Wilson Residents and Ratepayers Association

Kent Street Weir Precinct Position Paper

As at 8^th June 2020

The Wilson Residents and Ratepayers Association (WRRA) presents an updated position paper for the future of the Kent Street Weir Precinct (KSWP).

WRRA supports the priorities and responsibilities to:

• The residents of Wilson.
• The environment and environmental education.
• Passive recreation.

KSWP aspects covered in this paper include:

• Physical appearance of the precinct entry.
• Underground Power
• Car Parking
• Children’s Playgrounds and BMX Track
• Buildings and Fences 
• Noise issues and utilisation of facilities.

WRRA Supports the City of Canning having a development plan for the Kent Street Weir Precinct. WRRA supports the Kent Street Weir being an area where people can enjoy family events and be involved in passive recreation as has been the situation for many decades. 

WRRA represents the interests of the residents of the Kent Street Weir precinct and reflect that the current plan, if fully implanted, will result in the quality of lifestyle for residents being diminished and impact on the environment.

An additional purpose of paper is to seek a revision of the City of Canning KSWP Master Plan to improve presentation of the park landscape and significantly reduce the bitumen areas.

     

Aesthetics of the KSWP

There has been significant improvement with the landscaping of the grassed area along the river in the last decade.

Significant improvement is also required for the entry to the precinct from Kent Street and some minor improvements along Queens Park Road.

The Kent Street access should be enhanced by:

• Utilising reticulation to ‘green’ the area in a similar manner as the Riverton and Rossmoyne foreshores, the new landscaping at the entrance to the City of Canning Works Depot in Fleming Street  and many parks throughout the City of Canning.
• Add trees and shrubs to the area, but not in the same density as Queens Park Road.
• Provide intermittent access, including seating, to view the Wilson Lake. This will also provide a fire break.    
• Remove the bike track and use the road base with mesh to allow grass growth to be used for overflow parking. There should be no permanent bitumen overflow car park as this will not only detract from the environmental nature of the area but will also increase the heat of the area.           

The park entry is impacted by the aged buildings. This space should be used for children’s adventure playground, and the toilet be relocated. 

 

Underground Power

The City of Canning have made at least two applications to the WA Government for underground power in the East Wilson zone, which missed out when West Wilson was converted to underground power nearly ten years ago.        

WRRA has previously presented a petition to the City of Canning from local residents supporting the underground power project.

For the reasons of road safety, reliability of power supply and aesthetics WRRA requests the City of Canning to continue to apply for Underground power for the East Wilson zone.   

Parking and traffic flow.

Currently the KSWP has significant traffic issues:

• Castledare Train - Third Sunday of the month when
• Parkrun – Saturday mornings
• And a handful of other major annual events

When the grassed area off Kent Street is open there is more than sufficient parking. However there is significant traffic flow problems. Access to the park from Kent Street and via Queens Park Road is insufficient for current traffic and could not handle an increase of activities in the future.       

Car parks detract from the residential and environmental objectives. They are liable to have increased use by:

• Being utilised by local car retailers for test driving.
• Use by professional driving schools.
• Car test driving after servicing by motor mechanics.
• Hoon drivers.
• Heavy and noisier vehicles, more suited to industrial and major retail areas.

Larger car parks conflict with the concept of a park with a major environment focus.

The planned round-about is too close to the house on the corner of Kent Street and Queens Park Road and the design seems to show that it is located where a power pole now stands.

WRRA asks that the traffic flow and car park design be given considerably more thought to promote safer driving in the area, the cars more distributed through the park and provide easier access to facilities for the infirm, families with young children and consideration to the local residents. 

To reduce the impact of car parks WRRA seeks that the plan:

• That there be no additional bitumen car parks in the precinct, but allow for an overflow carpark where the bike track is currently located by using the bike track’s road base and enhanced with mesh, which will allow for a grass coverage.
• Additional small car park be constructed within easy walking distance for disabled access to Castledare Miniature Rail Station and BBQs.
• Verge parking be constructed along the park side of Queens Park Road together with Kent Street.

Passive Recreation

WRRA does not support or see that the Kent Street Weir Precinct can sustain organised recreational events or high activity recreation without significantly compromising the priority and responsibility to residents, the environment and passive recreation areas. Allocating facilities to high activity recreation will further change the character and nature of riverside tranquillity and detract from the natural environment features.

Given this there is still feeling by members of WRRA that the plans are too great a magnitude too be sustained in such a relatively fragile river and residential area.   

Impact of Noise

In recent years, with a few of exceptions, the City of Canning has supported residents with ensuring that events held in the park have no noise impact. When the City of Canning built the Eco-Education Centre, including the Café there was any undertaking that it was not intended for social activities. WRRA supports the City of Canning with ensuring that there is no impact of noise from events.

WRRA understands that heavy vehicles have access to the park for maintenance and deliveries. In the spirit of recognising the residential nature of the park, that such vehicles be restricted from entering the park from 7.00am to 4.00pm on weekdays.

Since the addition of the dog area there has been a significant impact to noise levels caused by dogs, more owners allowing dogs off leashes and dogs tangling with walkers and bike riders on dual use parks. WRRA wishes to work with the City of Canning to reduce the impact of noise by dogs to levels that existed before the dog area was created.    

Reconstructed BMX Track

WRRA asks that the BMX track be removed to relocate the car park fronting Kent Street, thus enabling a more attractive landscape for the approach to the Kent Street Weir Precinct.

The current BMX track has been an expensive project for the City of Canning, considering the limited use. Initially costing $20,000 and maintenance reportedly $15,000 a year at least $300,000 has been spent on the BMX track.

It is extremely rare to have a skilled rider using the bike track as it was designed for. When it is used it is usually by parents with early primary aged children starting at the top of the ramp and travelling down the slope.

Owners of remote-controlled motor vehicles use the track, creating noise and throwing up fine blue metal dust which is blown over the houses on Kent Street or the Wilson lake area.

WRRA recommends that a bike track of a significantly reduced scale be constructed for children as part of the playground facility.

Fitness Equipment

The size of and proposed location of the fitness equipment should be reassessed, and the equipment relocated to a number of locations distributed along the route of the existing dual use path, running parallel to Queens Park Road and Kent Street.

Pathways

WRRA strongly supports the proposed path connecting the rail station, through the Canning River Regional Park lands, with the dual use path in Fern Rd.

Canoe Activities

WRRA believes that there is an excessive emphasis on providing vehicle access for canoe set down and pick up.

The rail station car park would be a better option for Canoe set down use in lieu of the paved car access loop which occupies a major portion of the pedestrian passage way that provides access from both car parks to:

• The rail station.
• The designated BBQ / picnic area.
• The weir. And,
• Junior playground.

If canoe activities are allowed in this area, demand will grow over time as the number of weekend canoeists requiring access to the care between the proposed set down and launch facilities on both sides of the weir creating a potential hazard with vehicles and pedestrians. Canoeing happens all year round, but the hazard will be escalated on weekends where canoe clubs are having competitions.

Seating

There should be adequate seating provided at areas including the adventure children’s play area, fitness stations and other features to for the frail, parents with strollers and those requiring a rest or appreciating the tranquillity of the park.

Conclusion

WRRA wishes to continue working with the City of Canning to modify the current Kent Street Weir Master Plan, considering the needs of nearby residents, the environment and passive recreation users.

WRRA understands that the plan is a substantial concept plan element are open to re-design in the construction or installation phase. Given this WRRA is keen that significant features such as parking and traffic flow are altered on the plan and the BMX bike track is deleted in its current form. This will convey a clear statement of need for those intrusted with the future management of the plan.

WRRA welcomes the opportunity to further discuss the issues raised in this discussion Paper at the AGM and our regular committee meetings.