The Pioneering spirit

The City of Canning celebrated its longest-standing residents with a special afternoon tea event at the Canning Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 7 May.

Over 220 residents attended the annual City of Canning Pioneers Tea, with all of them having lived in Canning for a minimum of 50 years. Through this shared history, they have witnessed firsthand the City’s evolution from rural farmlands to a modern, a thriving hub for residential, retail, and commercial activities.

Edna Wendt (98) has proudly called Canning home for 96 years and has been attending the Pioneer’s Tea for over four decades. She is amazed by how much the City has changed in almost a century.

“I can remember riding my bike along the cobblestoned streets,” the great grandmother of 13 reminisces. “Back then Leach Highway was known as Swan Street and was just a skinny little road!

“It’s so different now, with the wide highways and the new train line, but it has changed for the good and it’s been a wonderful place to live.”

Now approaching 100, Edna keeps her mind and body active with regular games of scrabble and cards with old friends, and volunteering around the City for events such as Canning Show. She was recently awarded life membership of the Canning Horticultural Society.

Asked for her secret to longevity, Edna explains that she looks after herself and eats well.

“I don’t think about getting old,” she laughs.

Mayor Patrick Hall, who has lived in the City for most of his life, explained that it was a privilege to celebrate those who have been a part of the Canning community for over 50 years.

“I’d like to acknowledge the contributions made by our pioneers in making the City of Canning the welcoming space that it is today,” he said.

“So much has changed in the last 50 to 100 years, and we have seen Canning grow into one of the most sought-after places to live.

“This is in part due to its positioning, as well as massive improvements in infrastructure and services, but it is also as a result of the strong sense of community and belonging that residents continue to feel in Canning. Our pioneers are the very essence of community.”

Eighty-eight-year-old John Varvell has lived in Canning for his entire life, with his wife Glenise having joined him when he moved from Queens Park to Wilson in 1963.

“We’ve been in the same house for 62 years,” he explains, “but around us so much has changed. I remember, in the old days, riding my bike up Albany Highway, past the old Packers Greengrocers. Back then there was just bush on the other side of Albany Highway.

“We used to ride our bikes from our homes in Queens Park to school in Victoria Park. I can’t imagine young people doing that today.

“The City of Canning was certainly a great place to grow up.”

Residents who have lived in the City for over 50 years can register their interest to attend next year’s Pioneers Tea by calling 1300 422 664 or emailing events@canning.wa.gov.au.