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The West Live: Prominent Perth lawyer and Cottesloe local John Hammond slams skate park debate as ‘disgraceful’

Headshot of Caitlyn Rintoul
Caitlyn RintoulThe West Australian
Grant-Marine Park, Cottesloe which is the site of the proposed skate park.
Camera IconGrant-Marine Park, Cottesloe which is the site of the proposed skate park. Credit: Iain Gillespie/The West Australian

Prominent Perth Lawyer and Cottesloe local John Hammond has described a dispute over a proposed skate park as "elitist, embarrassing and disgraceful" after a bizarre letter drop by the plan's opposition claiming local residents are “smarter”.

Speaking to The West Live host Jenna Clarke, the former chairman of the Cottesloe Residents and Ratepayers Association said he was baffled by the actions of the residents opposed to the plan and it was clear the suburb needed “fresh blood”.

The two-page letter, which residents found in their mailboxes yesterday, urged residents to reject the $700,000 skate park planned for Grant Marine Park.

It also appeared to claim that Cottesloe did not have a skate park because its residents and local “premium” schools are smarter than those in nearby suburbs.

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It comes after multiple signs criticising the proposal were erected at the site at the weekend. The signs claimed a skate park would lead to increased anti-social activity in the area.

“The circular that was sent out to residents I believe was elitist and just nonsense,” he said.

“I was appalled to read that someone had sent out a circular saying that Cottesloe people are more educated than people in Fremantle and Scarborough.

“No wonder the person who wrote it didn't put their name at the bottom.

“I'm just ashamed to see such a circular [had been] distributed in Western Australia and it does open us up to [WA Premier] Mark McGowan saying ‘look at this suburb, what a joke’.

It's just appalling that that type of literature is being sent out to residents. I can't believe it. I would have sent fire to it immediately.

“Just appalling… that someone would write that. I think we do need more fresh blood.

“The person who wrote that, or the group that wrote it, if they really believe what they say they should identify themselves and be prepared to speak [publicly].

“It's just appalling that that type of literature is being sent out to residents. I can't believe it.”

John Hammond.
Camera IconJohn Hammond. Credit: Simon Santi/The West Australian

Despite living in the Golden Triangle postcode, Mr Hammond said he didn’t receive one of the letters in his mailbox.

“I'm glad I didn't. I would have sent fire to it immediately,” he said.

Under the heading “how smart are we”, the letter said census results showed that 54 per cent of Cottesloe residents had achieved a higher education degree or doctorate.

Mr Hammond said while he understood some residents may be opposed to the plan he said their opposition shouldn’t be on those grounds.

He too questioned whether the suburb needed a skate park, claiming there was already an “enormous range of facilities” and other suburbs would likely benefit more.

“Skate parks are a good idea [but] where a skate park would go I don't really know,” he said.

Mr Hammond said he was making personal inquiries into who wrote the letter.

“They think they're a cut above because they live in that suburb - they’re not a cut above. We're just like everyone else,” he said.

He said while there was no legal ramification to the distributed letter there were social consequences, claiming there would be "scorn upon Cottesloe".

Mr Hammond also slammed opposition to installing Beach Emergency Number (BEN) signs along the coast because they weren't aesthetically pleasing enough.

BEN signs are a coding system designed to improve emergency incident response times of locating the closest beach access points.

He questioned why the live-saving signs couldn't be installed along the coast when Rottnest Island tourism signage was littered across the golf course.

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