Today I came home from shopping, in a taxi. The nice, friendly driver told me firmly that Edwardstown had no history to it. That Edwardstown was simply a place of industrial buildings and public housing. He said that that Unley was a lovely place with beautiful old buildings which gave him a sense of history and interest, but Edwardstown only had a few if any old buildings. He also brought up the fact that there is that great empty land space near Castle Plaza - what was going on there? I did try to give him some sense of this great place with a few history tidbits, but I think it would take a while for his eyes to be opened. Months later and in another cab - another driver. This driver said he had been told years ago that Edwardstown was a horrible, dirty place to live and he thought it was still the same today. It was not a long drive home, but enough time for a quick history lesson. He was so nice about it all, and was glad to know more about this area.
This is what Edwardstown has seemed to be by many people over the past few decades, especially the housing trust homes - and that often comes with a change of attitude and speech patterns. People no longer see public housing as it was intended back in 1937/8. Until the last 15 years approx housing was for people who put their names on a list and waited their turn to get a home which they could afford to rent. Often they would buy their home after a few years. They had pride in their homes and communities arose. Workers would leave early and either catch a train or walk or ride to work. Children were born in these homes, and went to local schools and then went to work themselves, or on to further education. The majority of people cared for their homes and the local community was something they were proud of. They shopped locally, got together socially, went to church and planted their lives in the area.
After WW2 there was still a lot of vacant land in the Edwardstown and surrounding areas. There were still a few dairies and many fruit trees, and the almond trees were part of its beauty. Homes were needed for the men who came back from the war and the State Bank came through and many homes were built, Many schools were built - churches and other community buildings. The baby boom had begun in earnest.
Below is a street view of Raglan Avenue from just passed the railway line looking down towards the roundabout at Towers Tce.
The building at left is what is left of the Fitzgerald Dairy, which once dominated this street. The last Fitzgerald was still living in this home at the time other homes were being built alongside. Housing Trust built a special small units for the aged on the right hand side of road, then single storey units, two storey ones further down, and on the right at Towers Tce corner, large 2 storey units.
There were also a number of other units built in Blairgowrie and Aberfeldy Aves at same time. I haven't positively found the date the first ones were built and occupied (these were said to be the group of units in Blairgowrie), but it was all around the late 1980s. Twenty years or so ago, the majority of people living in these public housing had been on the waiting list or urgent transfers etc. There was a nice friendly community spirit as the occupants went off to work, to school, to volunteer.
It was like living in a non housing trust area. About 10 years or so ago things changed when the govt began to ignore the people who had been patiently waiting for years for a home, and now the words housing trust are not all that pleasant.
But to the eye of a visitor, Raglan Ave has been a clean, tree lined street which leads one way to Castle Plaza and the other - follow the 190 bus route and soon you will be at the beach. Take this bus the other way - from the Bay and go to Mitcham, Unley, City, Arndale or right down to the Port.
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