I Remember When with Milton Rendell

Do you remember when each winter the Swan River always flooded like it did recently?

It was funny chatting with a few people and how amazed they were that the river had risen so far.

It made me laugh as we were used to seeing it like that every year and for those of you who went to Govo you may remember you could clearly see the flooded vines across in Caversham from your classroom in the old science block.

I went down to see the Westie (Woodbridge Riverside Park) when it was flooded as well recently and it was interesting to see cars parked everywhere with many checking it out – that used to be our norm forty years ago.

Local footy has started and great to see the Swans start with a win against their old rivals the Demons (Perth).

The standard was excellent and was a good close encounter.

I was having a chat with a couple of old mates at the footy and we talked about how we used to go to Ezy Walkin’s in Helena Street to buy our boots each year.

You had to buy new boots every year because as a kid you are growing and also playing juniors for Guildford, after playing on the old wreck (Meadow Oval) as we called it then your boots didn’t last very long with the all the mud.

The oval had two playing surfaces, hard as concrete or sink in mud there was no in between.

I drove down the oval not long ago and it looks very empty now with the change rooms and toilets gone.

As kids we used to swim between the jetties, now also gone.

It is a beautiful spot but the character seems to be lost a bit without the jetties.

While at the footy, apart from barracking for our mighty ducks, I usually chat with the boys about the old days as most guys do.

And the topic came up of where is the centre or heart of Midland today?

Each of us grew up believing it was around Helena Street where the action was but also the junction of Great Northern and Great Eastern which is located near the train station with the town clock being the landmark.

Each of us reflected on how it appeared that there seems to be no true heart as we saw it today.

Although there is central shopping with the oval now non-functional, there seems to be a divide with no true flow through the old heart of Midland.

Amazing what you chat about half time at the footy.

If you have any memories like mine, email memories@realestateplus.com.au

– Milton Rendell, chief executive officer