‘Woolies’ skate ledge off life support

‘Woolies’, the well-known skate ledge that is part of the Elders Wool Stores façade on Cantonment Street, Fremantle, and whose continued existence has been under threat, as we have recently reported , will remain a part of the proposed redevelopment plans for the heritage-listed site.

The concept for the redevelopment will be unveiled in the next few months as part of the Development Application submission to the City of Fremantle by Human-Urban – H-U.

H-U is the new entity that is undertaking the inner urban and heritage development projects previously badged under Hesperia. The Directors of H-U involved in the redevelopment of the Elders Wool Stores are the same individuals involved with Hesperia.

H-U says it has confirmed with the local skating community that, barring any
significant structural or compliance issues, it will retain a notable portion of the skate ledge.

H-U believes that ‘despite the age and heavily jeopardised condition of the buildings, with an inventive project team experienced in working with heritage buildings, the existing structures can be largely retained.’

H-U has also identified the critical need for all adjoining property owners, the City of Fremantle and the Public Transport Authority (PTA) to come together to create meaningful community including civic infrastructure upgrades of Cantonment Street and Elder Street, supporting the connection of this precinct to the greater Fremantle community.

H-U Director Kyle Jeavons said that the team took on the Elders Wool Stores project because
they are great supporters of repurposing existing buildings and have a deep passion for
Fremantle’s heritage and culture.

“This warehouse embodies Fremantle’s rich culture over many generations for many different
groups in our local community, including of course the skateboarding community,” he said.

Fremantle Shipping News understands that as part of the redevelopment, H-U will need to reinstate all former access points on Cantonment Street to ensure all-abilities access to the building, refurbish the deteriorating façade, and enable the installation of services and infrastructure to support its new life.

Kyle Jeavons said the H-U team will continue to work through these practical and regulatory issues with the WA Skateboarding Association and the City of Fremantle.

“We would like to thank everyone who reached out to us in recent times while we have been
considering the best future options for Elders Wool Stores. We now look forward to connecting
with the broader Fremantle community as we explain our exciting plans for this project. We
want the next iteration of the Elders Wool Stores to be one that we and the whole Fremantle
community are proud of”, Mr Jeavons said.

On behalf of the West Australian Skateboarding Association, Zach Tilghman told the Shipping News that WASA appreciated the change in the developer’s sentiment in relation to the irreplaceable value that the skateboarders’ history and culture have and will continue to add to the space. Mr Tilghman said “Such inclusion in an urban redevelopment will be a first in Australia and an amazing opportunity for Fremantle”.

In the coming months, WASA hopes to work collaboratively with H-U to inform their design choices on the Cantonment Street façade. WASA has yet to sit down H-U to collaborate towards a design, and are hoping to continue to advocate towards the best possible outcome for its community during that process.

Mr Tilghman also thanked everyone who has supported the skateboarders this far, noting there is still a lot of work to do to ensure the best outcome for all involved.

Watch this space.

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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