------------------------------Decision needed for hospital
Dear Echo News,
Now that the multi-million-dollar Helena Bridge debate has concluded, hopefully the responsible parties can move their focus to the topic of the old Swan Districts Hospital and make a decision of its future.
I, like many that I speak with, would like to see some kind of medical facility or aged care.
B Bates
Millendon
--------------------------------------------------------------------Mandate to protect our trees
Dear Echo News,
A development in Kalamunda is proceeding in earnest, with significant earthworks to come, on the site where a Marri tree, with an estimated age of over 400 years stands.
The arborist report (that references AS4970-2009) accompanying the development application asserts that with the planned preparation and measures, they have a high degree of confidence that the overall health of the tree can be improved.
But demonstrated evidence of how this conclusion has been reached is lacking.
Residents have been watching on in horror as works commenced and the fencing, designed to protect the roots of the tree from damage, appeared to be positioned just 1m from one side of the trunk.
A developer should not be able to rely on the retention of trees in order to demonstrate the environmental credentials of a project - whilst simultaneously planning for development works that pose a significant risk to long term viability.
The city and state planning authority should be mandating the application of the updated Australian standard (AS4970-2025) for all developments - to maximise the chance of successful tree retentions.
With Perth having the lowest canopy of any capital city - surely we should be ensuring absolute best practice when it comes to protecting trees on development sites - especially with regards to trees of this vintage and value.
Hannah Lill
Kalamunda Tree Canopy Advocates
--------------------------------------------------------------------Homeless are not a statistic
Dear Echo News,
Homelessness Week (August 3-9) reminds us homelessness is not just a statistic.
Behind every number is a person, a family and a story.
Every day, Mission Australia works alongside people navigating the uncertainty of not having a safe place to call home.
We see the strength and resilience of families, young people and older Australians facing incredibly difficult circumstances, but we also see the life-changing difference a safe home and the right support can make.
A home is more than a roof over someone’s head.
It provides safety, stability and the foundation people need to work, study, care for their families and build a better future. Yet for too many Australians, that foundation is slipping further out of reach.
The 2021 Census recorded more than 122,000 people experiencing homelessness, and with rising rents, housing shortages and cost-of-living pressures, we know that number is likely to be even higher today.
The good news is homelessness is preventable.
At Mission Australia, 98 per cent of people supported through our tenancy services remained in their homes or avoided homelessness altogether. We know early intervention works.
But we cannot end homelessness without tackling its root causes.
Australia urgently needs more social and affordable housing, stronger investment in homelessness prevention through a $500 million Homelessness Prevention Transformation Fund, and income support that reflects the real cost of living.
Homelessness is not inevitable; we know what works.
This Homelessness Week, governments, communities and all Australians must turn that knowledge into action so everyone has the safety and dignity of a place to call home.
Sue Budalich
Mission Australia
