One of my favourite things to do is run around the streets. As much as I like the physical ‘pavement pounding’ side of running I also use the time to see how my local area is developing.
This suburb is scattered with original Victorian, Federation and Californian Bungalow houses. I must say I am fairly partial towards these houses as I grew up in a Californian Bungalow. I get a bit angry when people move into the area and construct a monstrosity. To get an idea of the area (perhaps you have read my first post) it has very old tree lined sweeping streets that provide shade in summer and in winter they loose their leaves to let the sun in. Surrounding the trains station are some lovely homes typical of the area and worth a fortune. Then someone comes in and builds a concrete box that uses the entire quarter acre block with no garden. Usually they are rendered in a grey shade with no character. These houses destroy the feel of the suburb. I get very angry when I run past these houses with only Yuccas and Cordylines surrounded by synthetic turf. The garden is suppose to be a place of expression and individuality not whatever the local ‘plant world’ had on sale that week.
Maybe the lack of garden space in this houses is because we have so many parks and space in Mont Albert? Maybe people think they don't need a backyard because there is a park only five minutes walk away? The main park is Becket Park which is attached to Marano Gardens
I do not mean to offend anyone who thinks this house style to be beautiful. I’m certain there are many people out there who this would be their dream house. I guess all I’m saying is that suburbs like Mont Albert are not the place for these houses and it would be nice if people were more considerate of the suburb characteristics before the build the complete opposite.
There are not many of these places but the few that are here do not fit. I hope so much that this style does not set a trend…
(A Californian Bungalow from the late 1920s)
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