Bayswater Councillor Catherine Ehrhardt and business owner Leo Flavel are behind a clean-up initiative in Maylands.
Camera IconBayswater Councillor Catherine Ehrhardt and business owner Leo Flavel are behind a clean-up initiative in Maylands. Credit: Supplied/Will Russell        www.communitypix.com.au d467597

Maylands residents sick of dirty suburb vow to ‘clean up the streets’

Toyah ShakespeareEastern Reporter

Studio 281 owner Leo Flavel has created the ‘busy bee’ event to clean up Eighth Avenue’s “ghetto ambience”, which includes damaged footpaths, litter, scattered cigarette butts, run-down buildings and shopfronts covered in dirt.

“We need to stop talking and do something about this. There’s a connection between keeping the place tidy and the reduction in the amount of riff-raff,” he said.

Mr Flavel said the “last straw” was when a man died after being involved in a fight on Eighth Avenue on March 24.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

MORE: Bentley mum crowned Earth Australia Ambassador

MORE: Travelling Snack Restaurant proving a success for young chef

MORE: City of Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi refuses to quit, issues challenge to Premier

“Maylands went through its boom in the last 10 years; people are now resting on their laurels,” he said.

Bayswater Councillor Catherine Ehrhardt said the City of Bayswater had a responsibility to clean the street but landowners also had to take ownership of their verges and shopfronts.

“Maylands has grit and identity but we also want people to feel safe,” she said.

Cr Ehrhardt said there were also issues with maintenance of private car-|parks along Eighth Avenue.

Mayor Barry McKenna said each morning the Whatley Crescent and Eighth Avenue shopping precinct footpaths and roadways were swept, as well as the Guildford Road footpath between Seventh and Ninth avenues. The area is high-pressure cleaned three times a year.

“The town centre is a mix of public and privately owned land and the only way we are going to make the town centre outstanding is to work together,” he said.

“The busy bee is a strong initiative that directly relates to crime prevention.

“We know that beautification of town centres is a central element of crime prevention through environmental design.”

Cr McKenna said the City now had place managers directly focusing on the improvement and beautification of the town centres.

He said following feedback from the community the resurfacing and line-marking of the Eighth Avenue retail strip has been prioritised as part of Council’s 2017-18 budget process.

In the lead-up to the election, Maylands MLA Lisa Baker promised a Labor government would provide $140,000 to the City to implement recommendations in the Crime Reduction through Environmental Design report released last year. This would include public toilets in Maylands, CCTV and better lighting in areas where crime and anti-social behaviour have been a problem.