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Vale Park

Vale Park was proposed in 1939 as the name of what was left after the "Skinner Street" Cemetery was closed—but never came into existence. It's of interest to me because I've always thought that the Cemetery should have been called Vale Road Cemetery. Skinner Street was intended to run along the bottom (west) of the cemetery but it was never made. Vale Road, on the other hand, (still) runs right along the whole north side of the cemetery site. And "vale" is Latin for "farewell".

West Australian, Tuesday 7 February 1939, p. 9:
NAMELESS PARK.
In the agenda submitted to the Fremantle City Council last night an area upon which, according to a report submitted, debris from old buildings had been deposited, appeared as "Vale Park (late Skinner-street cemetery)." Councillors wanted to know whether this name had been adopted and learnt that it had not. Several members considered that the public should be invited to submit names. Cr. Stevens then moved that the name "Vale Park" be adopted. "I would suggest that it be made something like a park before we name it one," said the Mayor (Mr. F. E. Gibson). Leaving the land unnamed, the council decided to ask the works committee to level the debris under discussion.

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Garry Gillard | New: 12 April, 2023 | Now: 24 April, 2024