Hyde Park Fair - As It Should Be

Away from the stresses of local government forced amalgamations, it has been a real joy to see the Hyde Park Fair back to what it should be this year. Not so long ago, the Fair had descended in to commercialism, but this year there was a great community feel about it. Thanks to all at the North Perth Rotary Club.

The atmosphere was no doubt helped by the fact that, for the first time in years, there was actually a reasonable amount of water in the lakes - and this despite record-low summer rainfall.
Congratulations to the City of Vincent for the vast improvement. A cooling breeze across the park worked well, too, but I wouldn't give Vincent the credit for that.

The layout of the Fair also contributed, as most stalls were set out around the lake and on only the lakeside of the path. This made it much easier to walk around, as there was less need for people to cross the path, and it also had a much more open feel to it.

Well done to the parents of Perth College who ran a secondhand bookstall with all proceeds going to the Sunshine House Orphanage in Cambodia. With good quality books at just one dollar, my resolve not to put even more pressure on my already-groaning bookshelves was overcome.

Also good to see the Greens there - apparently the only party that sees community events such as this as a worthwhile way of relating to the community. I had a long chat with Robin Chapple, MLC for the Mining and Pastoral Region. Local government is one of Robin's policy areas and he assured me that the Greens were not at all happy with the government's approach to local government amalgamations - and that cracks were appearing in the government ranks - but that no one was willing to cross the floor and vote against the Local Government Amendment Bill - beats me how you can speak against a Bill and then vote for it.