ALBANY
West Australia
January 2010
FOR over three years owners and developers of the old Esplanade Hotel site on prime real estate patch, Middleton Beach, have promised to build a brand new luxurious complex.
So far?
Nothing.
The future?
Nothing.
The permission to build has lapsed and there are no plans before the City Council.
This means, nothing.
A small, but tireless group, referring to themselves as the Urban Sock Bombers, USB, have taken to the perimeter fence with glee.
And socks.
And what a difference it makes.
Already one bus loaded with bemused tourists has been seen to stop and set free its inhabitants, who then proceeded to clamour, click, click and click.
Head USB, who wished to remain nameless due to fear of an avalanche of sock-bomb site offers, said that it all began as a public art project.
"Our intention was to say, through the sock display, 'This site stinks'.
"It has now taken on a life of its own and it is my firm belief that it could become a tourist attraction and have an economic impact on the town."
As the sock wall grows, others have begun adding peripheral items to the wall. The USB chief asked that these folk create their walls on other fence panels.
"We want to maintain the integrity of the sock," he said. "If they want to put other items up on our side of the fence, they should bugger off, or put a sock on it."
It will come as no surprise to many observers of political movements that, even at this early stage of the urban guerrilla campaign, there are already ructions and splinter groups are forming.
8 comments:
If you want a new pub then buy a block and build one... Criticising this is akin to me protesting about a hippie sitting in a tree smoking weed, except that is illegal. Everyone is free to make their own decisions and if you own the land then you can do what you want with it (within the law). If you don't like the law then contact your local politician and set about changing it (within reason).
What are you serious? It's a great idea and uniquely Albany. Love the concept. So what it might not get a developer interested, but it will get the locals and visits alike interested.
Just like the stuff toys nailed to trees on the road between Kalgoorlie and Kambalda (50kms). No one seems to know why it was started or did start it, but every now and again a new stuff toy is nailed or tied to a tree on the Kalgoorlie/Kambalda road.
You go for it Albz, hang ya socks on the fence, and kindly put one on for me. (-:
They knocked down a perfectly good hotel and left this mess, at least the socks are worth looking at. The developers should have had something happening by now and the land should never have been sold without the promise of a building within a reasonable amount of time. Its a disgrace that this has been allowed to happen in the first place
Hey there, Im in the albany fb group, get a metal detector run it over the site and find all the old coins........
Trouble is, mr 'no name left' is that no one knows WHO it belongs to. A very shonky deal was done and what we've been left with is long term.
This is a statement. Not illegal, not dangerous, perhaps a little unhealthy if socks aren't washed first, but that's the worst!
The old hotel was poorly designed and was running at a loss hence its sale and subsiquent demolition.
The new owners have every right to leave the land vacant as long as they want just like you can leave your vacant suburban lot vacant for as long as you want.
Watch the space as in the near future it is highly likley that the site will be put on the open market for sale.Hopefully another party may have the capacity and vision to create somthing worthy of this great site,if they can get the finance.
I think it is fantastic! What a great idea.
As someone noted, the deal that was done was very shonky and now one of Albany's best pub/dining spots has been left vacant. It is disgusting and the council should be ashamed at the deals that were done. If nothing else it is good that locals can vent some of their frustrations by putting up a sock!
This entire incident is a disgrace. If you ask me, Paul Terry's hotel was tasteful and entirely in keeping with Albany's modesty and heritage
What concerns me is that this obviously corrupt consortium are trying to railroad the council into allowing them to build multi-story apartments
It happened recently in Mandurah, where good old Ralph Sarich let a block rot in the centre of town, now there's about 17+ stories of atrociousness smack bang in the middle of the pub district
I say we're better off saying NO to any kind of development unless it is becoming to Middleton Beach.
By the way, did anybody notice that two Norfolk Island Pines have been cut down? Guess where...
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