Perth Residents Petition Against Plans For Wave Pool

At the beginning of this year we reported on Australia’s plans to construct no fewer than three wave pools in their already surf rich nation, including one in Perth, WA. However, in an increasingly common occurrence for wave pool projects around the world, it seems to have hit a bump in the road.

Earlier this week it was reported by the Melville times that 3000 residents of the suburb where the project is proposed have signed a pair of petitions calling not only for the government to repeal the ground lease, but also for an investigation into the councillors backing the proposal.

A spokesperson of The Alfred Cove Action Group, who were behind the petitions, stated that The Wave Park Group project should never have been granted the 30-year ground lease in the first place and that Melville council had “routinely ignored substantial opposition”.

Their main points of contention are the disturbance construction would cause to the local wildlife, and the relocation of the bowling green, which is part of a number of currently operational sport tracks and courts on the earmarked land.

The only solution is for the region’s best surfers and bowlers to face off against one another, first on the green and then in the brine

In addition to these concerns, the spokesperson for ACAG also stated that ‘there was also the matter of a senior city officer owning shares in the proponent’s company from the outset.’ However The Public Sector Commission reportedly assessed information around these allegations of misconduct and conflict of interest, and concluded that, since the relevant party had declared his shares, it had all been appropriately managed.

The only suitable way to resolve the issue is a biathlon grudge match of sorts, where the region’s best surfers and bowlers face off against one another, first on the green and then in the brine. Whoever rains victorious would then be award the land for their past time.

My guess is that Jack Robbo is more likely to get his ball nestled right up to the jack, than Ross Dennis is to be able to take off under the lip at the Box, but I could be very very wrong.