SOCKS ARE DOWN - Albany Advertiser 25/11/2010

The Weekender 25/11/2010

THE SOCKS ARE DOWN

IN a surprise move, the City of Albany mayor today (22/11/2010) ordered the removal of all socks.
from the Esplanade Hotel site fence.
Talks were held.
Work was held up.
The sock fence was not saved, but the socks were.
They will be held in storage.
Oh yes, more to come.
Here's a short VIDEO.

Sock bombs highlight kiln crisis

04/Nov/2010

By Kaitlyn Offer

Community Newspaper Group

The old kilns being socked

THE heritage-listed Old Bristile Kilns were sock-bombed last night in protest over the site's dilapidation.

An Urban Sock Bomber Collective spokesperson, who started the movement in Albany at a vacant Middleton Beach site where the Esplanade Hotel once stood, hung his colourful protest in the evening to catch the eye of motorists on their way home.

He said it was outrageous that such a historical site was left to ruin.

“How many people's lives have been touched by brick? They've lived in brick, been housed in brick, been hit by a brick,” he said.

“They've preserved parts of it and surrounded it with a barbed wire fence.”

The sock activist said he hoped people driving by would ask questions about the site and join the cause.

“I encourage all people out there with single socks at home to hang their lonely socks with these socks and show something needs to be done,” he said.

The Ascot site is not the only metropolitan historical icon to have received a socking.

After a trip to Albany, Chris Davenport was inspired to tell the owners of the Guildford Hotel how on the nose the ruins of the burnt of icon was.

She and her partner put a sock each on the hotel's fence and now the fence is covered in hundreds of used, once lonely, socks.

The Sock Revolution Continues

Hotel protest raises a stink: Midland Kalamunda Reporter

Sock it to ‘em... Chris Davenport started the campaign for Guildford residents to protest about the state of the Guildford Hotel. Picture: Matthew Poon Sock it to ‘em... Chris Davenport started the campaign for Guildford residents to protest about the state of the Guildford Hotel. Picture: Matthew Poon

31/Aug/2010

By Kaitlyn Offer, Midland-Kalamunda Reporter


FANS of the Guildford Hotel have started to show the owners of the landmark building how much they think the fire-damaged site stinks by tying old socks and pantyhose to the surrounding fence.

Guildford resident Chris Davenport was inspired to take the colourful and unusual action after a trip to Albany, where she saw a protest by the Urban Sock Bombers.

The group has put hundreds of socks on the fence of the former Esplanade Hotel site, which has been empty since it was demolished in January 2007.

Ms Davenport said she and her partner tied the first socks to the fence after the August 14 rally held adjacent to the Guildford Hotel in a bid to prompt action on the site.

“It was an opportunity to make a personal statement and instead of just a one-day event, it’s a measure of discontent for every car that drives by,” Ms Davenport said.

“This is the cornerstone of Guildford, it’s the focus point, and instead of being a jewel it’s a black eye and it’s a tragedy.”

Last Tuesday, there were more than 50 socks on the fence.

Ms Davenport called for more residents to sock it to the building’s owners.

The heritage-listed Guildford Hotel burnt down in September 2008.

Since then, residents have been vocal with their concerns over the safety and future of the building, using Freedom of Information laws to obtain a Heritage Council report, which said roof needed to be replaced.

However, the hotel’s part-owner Luke Martino said a private report found the building to be fine without a roof.

He said plans to rebuild had been hampered by the economic downturn.

Check this out

11/07/2010

Hon. Brendon John Grylls MLA

Level 9 East
Dumas House
2 Havelock Street
West Perth WA 6005

Dear Brendon,

This is an initial enquiry on behalf of many who live in the Great Southern and an even greater number who visit the Great Southern.

As you probably know, the Esplanade Hotel site is now up for sale. The asking price is $15,000,000.00. Given the owners purchased the block and building for around $10,000,000.00 and the only site improvements in the intervening four years have been the demolishing of the building and the installation of a public art project, now referred to as the “Sock Fence”.

What this means, Brendon, is that public art has arrived at a new benchmark in West Australia, for the “Sock Fence” appears to be worth $5,000,000.00

This is great news for those involved in public art.

Now, my particular group, The Urban Sock Bombers, who so far have been derided as a subversive, trouble making group,  wish to re-establish themselves as serious artists and play a more active and sensible role in the wider community.

It is due to this necessary change of attitude that we are writing to you to ascertain the possibility of a grant from your Royalties for Regions stock pile. Our budget would be as follows:

           

           

Purchase of block of Esplanade Hotel site land	$10,000.000.00
Purchase of public art – “Sock Fence”	$5,000,000.00
Re-installation of “Sock Fence” at new site	371.00
Building of contemporary hotel with accompanying residences for president and treasurer of Urban Sock Bombers collective	271,00,000.00
Total	$286,000,00.00

The re-installation of the “Sock Fence”  in a new location and the building of a major new, luxury hotel to house the many tourists who will inevitably flock to see such an amazing installation – a unique combination of public art and public protest - will enhance the ability of the region to flourish in this new millennium.

I am sure, Brendon, you, as a young, virile and energetic creative thinker, can see the merit of such a project.

We in the Urban Sock Bombers collective would be more than happy to oblige you with plenty of photo opportunities with a view to enhancing your own public profile and we fully intend maintaining a room at the inn for your constant pleasure.

Yours in community,

Urban Sock Bombers Collective