Working in the heart of the capital, City of Perth CEO Michelle Reynolds sees the city from many perspectives — as a workplace, a community and a place people come together to enjoy life.
Outside of the office, Michelle is also a mum and the owner of a lively cavoodle, Buddy, giving her another lens on the city’s 11 inner city parks, six distinct neighbourhoods and everyday moments that shape life in Perth.
In this edition, she shares a few reflections on the city and the qualities that make it such a special place to call home.
Working in the heart of Perth, do you have a favourite coffee spot in the CBD?
The City of Perth has consistently good coffee wherever you go, but for me Telegram at the beautifully restored State Buildings is one of the best. Not only does it serve brilliant coffee but the team, led by experienced barista Luke Arnold, offer service plus plus.
At Committee for Perth we love to bond over dog-talk. Do you and your cavoodle, Buddy, have a favourite dog beach or park?
Buddy has failed two puppy training courses (or maybe that was me!). We love to walk around Lake Claremont which feels like an oasis in the middle of a busy suburb. I have volunteered as a Friend of Lake Claremont and have witnessed firsthand the value of mass planting and how this has contributed to conservation of wetland and wildlife on the lake.
If you had a free (midweek) day in Perth tomorrow, how would you spend it?
The City has six neighbourhoods, each with its own community group. We work closely with these groups and really value their input and passion for their local areas. So to start, I would join the walking group that takes off from Claisebrook Cove most mornings.
This would be followed by a coffee at City Farm. Then I might catch the CAT bus and head up to Kings Park – if you are looking for a unique gift this is the place to see Australian and Western Australian artisans’ work. Watching people running up and down Mount Street, impressive!
Then into the CBD for a wander around the shops, to Northbridge to admire ECU and off for a great lunch of the best value comfort food you can find at Citiplace Community Centre at the Perth Central Train Station – Bonny and her team do breakfast and lunch for $8.50, for a meal like your Nana made!
And then time to explore our amazing cultural icons and tagging along with free walking tours run by our iCity volunteers (what they don’t know about our city is not worth knowing). Failing that, if you want a laidback adventure, Peddle Perth is also a fabulous way of seeing our city. And to finish off the day, I’d visit one of our many small bars for a cheeky red wine.
Many young West Australians head interstate for study or work, what do you hope brings them back to Perth later in life?
This is very topical for me as my daughter has just moved to Victoria for an internship. I am excited for her but equally hope this is only for a short while. You see this all the time, people may leave for work but they return. I am truly grateful to live in Western Australia, and although we can’t ”merge” out there on the road, we have amazing weather, brilliant parks and amenities, we have space and fresh air, and people who still greet each other out on the street. So lifestyle (and family) will bring her back!
How has your relationship with Perth changed over the years — from when you first started your career to leading the city today?
For most of my career I have worked in the CBD, apart from a couple of years on Rottnest/Wadjemup. When I first started working, some of the senior staffers I worked with would pop across to the Palace and were not to be seen for the rest of the afternoon. Those days are gone but I now notice city workers heading to inner city venues and boutique laneway bars to catch up after work.
Something I now pay much more attention to is our City parks – we have 11 in the inner city and many have trees over 150 years old. These parks are oases in the middle of the City and I love seeing people come to sit on the grass and enjoy their lunch or catch up with friends. I love that our City is a place that brings people together to enjoy company – and its only getting better at catering for leisure and recreation.
If someone arrived in Perth for the first time in 2050, what would you hope they feel about the city?
There are lots of plans coming together to guide how Perth will grow, including our own Draft Perth Capital City Plan which is out for comment. But mostly, I believe the soul of our City is our people.
Our City needs to grow through diversity of housing options that allow people to live close to where they work, with amenity that keeps pace with the times. If we focus on the liveability and desirability of our city centre, our visitors will feel they are stepping into a city that is cared for and feels lived in, welcoming and full of possibility.
We’re so fortunate to live in a capital city surrounded by space, nature and fresh air, on land steeped in Whadjuk Noongar culture, and it’s up to us to celebrate and sustain those things into the future.