Shelley: The dividing fence no one can explain

AT Shelley Beach Park, the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side. So why the dividing fence?

It’s the question that dog walkers and other users of the park have long pondered.

The seemingly-unnecessary wooden park fencing runs right through the dog exercise section of the park, from Watersby Crescent to the beachside footpath.

Daily park visitor Richard Aldridge, who moved to Shelley about six years ago, has voiced his belief that the ageing fence posts should be removed altogether.

He believes the dog exercise area could be the best in Perth if a small amount of money was spent on improvements like a small shelter, drinking taps for dogs, greener grass and an extra dog bag dispenser.

When Mr Aldridge brought his ideas for improvement to the recent Canning City Council meeting, no one in authority was able to explain the dividing fence – but an assurance was given that it would be looked into.

“I used to let me kids climb across the fence when they were younger but it’s got very old and you can see the splinters now,” Mr Aldridge said.

His best guess was that the fence was installed many years ago to keep cars away from the nearby point, which was once more mud flats than grass.

However the area was redeveloped as a grass extension many years ago and there was enough room for cars to get into the zone at the footpath, he said, rendering that theory no longer relevant.

Removing the fence would also make life easier for the council’s gardeners, who have to manoeuvre ride-on mowers around the posts and whipper-snipper grass around the base of each pole.